Texas 2011 - 82nd Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB849 Compare Versions

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1	1	By: Duncan S.B. No. 849
2	2	(In the Senate - Filed February 22, 2011; March 1, 2011,
3	3	read first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs;
4	4	May 4, 2011, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
5	5	Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 8, Nays 0; May 4, 2011, sent
6	6	to printer.)
7	7	COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 849 By: Duncan
8	8
9	9
10	10	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
11	11	AN ACT
12	12	relating to certain election practices and procedures.
13	13	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
14	14	SECTION 1. Section 18.064, Election Code, is amended to
15	15	read as follows:
16	16	Sec. 18.064. SANCTION FOR NONCOMPLIANCE. If a registrar
17	17	fails to substantially comply with Section 15.083, 16.032,
18	18	[18.042,] or 18.061 or with rules adopted by the secretary of state
19	19	implementing the statewide computerized voter registration list,
20	20	the registrar is not entitled to receive state funds for financing
21	21	voter registration in the county.
22	22	SECTION 2. Subsection (a), Section 18.065, Election Code,
23	23	is amended to read as follows:
24	24	(a) The secretary of state shall monitor each registrar for
25	25	substantial compliance with Sections 15.083, 16.032, [18.042,] and
26	26	18.061 and with rules implementing the statewide computerized voter
27	27	registration list.
28	28	SECTION 3. Subchapter C, Chapter 18, Election Code, is
29	29	amended by adding Section 18.068 to read as follows:
30	30	Sec. 18.068. VOTING HISTORY. Not later than the 30th day
31	31	after the date of the primary, runoff primary, or general election
32	32	or any special election ordered by the governor, the registrar
33	33	shall electronically submit to the secretary of state the record of
34	34	each voter participating in the election.
35	35	SECTION 4. Subsection (d), Section 19.002, Election Code,
36	36	is amended to read as follows:
37	37	(d) The comptroller may not issue a warrant if on June 1 of
38	38	the year in which the warrant is to be issued the most recent notice
39	39	received by the comptroller from the secretary of state under
40	40	Section 18.065 indicates that the registrar is not in substantial
41	41	compliance with Section 15.083, 16.032, [18.042,] or 18.065 or with
42	42	rules implementing the registration service program.
43	43	SECTION 5. Section 31.006, Election Code, is amended to
44	44	read as follows:
45	45	Sec. 31.006. REFERRAL OF COMPLAINT TO ATTORNEY GENERAL.
46	46	(a) If, after receiving a complaint alleging criminal conduct in
47	47	connection with an election, the secretary of state determines that
48	48	there is reasonable cause to suspect that the alleged criminal
49	49	conduct occurred, the secretary shall promptly refer the complaint
50	50	to the attorney general. The secretary shall deliver to the
51	51	attorney general all pertinent documents in the secretary's
52	52	possession.
53	53	(b) The documents submitted to the attorney general under
54	54	Subsection (a) are not considered public information until the
55	55	attorney general has completed the investigation or has made a
56	56	determination that the complaint referred does not warrant an
57	57	investigation.
58	58	SECTION 6. Subsection (b), Section 31.092, Election Code,
59	59	is amended to read as follows:
60	60	(b) The county election officer may contract with the county
61	61	executive committee of a political party holding a primary election
62	62	in the county to perform election services, as provided by this
63	63	subchapter, in the party's general primary election or runoff
64	64	primary election, or both. [To be binding, a contract under this
65	65	subsection must be approved in writing by the secretary of state,
66	66	and the execution of a contract is not completed until written
67	67	approval is obtained.]
68	68	SECTION 7. Subsection (a), Section 31.093, Election Code,
69	69	is amended to read as follows:
70	70	(a) If requested to do so by a political subdivision or
71	71	political party, the county elections administrator shall enter
72	72	into a contract to furnish the election services requested, in
73	73	accordance with a cost schedule agreed on by the contracting
74	74	parties. [If the contracting parties are unable to reach an
75	75	agreement, on referral by either party, the secretary of state
76	76	shall either prescribe terms that the administrator must accept or
77	77	instruct the administrator to decline to enter into a contract with
78	78	the requesting party.]
