| 1 | 1 | | 84R482 ATP-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Israel H.B. No. 732 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the requirements for an official carrier envelope for a |
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| 8 | 8 | | ballot to be voted by mail and materials accompanying the official |
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| 9 | 9 | | carrier envelope. |
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| 10 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 11 | | SECTION 1. Sections 86.013(c), (d), and (g), Election Code, |
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| 12 | 12 | | are amended to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | (c) A certificate in substantially the following form must |
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| 14 | 14 | | be printed on the reverse side of the official carrier envelope in a |
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| 15 | 15 | | manner that requires the voter to sign across the flap of the |
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| 16 | 16 | | envelope: |
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| 17 | 17 | | "I certify that the enclosed ballot expresses my wishes |
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| 18 | 18 | | independent of any dictation or undue persuasion by any person. |
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| 19 | 19 | | ________________________________ |
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| 20 | 20 | | Signature of voter |
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| 21 | 21 | | By: ____________________________ |
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| 22 | 22 | | Signature of person assisting |
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| 23 | 23 | | voter, if applicable (see Ballot |
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| 24 | 24 | | Envelope for restrictions and |
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| 25 | 25 | | penalties) |
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| 26 | 26 | | ________________________________ |
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| 27 | 27 | | Printed name of person assisting |
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| 28 | 28 | | voter, if applicable |
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| 29 | 29 | | ________________________________ |
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| 30 | 30 | | Residence address of person |
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| 31 | 31 | | assisting voter, if applicable" |
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| 32 | 32 | | The space provided for the voter's signature must be located in a |
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| 33 | 33 | | box that is at least one inch by two inches, and "Signature of |
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| 34 | 34 | | voter" must be printed in bold type. |
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| 35 | 35 | | (d) The following textual material, as prescribed by the |
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| 36 | 36 | | secretary of state, must be printed [on the reverse side of the |
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| 37 | 37 | | official carrier envelope or] on a separate sheet accompanying the |
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| 38 | 38 | | carrier envelope [when it is provided]: |
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| 39 | 39 | | (1) the prohibition prescribed by Section 86.006(b); |
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| 40 | 40 | | (2) the conditions for delivery by common or contract |
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| 41 | 41 | | carrier prescribed by Sections 81.005 and 86.006; |
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| 42 | 42 | | (3) the requirements for the legal execution and |
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| 43 | 43 | | delivery of the carrier envelope, including the prohibition on |
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| 44 | 44 | | compensation for depositing carrier envelopes containing ballots |
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| 45 | 45 | | voted by other persons under Section 86.0052; |
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| 46 | 46 | | (4) the prohibition prescribed by Section 86.006(e); |
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| 47 | 47 | | and |
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| 48 | 48 | | (5) the offenses prescribed by Sections 86.006(f) and |
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| 49 | 49 | | 86.010(f). |
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| 50 | 50 | | (g) The secretary of state by rule shall require that a |
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| 51 | 51 | | notice informing voters of the telephone number established under |
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| 52 | 52 | | Section 31.0055 and the purpose of the telephone number be printed |
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| 53 | 53 | | on[: |
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| 54 | 54 | | [(1) the official carrier envelope; or |
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| 55 | 55 | | [(2)] an insert enclosed with the balloting materials |
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| 56 | 56 | | for voting by mail sent to the voter. |
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| 57 | 57 | | SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
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| 58 | 58 | | an election ordered on or after the effective date of this Act. An |
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| 59 | 59 | | election ordered before the effective date of this Act is governed |
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| 60 | 60 | | by the law in effect when the election was ordered, and the former |
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| 61 | 61 | | law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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| 62 | 62 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
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