Texas 2015 - 84th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB990 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	84R9484 ADM-D
2	2	By: Ellis S.B. No. 990
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the protection of voting rights in the State of Texas;
8	8	creating a criminal offense.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. This Act may be cited as the Texas Voting Rights
11	11	Act of 2015.
12	12	SECTION 2. Section 13.001(b), Election Code, is amended to
13	13	read as follows:
14	14	(b) To be eligible to apply for registration, a person must,
15	15	on the date the registration application is submitted to the
16	16	registrar, be at least 16 [17] years [and 10 months] of age and
17	17	satisfy the requirements of Subsection (a) except for age.
18	18	SECTION 3. Section 13.002(e), Election Code, is amended to
19	19	read as follows:
20	20	(e) Notwithstanding Section 82.005, a [A] person who is
21	21	certified for participation in the address confidentiality program
22	22	administered by the attorney general under Subchapter C, Chapter
23	23	56, Code of Criminal Procedure, is not eligible for early voting by
24	24	mail [under Section 82.007] unless the person submits an
25	25	application under this section by personal delivery. The secretary
26	26	of state may adopt rules to implement this subsection.
27	27	SECTION 4. Subchapter A, Chapter 13, Election Code, is
28	28	amended by adding Section 13.009 to read as follows:
29	29	Sec. 13.009. ISSUANCE OF RECEIPT. (a) This section applies
30	30	only to a completed registration application that is submitted by
31	31	the applicant in person to a voter registrar, deputy registrar, or
32	32	volunteer deputy registrar or a voter registration agency
33	33	designated under Chapter 20. This section does not apply to a
34	34	completed registration application that is submitted by mail.
35	35	(b) On receipt of a completed registration application, the
36	36	person receiving the application shall prepare a receipt in
37	37	duplicate on a form prescribed by the secretary of state and
38	38	furnished by the registrar.
39	39	(c) The receipt must contain:
40	40	(1) the name of the applicant and, if applicable, the
41	41	name of the applicant's agent; and
42	42	(2) the date the completed application is submitted.
43	43	(d) The person receiving the application shall sign the
44	44	receipt in the applicant's presence and shall give the original to
45	45	the applicant.
46	46	(e) The person receiving the application shall deliver the
47	47	duplicate receipt to the registrar with the registration
48	48	application. The registrar shall retain the receipt on file with
49	49	the application.
50	50	(f) The secretary of state may prescribe a procedure that is
51	51	an alternative to the procedure prescribed by this section that
52	52	will ensure the accountability of the registration applications.
53	53	SECTION 5. Section 13.031, Election Code, is amended by
54	54	adding Subsection (f) to read as follows:
55	55	(f) A volunteer deputy registrar appointed under this
56	56	section may serve as a volunteer deputy registrar throughout the
57	57	state regardless of which county appointed the deputy registrar.
58	58	The secretary of state shall prescribe procedures to implement this
59	59	subsection.
60	60	SECTION 6. Section 13.033(b), Election Code, is amended to
61	61	read as follows:
62	62	(b) If a person is to be appointed, the registrar shall
63	63	prepare a certificate of appointment in duplicate containing:
64	64	(1) the date of appointment;
65	65	(2) the statement: "I, ____________, Voter Registrar
66	66	for ____________ County, do hereby appoint ____________ as a
67	67	volunteer deputy registrar [for ____________ County].";
68	68	(3) the person's residence address;
69	69	(4) the person's voter registration number, if any;
70	70	(5) a statement that the term of the appointment
71	71	expires December 31 of an even-numbered year; and
72	72	(6) a statement that the appointment terminates on the
73	73	person's final conviction for an offense for failure to deliver a
74	74	registration application and may terminate on the registrar's
75	75	determination that the person failed to adequately review a
76	76	registration application.
77	77	SECTION 7. Section 13.034(b), Election Code, is amended to
78	78	read as follows:
79	79	(b) The registrar shall maintain the file in alphabetical
80	80	order by deputy name [on a countywide basis].
81	81	SECTION 8. Section 13.035(c), Election Code, is amended to
82	82	read as follows:
83	83	(c) The registrar shall maintain the file in alphabetical
84	84	order by deputy name [on a countywide basis].
85	85	SECTION 9. Section 13.037(a), Election Code, is amended to
86	86	read as follows:
87	87	(a) A person may not receive compensation from any [the]
88	88	county for service as a volunteer deputy registrar unless
89	89	compensation is authorized by the commissioners court.
