81R3513 JRJ-D
By: Allen H.B. No. 475
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the hours during which the polls are open for early
voting by personal appearance.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 12.004(d), Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(d) The [If early voting by personal appearance is required
to be conducted for extended hours under Section 85.005(c) or for
weekend hours under Section 85.006(e), the] registrar's office
shall remain open for providing voter registration information
during the [extended hours or weekend] hours that the main early
voting polling place is open for voting, including the weekend
hours the main early voting polling place is required to be open
under Section 85.006(e).
SECTION 2. Section 85.005(a), Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(a) Early [Except as provided by Subsection (c), in an
election in which a county clerk or city secretary is the early
voting clerk under Section 83.002 or 83.005, early] voting by
personal appearance at the main early voting polling place shall
begin at 7 a.m. and end at 7 p.m. [be conducted] on the weekdays of
the early voting period [and during the hours that the county
clerk's or city secretary's main business office is regularly open
for business].
SECTION 3. Section 85.007(a), Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(a) The election order and the election notice must state:
(1) the date that early voting will begin if under
Section 85.001(d) the early voting period is to begin later than the
prescribed date;
(2) the regular dates and hours that voting will be
conducted under Section 85.005 [85.005(b)]; and
(3) the dates and hours that voting on Saturday or
Sunday is ordered to be conducted under Section 85.006(a).
SECTION 4. Sections 85.064(b) and (c), Election Code, are
amended to read as follows:
(b) Early voting by personal appearance at each temporary
branch polling place established under Section 85.062(d) shall be
conducted on the same days and during the same hours that voting is
required to be conducted at the main early voting polling place
under Section 85.005. [The authority establishing the temporary
branch polling place shall determine the hours during which the
voting is to be conducted on those days. The authority shall order
voting to be conducted for the same number of hours that voting is
required to be conducted on those days at the main early voting
polling place under Section 85.005 on receipt of a written request
for those hours submitted by at least 15 registered voters of the
county. The request must be submitted in time to enable compliance
with Section 85.067.]
(c) Early voting by personal appearance at a temporary
branch polling place other than a temporary branch polling place
established under Section 85.062(d) may be conducted on any one or
more days [and during any hours] of the period for early voting by
personal appearance, as determined by the authority establishing
the branch. Voting on those days must be during the same hours that
voting is required to be conducted at the main early voting place
under Section 85.005.
SECTION 5. Section 85.065(b), Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(b) Voting at a temporary branch polling place may be
conducted on any one or more days [and during any hours] of the
period for early voting by personal appearance, as determined by
the authority establishing the branch. Voting on those days must be
during the same hours that voting is required to be conducted at the
main early voting place under Section 85.005. The authority
authorized under Section 85.006 to order early voting on a Saturday
or Sunday may also order, in the manner prescribed by that section,
early voting to be conducted on a Saturday or Sunday at any one or
more of the temporary branch polling places.
SECTION 6. Sections 85.005(b) through (d), Election Code,
are repealed.
SECTION 7. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
an election for which early voting begins on or after September 1,
2009.
SECTION 8. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.