79	79	SECTION 8. Subsection (c), Section 32.002, Election Code,
80	80	is amended to read as follows:
81	81	(c) The presiding judge and alternate presiding judge must
82	82	be affiliated or aligned with different political parties, subject
83	83	to this subsection. Before July of each year in a county to which
84	84	Subsection (a)(1) applies or before August of each year in a county
85	85	to which Subsection (a)(2) applies, the county chair of a political
86	86	party whose candidate for governor received the highest or second
87	87	highest number of votes in the county in the most recent
88	88	gubernatorial general election shall submit in writing to the
89	89	commissioners court a list of names of persons in order of
90	90	preference for each precinct who are eligible for appointment as an
91	91	election judge. The county chair may supplement the list of names
92	92	of persons until the 20th day before a general election or the 15th
93	93	day before a special election in case an appointed election judge
94	94	becomes unable to serve. The commissioners court shall appoint the
95	95	first person meeting the applicable eligibility requirements from
96	96	the list submitted in compliance with this subsection by the party
97	97	with the highest number of votes in the precinct as the presiding
98	98	judge and the first person meeting the applicable eligibility
99	99	requirements from the list submitted in compliance with this
100	100	subsection by the party with the second highest number of votes in
101	101	the precinct as the alternate presiding judge. If the candidates
102	102	for governor of two political parties received the same number of
103	103	votes in the precinct, the first person meeting the applicable
104	104	eligibility requirements from the list submitted by the party whose
105	105	candidate for governor received the highest number of votes in the
106	106	county shall be appointed as the presiding judge and the first
107	107	person meeting the applicable eligibility requirements from the
108	108	list submitted by the party whose candidate for governor received
109	109	the second highest number of votes in the county shall be appointed
110	110	as the alternate presiding judge. The commissioners court may
111	111	reject the list if the persons whose names are submitted on the list
112	112	are determined not to meet the applicable eligibility requirements.
113	113	SECTION 9. Subsection (b), Section 33.006, Election Code,
114	114	is amended to read as follows:
115	115	(b) A certificate of appointment must:
116	116	(1) be in writing and signed by the appointing
117	117	authority or, for an appointment for a write-in candidate under
118	118	Section 33.004, by each of the voters making the appointment;
119	119	(2) indicate the capacity in which the appointing
120	120	authority is acting;
121	121	(3) state the name, residence address, and voter
122	122	registration number of the appointee and be signed by the
123	123	appointee;
124	124	(4) identify the election and the precinct polling
125	125	place or other location at which the appointee is to serve;
126	126	(5) in an election on a measure, identify the measure
127	127	if more than one is to be voted on and state which side of the
128	128	measure the appointee represents; and
129	129	(6) contain an affidavit executed by the appointee
130	130	stating that the appointee will not have possession of a device
131	131	capable [any mechanical or electronic means] of recording images or
132	132	sound or that the appointee will disable or deactivate the device
133	133	while serving as a watcher.
134	134	SECTION 10. Subsection (c), Section 33.051, Election Code,
135	135	is amended to read as follows:
136	136	(c) A watcher may not be accepted for service if the watcher
137	137	has possession of a device capable [any mechanical or electronic
138	138	means] of recording images or sound unless the watcher agrees to
139	139	disable or deactivate the device. The presiding judge may inquire
140	140	whether a watcher has possession of any prohibited recording device
141	141	before accepting the watcher for service.
142	142	SECTION 11. Section 66.058, Election Code, is amended by
143	143	amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (h) to read as
144	144	follows:
145	145	(a) Except as otherwise provided by this code, the precinct
146	146	election records shall be preserved by the authority to whom they
147	147	are distributed:
148	148	(1) in an election involving a federal office, for at
149	149	least 22 months after election day in accordance with federal law;
150	150	or
151	151	(2) in an election not involving a federal office, for
152	152	at least six months after election day.
153	153	(h) For the preservation of precinct election records in an
154	154	election involving a federal office, the secretary of state shall
155	155	instruct the affected authorities on the actions necessary to
156	156	comply with federal law and otherwise implement this section.
157	157	SECTION 12. Subsections (b), (d), and (f), Section 85.032,
158	158	Election Code, are amended to read as follows:
159	159	(b) The ballot box in which voters deposit their marked
160	160	early voting ballots must have two locks, each with a different key,
161	161	and must be designed and constructed so that the box can be sealed
162	162	to detect any unauthorized opening of the box and that the ballot
163	163	slot can be sealed to prevent any unauthorized deposit in the box.
