Texas 2013 - 83rd Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB553 Compare Versions

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1	1	By: Uresti, et al. S.B. No. 553
2	2	(Johnson)
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to certain high school students serving as early voting
8	8	clerks in an election.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Section 25.087, Education Code, is amended by
11	11	adding Subsections (b-1) and (e) and amending Subsection (d) to
12	12	read as follows:
13	13	(b-1) A school district may adopt a policy excusing a
14	14	student from attending school for service as a student early voting
15	15	clerk in an election.
16	16	(d) A student whose absence is excused under Subsection (b),
17	17	(b-1), (b-2), or (c) may not be penalized for that absence and shall
18	18	be counted as if the student attended school for purposes of
19	19	calculating the average daily attendance of students in the school
20	20	district. A student whose absence is excused under Subsection (b),
21	21	(b-1), [or] (b-2), or (c) shall be allowed a reasonable time to make
22	22	up school work missed on those days. If the student satisfactorily
23	23	completes the school work, the day of absence shall be counted as a
24	24	day of compulsory attendance.
25	25	(e) A school district may excuse a student for the purposes
26	26	provided by Subsections (b)(1)(E) and (b-1) for a maximum of two
27	27	days in a school year.
28	28	SECTION 2. Section 33.092, Education Code, is amended to
29	29	read as follows:
30	30	Sec. 33.092. STUDENT ELECTION CLERKS AND EARLY VOTING
31	31	CLERKS. A student who is appointed as a student election clerk
32	32	under Section 32.0511, Election Code, or as a student early voting
33	33	clerk under Section 83.012, Election Code, may apply the time
34	34	served as a student election clerk or student early voting clerk
35	35	toward:
36	36	(1) a requirement for a school project at the
37	37	discretion of the teacher who assigned the project; or
38	38	(2) a service requirement for participation in an
39	39	advanced academic course program at the discretion of the program
40	40	sponsor or a school-sponsored extracurricular activity at the
41	41	discretion of the school sponsor.
42	42	SECTION 3. Subchapter A, Chapter 83, Election Code, is
43	43	amended by adding Section 83.012 to read as follows:
44	44	Sec. 83.012. STUDENT EARLY VOTING CLERKS. (a) The early
45	45	voting clerk may appoint student early voting clerks as necessary
46	46	to assist the early voting clerk.
47	47	(b) A person is eligible to serve as a student early voting
48	48	clerk under this section if the person is ineligible to serve as a
49	49	clerk of an election precinct under Section 32.051(c) but meets the
50	50	eligibility requirements to be a student election clerk under
51	51	Section 32.0511.
52	52	(c) A student early voting clerk serving under this section:
53	53	(1) is entitled to compensation under Section 83.052
54	54	in the same manner as other early voting clerks; and
55	55	(2) when communicating with a voter who cannot
56	56	communicate in English, may communicate with the voter in a
57	57	language the voter and the clerk understand as authorized by
58	58	Subchapter B, Chapter 61.
59	59	(d) Not more than four student early voting clerks may serve
60	60	at an early voting polling place.
61	61	(e) The secretary of state may initiate or assist in the
62	62	development of a statewide program promoting the use of student
63	63	early voting clerks appointed under this section.
64	64	SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
65	65	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
66	66	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
67	67	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
68	68	Act takes effect September 1, 2013.