90	90	SECTION 10. Section 13.038, Election Code, is amended to
91	91	read as follows:
92	92	Sec. 13.038. POWERS GENERALLY. (a) A volunteer deputy
93	93	registrar may distribute voter registration application forms
94	94	throughout the county and receive registration applications
95	95	submitted to the deputy in person.
96	96	(b) A volunteer deputy registrar may distribute a voter
97	97	registration application in the form prescribed by the secretary of
98	98	state under Section 31.002 throughout the state and receive an
99	99	application in that form submitted to the deputy in person,
100	100	regardless of the county in which the application was printed.
101	101	(c) The secretary of state shall prescribe procedures to
102	102	implement this section.
103	103	SECTION 11. The heading to Section 31.005, Election Code,
104	104	is amended to read as follows:
105	105	Sec. 31.005. ENFORCEMENT; PROTECTION OF VOTING RIGHTS.
106	106	SECTION 12. Section 31.005(b), Election Code, is amended to
107	107	read as follows:
108	108	(b) If the secretary determines that a person performing
109	109	official functions in the administration of any part of the
110	110	electoral processes is exercising the powers vested in that person
111	111	in a manner that impedes the free exercise of a citizen's voting
112	112	rights or otherwise violates this code, the secretary may order the
113	113	person to correct the offending conduct. If the person fails to
114	114	comply, the secretary may seek enforcement of the order by a
115	115	temporary restraining order or a writ of injunction or mandamus
116	116	obtained through the attorney general.
117	117	SECTION 13. Subchapter A, Chapter 61, Election Code, is
118	118	amended by adding Section 61.015 to read as follows:
119	119	Sec. 61.015. UNLAWFULLY RESTRICTING VOTER'S RIGHT TO VOTE.
120	120	(a) An election officer commits an offense if the officer
121	121	knowingly:
122	122	(1) removes the name of an eligible voter from the list
123	123	of registered voters or the poll list for the precinct;
124	124	(2) refuses to accept for voting a person whose
125	125	acceptance is required by this code; or
126	126	(3) prevents the deposit in the ballot box of a marked
127	127	and properly folded ballot that was provided at the polling place to
128	128	the voter who is depositing it or for whom the deposit is attempted.
129	129	(b) An offense under this section is a state jail felony.
130	130	SECTION 14. Section 61.032, Election Code, is amended to
131	131	read as follows:
132	132	Sec. 61.032. INTERPRETER PERMITTED. If an election officer
133	133	who attempts to communicate with a voter does not understand the
134	134	language used by the voter, the voter may communicate through an
135	135	interpreter selected by the voter or by the authority ordering the
136	136	election.
137	137	SECTION 15. Section 61.033, Election Code, is amended to
138	138	read as follows:
139	139	Sec. 61.033. ELIGIBILITY TO SERVE AS INTERPRETER. To be
140	140	eligible to serve as an interpreter, a person:
141	141	(1) if selected by the voter, may be any person other
142	142	than the voter's employer, an agent of the voter's employer, or an
143	143	officer or agent of a labor union to which the voter belongs; or
144	144	(2) if appointed to serve as an interpreter by the
145	145	authority ordering the election, must be a registered voter of the
146	146	county in which the voter needing the interpreter resides or a
147	147	registered voter of an adjacent county.
148	148	SECTION 16. Chapter 61, Election Code, is amended by adding
149	149	Subchapter C to read as follows:
150	150	SUBCHAPTER C. DECEPTIVE ELECTION PRACTICES
151	151	Sec. 61.061. DECEPTIVE ELECTION PRACTICES PROHIBITED. A
152	152	person may not knowingly deceive another person regarding:
153	153	(1) the time, place, or manner of conducting an
154	154	election in this state; or
155	155	(2) the qualifications for or restrictions governing
156	156	voter eligibility for an election in this state.
157	157	Sec. 61.062. CRIMINAL OFFENSE. (a) A person commits an
158	158	offense if the person violates Section 61.061 with the intent to
159	159	prevent another person from:
160	160	(1) voting in an election; or
161	161	(2) casting a ballot that may legally be counted.
162	162	(b) An offense under this section is a Class B misdemeanor.
163	163	Sec. 61.063. REPORT TO SECRETARY OF STATE; ACTION BY
164	164	SECRETARY. (a) A person may report a suspected violation of
165	165	Section 61.061 to the secretary of state through the voting rights
166	166	hotline or otherwise.