164	164	The seals for the boxes must be serially numbered for each election.
165	165	The procedures prescribed by Sections 127.064, 127.065, 127.066,
166	166	and 127.068 governing the use of sealed ballot boxes in electronic
167	167	voting system elections apply to the use of sealed ballot boxes
168	168	under this title to the extent those procedures can be made
169	169	applicable[, with references to the central counting station being
170	170	applied to the early voting ballot board]. The secretary of state
171	171	shall prescribe any procedures necessary to implement the use of
172	172	sealed ballot boxes in early voting.
173	173	(d) Each custodian shall retain possession of the key
174	174	entrusted to the custodian until it is delivered to the presiding
175	175	judge of the central counting station [early voting ballot board
176	176	under Subchapter B, Chapter 87].
177	177	(f) The secretary of state shall prescribe procedures
178	178	providing for the security of the voted early voting ballots from
179	179	the last day of voting by personal appearance at a polling place
180	180	until the day the ballots are counted. [The procedures must include
181	181	security measures covering the transfer of the ballots between the
182	182	early voting clerk and the early voting ballot board.]
183	183	SECTION 13. Section 87.021, Election Code, is amended to
184	184	read as follows:
185	185	Sec. 87.021. BALLOTS AND OTHER MATERIALS DELIVERED TO
186	186	BOARD. The early voting clerk shall deliver to the early voting
187	187	ballot board:
188	188	(1) in an election in which regular paper ballots are
189	189	used for early voting by personal appearance, each ballot box, in
190	190	accordance with Section 85.032(b), containing the early voting
191	191	ballots voted by personal appearance and the clerk's key to each
192	192	box;
193	193	(2) the jacket envelopes containing the early voting
194	194	ballots voted by mail, regardless of the ballot type or voting
195	195	system used;
196	196	(3) the poll lists prepared in connection with early
197	197	voting by personal appearance;
198	198	(4) the list of registered voters used in conducting
199	199	early voting; and
200	200	(5) a ballot transmittal form that includes a
201	201	statement of the number of early voting ballots voted by mail,
202	202	regardless of the ballot type or voting system used, that are
203	203	delivered to the early voting ballot board and, in an election in
204	204	which regular paper ballots are used for early voting by personal
205	205	appearance, the number of names appearing on the poll lists
206	206	prepared in connection with early voting by personal appearance.
207	207	SECTION 14. Subsection (a), Section 87.0221, Election Code,
208	208	is amended to read as follows:
209	209	(a) In an election in which regular paper ballots are used
210	210	for early voting by personal appearance or by mail, the materials
211	211	may be delivered to the board between the end of the period for
212	212	early voting by personal appearance and the closing of the polls on
213	213	election day, or as soon after closing as practicable, at the time
214	214	or times specified by the presiding judge of the board.
215	215	SECTION 15. Subsection (a), Section 87.023, Election Code,
216	216	is amended to read as follows:
217	217	(a) In an election in which early voting ballots are to be
218	218	counted by automatic tabulating equipment at a central counting
219	219	station, the ballots voted by mail to be automatically counted may
220	220	be delivered to the board between the end of the period for early
221	221	voting by personal appearance and the closing of the polls on
222	222	election day, or as soon after closing as practicable, at intervals
223	223	specified by the presiding judge of the board.
224	224	SECTION 16. Section 101.013, Election Code, is amended to
225	225	read as follows:
226	226	Sec. 101.013. DESIGNATION OF SECRETARY OF STATE. (a) The
227	227	secretary of state is designated as the state office to provide
228	228	information regarding voter registration procedures and absentee
229	229	ballot procedures, including procedures related to the federal
230	230	write-in absentee ballot, to be used by persons eligible to vote
231	231	under the federal Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting
232	232	Act (42 U.S.C. Section 1973ff et seq.), as amended.
233	233	(b) The secretary of state is designated as the state
234	234	coordinator between military and overseas voters and county
235	235	election officials. A county election official shall:
236	236	(1) cooperate with the secretary of state to ensure
237	237	that military and overseas voters timely receive accurate balloting
238	238	materials that a voter is able to cast in time for the election; and
239	239	(2) otherwise comply with the federal Military and
240	240	Overseas Voter Empowerment Act (Pub. L. No. 111-84, Div. A, Title V,
241	241	Subt. H).
