| 1 | 1 | | By: Turner of Harris, Wu H.B. No. 1958 |
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| 2 | 2 | | Substitute the following for H.B. No. 1958: |
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| 3 | 3 | | By: Morrison C.S.H.B. No. 1958 |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 7 | 7 | | AN ACT |
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| 8 | 8 | | relating to voting by voters unable to enter a polling place. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Section 64.009, Election Code, is amended by |
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| 11 | 11 | | adding Subsections (e) and (f) to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | (e) The secretary of state shall adopt rules and procedures |
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| 13 | 13 | | to implement this section as follows: |
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| 14 | 14 | | (1) to inform and educate the public and provide |
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| 15 | 15 | | training for election officers regarding the availability of voting |
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| 16 | 16 | | under this section, eligibility requirements for voting under this |
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| 17 | 17 | | section, and the law regarding voting under this section; |
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| 18 | 18 | | (2) to develop recommended procedures for a voter who |
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| 19 | 19 | | is eligible to vote under this section to notify an election officer |
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| 20 | 20 | | of the need for assistance, including requiring an election officer |
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| 21 | 21 | | to develop a system to check outside the polling place for an |
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| 22 | 22 | | eligible voter; |
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| 23 | 23 | | (3) to require the posting of signs outside of a |
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| 24 | 24 | | polling place that indicate voting under this section is available, |
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| 25 | 25 | | where eligible voters should wait, how an eligible voter should |
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| 26 | 26 | | notify an election officer of the need for assistance, and a |
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| 27 | 27 | | telephone number of the officer who administers elections that an |
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| 28 | 28 | | eligible voter may call for assistance; and |
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| 29 | 29 | | (4) to require election officials to develop a |
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| 30 | 30 | | procedure for ensuring a voter who is eligible to vote under this |
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| 31 | 31 | | section is provided the opportunity to vote in the same order as if |
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| 32 | 32 | | the voter were voting inside the polling place. |
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| 33 | 33 | | (f) The secretary of state may withhold all or part of any |
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| 34 | 34 | | funds administered and distributed by the secretary of state, |
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| 35 | 35 | | including funds distributed under Chapter 19 or Section 31.009, |
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| 36 | 36 | | from a political subdivision that operates a polling place that |
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| 37 | 37 | | violates the requirements established under this section. |
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| 38 | 38 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |
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