167	167	(b) Not later than 48 hours after receiving the report, the
168	168	secretary of state shall:
169	169	(1) refer the matter to the attorney general as
170	170	provided by Section 31.006 if the secretary determines that there
171	171	is reasonable cause to suspect that a criminal offense has been
172	172	committed; and
173	173	(2) take any action determined necessary to provide
174	174	correct information to the voters affected by the violation.
175	175	(c) The secretary of state shall adopt rules regarding the
176	176	method of taking corrective action under Subsection (b)(2).
177	177	Sec. 61.064. CIVIL ACTION. The attorney general or a person
178	178	harmed by a violation of Section 61.061 may bring a civil action for
179	179	relief against a person who violates that section, including an
180	180	action seeking a permanent or temporary injunction, restraining
181	181	order, or other appropriate order.
182	182	Sec. 61.065. REPORT TO LEGISLATURE. (a) Not later than
183	183	February 1 of each year, the secretary of state shall submit a
184	184	report to the legislature regarding the reported violations of
185	185	Section 61.061 during the preceding calendar year.
186	186	(b) The report must include:
187	187	(1) the number of reports of violations received;
188	188	(2) the number of alleged violations referred to the
189	189	attorney general;
190	190	(3) a description of the corrective actions taken
191	191	under Section 61.063(b)(2);
192	192	(4) the geographic locations of and populations
193	193	affected by the alleged violations; and
194	194	(5) any other information considered appropriate by
195	195	the secretary of state.
196	196	(c) The secretary of state may withhold specific
197	197	information from a report under this section if the secretary
198	198	determines that the disclosure of that information would unduly
199	199	interfere with an ongoing investigation.
200	200	SECTION 17. Chapter 62, Election Code, is amended by adding
201	201	Section 62.0015 to read as follows:
202	202	Sec. 62.0015. VOTER REGISTRARS MUST BE PRESENT. Two voter
203	203	registrars must be present at each polling place while the polls are
204	204	open.
205	205	SECTION 18. Chapter 63, Election Code, is amended by adding
206	206	Section 63.010 to read as follows:
207	207	Sec. 63.010. REGISTRATION AT POLLING PLACE; VOTING
208	208	PROCEDURES. (a) Other applicable provisions of this code apply to
209	209	the conduct of voting and to the registration of voters under this
210	210	section to the extent those provisions do not conflict with this
211	211	section.
212	212	(b) A person who would be eligible to vote in an election
213	213	under Section 11.001, but for the requirement to be a registered
214	214	voter, shall be accepted for voting in the precinct of the person's
215	215	residence if, on the day the person offers to vote, the person:
216	216	(1) submits a voter registration application that
217	217	complies with Section 13.002 to a voter registrar at the polling
218	218	place; and
219	219	(2) presents as proof of identification:
220	220	(A) a Texas driver's license, including a
221	221	temporary license or instruction permit, or personal
222	222	identification card issued to the person by the Department of
223	223	Public Safety that states the person's current address on the day
224	224	the person seeks to vote; or
225	225	(B) a utility bill addressed to the person dated
226	226	not earlier than the 30th day before the date the person seeks to
227	227	vote, and:
228	228	(i) a Texas driver's license, including a
229	229	temporary license or instruction permit, or personal
230	230	identification card issued to the person by the Department of
231	231	Public Safety, regardless of whether the address stated on the
232	232	license or card is current on the day the person seeks to vote;
233	233	(ii) a United States passport issued to the
234	234	person; or
235	235	(iii) a United States military
236	236	identification card that contains the person's photograph.
237	237	(c) Persons voting under this section shall be processed
238	238	separately at the polling place from persons who are voting under
239	239	regular procedures.
240	240	(d) The secretary of state shall adopt rules to ensure the
241	241	accountability of election officers and to fairly implement this
242	242	section.
243	243	SECTION 19. The heading to Section 63.012, Election Code,
244	244	is amended to read as follows:
245	245	Sec. 63.012. UNLAWFULLY ACCEPTING [OR REFUSING TO ACCEPT]
246	246	VOTER.
247	247	SECTION 20. Section 63.012(a), Election Code, is amended to
248	248	read as follows:
249	249	(a) An election officer commits an offense if the officer
250	250	knowingly[:
251	251	[(1)] permits an ineligible voter to vote other than
252	252	as provided by Section 63.011[; or
253	253	[(2) refuses to accept a person for voting whose
254	254	acceptance is required by this code].