242	242	(c) The secretary of state may adopt rules as necessary to
243	243	implement this section.
244	244	SECTION 17. Subsection (a), Section 112.002, Election Code,
245	245	is amended to read as follows:
246	246	(a) After changing residence to another county, a person is
247	247	eligible to vote a limited ballot by personal appearance during the
248	248	early voting period or by mail if:
249	249	(1) the person would have been eligible to vote in the
250	250	county of former residence on election day if still residing in that
251	251	county;
252	252	(2) the person is registered to vote in the county of
253	253	former residence at the time the person:
254	254	(A) offers to vote in the county of new
255	255	residence; or
256	256	(B) submitted a voter registration application
257	257	in the county of new residence; and
258	258	(3) a voter registration for the person in the county
259	259	of new residence is not effective on or before election day.
260	260	SECTION 18. Section 127.007, Election Code, is amended to
261	261	read as follows:
262	262	Sec. 127.007. PLAN FOR COUNTING STATION OPERATION.
263	263	(a) The manager shall establish and implement a written plan for
264	264	the orderly operation of the central counting station.
265	265	(b) The plan required under this section must address the
266	266	process for comparing the number of voters who signed the
267	267	combination form with the number of votes cast for the entire
268	268	election.
269	269	SECTION 19. Subsection (c), Section 129.023, Election Code,
270	270	is amended to read as follows:
271	271	(c) The general custodian of election records shall adopt
272	272	procedures for testing that:
273	273	(1) direct the testing board to cast votes;
274	274	(2) verify that each contest position, as well as each
275	275	precinct and ballot style, on the ballot can be voted and is
276	276	accurately counted [for each precinct and ballot style];
277	277	(3) include overvotes and undervotes for each race, if
278	278	applicable to the system being tested;
279	279	(4) include straight-party votes and crossover votes;
280	280	(5) include write-in votes, when applicable to the
281	281	election;
282	282	(6) include provisional votes, if applicable to the
283	283	system being tested;
284	284	(7) calculate the expected results from the test
285	285	ballots;
286	286	(8) ensure that each voting machine has any public
287	287	counter reset to zero and presented to the testing board for
288	288	verification before testing;
289	289	(9) require that, for each feature of the system that
290	290	allows disabled voters to cast a ballot, at least one vote be cast
291	291	and verified by a two-person testing board team using that feature;
292	292	and
293	293	(10) require that, when all votes are cast, the
294	294	general custodian of election records and the testing board observe
295	295	the tabulation of all ballots and compare the actual results to the
296	296	expected results.
297	297	SECTION 20. Section 141.040, Election Code, is amended to
298	298	read as follows:
299	299	Sec. 141.040. NOTICE OF DEADLINES. (a) The authority with
300	300	whom [Not later than the 30th day before the first day on which a
301	301	candidate may file] an application for a place on the ballot under
302	302	this subchapter[, the authority with whom the application] must be
303	303	filed shall post notice of the dates of the filing period in a
304	304	public place in a building in which the authority has an office not
305	305	later than the 30th day before:
306	306	(1) the first day on which a candidate may file the
307	307	application; or
308	308	(2) the last day on which a candidate may file the
309	309	application, if this code does not designate a first day on which
310	310	the candidate may file the application.
311	311	(b) This section does not apply to an office filled at the
312	312	general election for state and county officers.
313	313	SECTION 21. Section 145.001, Election Code, is amended by
314	314	amending Subsection (b) and by adding Subsection (d-1) to read as
315	315	follows:
316	316	(b) A [To be effective, a] withdrawal request must:
317	317	(1) be in writing and be signed and acknowledged by the
318	318	candidate; and
319	319	(2) be timely filed with the appropriate authority or
320	320	an agent of an authority only as expressly provided by this code.
321	321	(d-1) A withdrawal that is not filed in compliance with
322	322	Subsection (b) has no legal effect and is not considered filed.
323	323	SECTION 22. Section 145.005, Election Code, is amended to
324	324	read as follows:
325	325	Sec. 145.005. EFFECT OF VOTES CAST FOR DECEASED, WITHDRAWN,
326	326	OR INELIGIBLE CANDIDATE. (a) If the name of a deceased,
327	327	withdrawn, or ineligible candidate appears on the ballot under this
328	328	chapter, the votes cast for the candidate shall be counted and
329	329	entered on the official election returns in the same manner as for
330	330	the other candidates.
