84R9036 ATP-D
By: Bonnen of Galveston H.B. No. 1927
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the application to vote early by mail in more than one
election.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 86.0015, Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 86.0015. APPLYING FOR MORE THAN ONE ELECTION IN SAME
APPLICATION. (a) This section applies only to an application for
a ballot to be voted by mail that:
(1) indicates [is submitted to the county clerk
indicating] the ground of eligibility is age or disability; and
(2) does not specify the election for which a ballot is
requested.
(b) An application described by Subsection (a) is
considered to be an application for a ballot for each election [in
which the county clerk serves as early voting clerk and]:
(1) in which the applicant is eligible to vote; and
(2) that occurs before the earlier of:
(A) the end of the calendar year in which the
application was submitted; or
(B) the date the county clerk receives notice
from the voter registrar under Subsection (f) [(d)] that the voter
has changed residence to another county [submitted a change in
registration information].
(c) The county clerk shall maintain a registry for
applications to which this section applies in a form prescribed by
the secretary of state that allows the voter to vote by mail in all
elections described by Subsection (b).
(d) On receiving an application to which this section
applies, the early voting clerk shall enter the information in the
registry for applications.
(e) An application described by Subsection (a) shall be
preserved for the period for preserving the precinct election
records for the last election for which the application is
effective.
(f) [(d)] The voter registrar shall notify the county clerk
following the receipt of a notice of a change in registration
information under Section 15.021. The county clerk shall:
(1) except as provided by Subdivision (2), update the
registry to reflect the change; or
(2) delete the voter from the registry and notify the
county clerk of the voter's new county of residence, if known and in
this state, that the voter is eligible to receive ballots by mail
under this section, if the voter's county of residence has changed.
(g) A county clerk that receives notice of a voter as
provided by Subsection (f)(2) shall add the voter to the registry
maintained by the clerk under Subsection (c). The secretary of
state may prescribe procedures to implement this subsection.
SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
an election for which an application for a ballot to be voted by
mail may not be submitted before January 1, 2016.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.