331	331	(b) If the deceased, withdrawn, or ineligible candidate
332	332	receives the vote required for election, the resulting vacancy
333	333	shall be filled in the regular manner.
334	334	(c) If the deceased, withdrawn, or ineligible candidate and
335	335	another candidate tie for the most votes in an election in which a
336	336	plurality vote is sufficient for election, the other candidate is
337	337	considered to be elected. If more than one other candidate is tied
338	338	with the deceased, withdrawn, or ineligible candidate, the winner
339	339	of the election shall be determined by resolving the tie between the
340	340	other candidates in the regular manner for resolving a tie vote in
341	341	the election.
342	342	(d) In a race in which a runoff is required, if the deceased,
343	343	withdrawn, or ineligible candidate received the vote that would
344	344	entitle the candidate to a place on the runoff election ballot or
345	345	tied for that number of votes, the candidates in the runoff shall be
346	346	determined in the regular manner but without regard to the votes
347	347	received by the deceased, withdrawn, or ineligible candidate.
348	348	SECTION 23. Subsections (a) and (d), Section 145.092,
349	349	Election Code, are amended to read as follows:
350	350	(a) Except as otherwise provided by this section, a
351	351	candidate may not withdraw from an election after 5 p.m. of the
352	352	third day after the deadline for filing the candidate's application
353	353	for a place on the ballot [second day before the beginning of early
354	354	voting by personal appearance].
355	355	(d) A candidate in a runoff election [following a main
356	356	election subject to Subsection (b)] may not withdraw from the
357	357	election after 5 p.m. of the third day after the date of the main
358	358	election.
359	359	SECTION 24. Subsection (a), Section 145.094, Election Code,
360	360	is amended to read as follows:
361	361	(a) The name of a candidate shall be omitted from the ballot
362	362	if the candidate:
363	363	(1) dies before the second day before the date of the
364	364	deadline for filing the candidate's application for a place on the
365	365	ballot;
366	366	(2) withdraws or is declared ineligible within the
367	367	time prescribed by Section 145.092(a) [before 5 p.m. of the second
368	368	day before the beginning of early voting by personal appearance],
369	369	in an election subject to that section [Section 145.092(a)];
370	370	(3) withdraws or is declared ineligible within the
371	371	time prescribed by Section 145.092(b) [before 5 p.m. of the 53rd day
372	372	before election day], in an election subject to that section
373	373	[Section 145.092(b)]; or
374	374	(4) withdraws or is declared ineligible within the
375	375	time prescribed by Section 145.092(f) [before 5 p.m. of the 67th day
376	376	before election day], in an election subject to that section
377	377	[Section 145.092(f)].
378	378	SECTION 25. Subsection (a), Section 172.052, Election Code,
379	379	is amended to read as follows:
380	380	(a) A candidate for nomination may not withdraw from the
381	381	general primary election after the first day after the deadline for
382	382	filing the candidate's application for a place on the general
383	383	primary election ballot [62nd day before general primary election
384	384	day].
385	385	SECTION 26. Section 172.057, Election Code, is amended to
386	386	read as follows:
387	387	Sec. 172.057. WITHDRAWN, DECEASED, OR INELIGIBLE
388	388	CANDIDATE'S NAME OMITTED FROM GENERAL PRIMARY BALLOT. A
389	389	candidate's name shall be omitted from the general primary election
390	390	ballot if the candidate withdraws, dies, or is declared ineligible
391	391	within the time prescribed by Section 172.052(a) [on or before the
392	392	62nd day before general primary election day].
393	393	SECTION 27. Subsection (i), Section 213.013, Election Code,
394	394	is amended to read as follows:
395	395	(i) No device capable [mechanical or electronic means] of
396	396	recording images or sound is [are] allowed inside the room in which
397	397	the recount is conducted, or in any hallway or corridor in the
398	398	building in which the recount is conducted within 30 feet of the
399	399	entrance to the room, while the recount is in progress unless the
400	400	person entitled to be present at the recount agrees to disable or
401	401	deactivate the device. However, on request of a person entitled to
402	402	appoint watchers to serve at the recount, the recount committee
403	403	chair shall permit the person to photocopy under the chair's
404	404	supervision any ballot, including any supporting materials,
405	405	challenged by the person or person's watcher. The person must pay a
406	406	reasonable charge for making the copies and, if no photocopying
407	407	equipment is available, may supply that equipment at the person's
408	408	expense. The person shall provide a copy on request to another
409	409	person entitled to appoint watchers to serve at the recount.
410	410	SECTION 28. Section 216.002, Election Code, is amended to
411	411	read as follows:
412	412	Sec. 216.002. CONDUCT OF AUTOMATIC RECOUNT GENERALLY.
413	413	Except as otherwise provided by this chapter, this title, including
414	414	the notice requirement of Section 213.009, applies to a recount
415	415	conducted under this chapter with appropriate modifications as
416	416	prescribed by the secretary of state.
417	417	SECTION 29. Subsection (c), Section 232.008, Election Code,
418	418	is amended to read as follows:
419	419	(c) A contestant must file the petition not later than the
420	420	10th day after the date the official result is determined in a
421	421	contest of:
422	422	(1) a primary or runoff primary election; or
423	423	(2) a general or special election for which a runoff is
424	424	necessary according to the official result or will be necessary if
425	425	the contestant prevails.
426	426	SECTION 30. Section 253.167, Election Code, is amended to
427	427	read as follows:
428	428	Sec. 253.167. CERTIFICATION OF POPULATION; NOTICE OF
429	429	CONTRIBUTION AND EXPENDITURE LIMITS. (a) For purposes of this
430	430	subchapter only, not later than June 1 of each odd-numbered year,
431	431	the commission [secretary of state] shall:
432	432	(1) make [deliver to the commission] a written
433	433	certification of the population of each judicial district for which
434	434	a candidate for judge or justice must file a campaign treasurer
435	435	appointment with the commission; and
436	436	(2) deliver to the county clerk of each county a
437	437	written certification of the county's population, if the county:
438	438	(A) comprises an entire judicial district under
439	439	Chapter 26, Government Code; or
440	440	(B) has a statutory county court or statutory
441	441	probate court, other than a multicounty statutory county court
442	442	created under Subchapter D, Chapter 25, Government Code.
443	443	(b) Following [On receipt of the] certification of
444	444	population under Subsection (a), the commission or county clerk, as
445	445	appropriate, shall make available to each candidate for an office
446	446	covered by this subchapter written notice of the contribution and
447	447	expenditure limits applicable to the office the candidate seeks.
448	448	SECTION 31. Section 501.001, Election Code, is amended by
449	449	adding Subdivision (4) to read as follows:
450	450	(4) "Political subdivision" includes a justice
451	451	precinct.
452	452	SECTION 32. Subsection (a), Section 501.023, Election Code,
453	453	is amended to read as follows:
454	454	(a) If 10 or more qualified voters of any county, justice
455	455	precinct, or municipality file a written application and provide
456	456	proof of publication of notice in a newspaper of general
457	457	circulation in that political subdivision, the county clerk of the
458	458	county shall issue to the applicants a petition to be circulated
459	459	among the qualified voters of the political subdivision for the
460	460	signatures of those qualified voters who desire that a local option
461	461	election be called for the purpose of determining whether the sale
462	462	of alcoholic beverages of one or more of the various types and
463	463	alcoholic contents shall be prohibited or legalized in the
464	464	political subdivision. The notice must include:
465	465	(1) the individual or entity that is applying for the
466	466	petition to gather signatures for a local option liquor election;
467	467	(2) the type of local option liquor election;
468	468	(3) the name of the political subdivision in which the
469	469	petition will be circulated; and
470	470	(4) the name and title of the person with whom the
471	471	application will be filed.
472	472	SECTION 33. Subsection (a), Section 501.108, Election Code,
473	473	is amended to read as follows:
474	474	(a) If a county is not required to pay the initial expense,
475	475	regardless of any authority to receive reimbursement, of a local
476	476	option election under Section 501.107, the county clerk shall
477	477	require the applicants for a petition for a local option election to
478	478	make a deposit before the issuance of the petition.
479	479	SECTION 34. Sections 18.041 and 18.042 and Subsection (c),
480	480	Section 145.092, Election Code, are repealed.
481	481	SECTION 35. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011.
482	482	* * * * *