255	255	SECTION 21. The heading to Section 64.010, Election Code,
256	256	is amended to read as follows:
257	257	Sec. 64.010. UNLAWFULLY PERMITTING [OR PREVENTING] DEPOSIT
258	258	OF BALLOT.
259	259	SECTION 22. Section 64.010(a), Election Code, is amended to
260	260	read as follows:
261	261	(a) An election officer commits an offense if the officer[:
262	262	[(1)] permits a person to deposit in the ballot box a
263	263	ballot that the officer knows was not provided at the polling place
264	264	to the voter who is depositing the ballot or for whom the deposit is
265	265	made[; or
266	266	[(2) prevents the deposit in the ballot box of a marked
267	267	and properly folded ballot that was provided at the polling place to
268	268	the voter who is depositing it or for whom the deposit is
269	269	attempted].
270	270	SECTION 23. Section 82.005, Election Code, is amended to
271	271	read as follows:
272	272	Sec. 82.005. ELIGIBILITY FOR EARLY VOTING [BY PERSONAL
273	273	APPEARANCE]. Any qualified voter is eligible for early voting by
274	274	mail or personal appearance.
275	275	SECTION 24. Section 82.007, Election Code, is amended to
276	276	read as follows:
277	277	Sec. 82.007. PARTICIPATION IN ADDRESS CONFIDENTIALITY
278	278	PROGRAM. Notwithstanding Section 82.005, a [A] qualified voter
279	279	who, [is eligible for early voting by mail if:
280	280	[(1) the voter submitted a registration application by
281	281	personal delivery as required by Section 13.002(e); and
282	282	[(2)] at the time the voter's early voting ballot
283	283	application is submitted, [the voter] is certified for
284	284	participation in the address confidentiality program administered
285	285	by the attorney general under Subchapter C, Chapter 56, Code of
286	286	Criminal Procedure, is eligible for early voting by mail only if the
287	287	voter submitted a registration application by personal delivery as
288	288	required by Section 13.002(e).
289	289	SECTION 25. Section 84.001(a), Election Code, is amended to
290	290	read as follows:
291	291	(a) To be entitled to vote an early voting ballot by mail, a
292	292	person [who is eligible for early voting] must make an application
293	293	for an early voting ballot to be voted by mail as provided by this
294	294	title.
295	295	SECTION 26. Section 84.002(a), Election Code, is amended to
296	296	read as follows:
297	297	(a) An early voting ballot application must include:
298	298	(1) the applicant's name and the address at which the
299	299	applicant is registered to vote;
300	300	(2) for an application for a ballot to be voted by mail
301	301	by an applicant who will be absent from the applicant's [on the
302	302	ground of absence from the] county of residence on election day, the
303	303	address outside the applicant's county of residence to which the
304	304	ballot is to be mailed;
305	305	(3) for an application for a ballot to be voted by mail
306	306	by an applicant who is 65 years of age or older on election day or
307	307	has a sickness or physical condition that requires the applicant to
308	308	reside in a hospital or nursing home or other long-term care
309	309	facility, or with a relative [on the ground of age or disability],
310	310	the address of the hospital, nursing home or other long-term care
311	311	facility, or retirement center, or of a person related to the
312	312	applicant within the second degree by affinity or the third degree
313	313	by consanguinity, as determined under Chapter 573, Government Code,
314	314	if the applicant is living at that address and that address is
315	315	different from the address at which the applicant is registered to
316	316	vote;
317	317	(4) for an application for a ballot to be voted by mail
318	318	by an applicant who is confined [on the ground of confinement] in
319	319	jail as described by Section 84.009(a), the address of the jail or
320	320	of a person related to the applicant within the degree described by
321	321	Subdivision (3); and
322	322	(5) [for an application for a ballot to be voted by
323	323	mail on any ground,] an indication of each election for which the
324	324	applicant is applying for a ballot[; and
325	325	[(6) an indication of the ground of eligibility for
326	326	early voting].
327	327	SECTION 27. Section 84.009, Election Code, is amended by
328	328	amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to read as
329	329	follows:
330	330	(a) This section applies only to an applicant who, at the
331	331	time the application for a ballot to be voted by mail is submitted,
332	332	is confined in jail:
333	333	(1) serving a misdemeanor sentence for a term that
334	334	ends on or after election day;
335	335	(2) pending trial after denial of bail;
336	336	(3) without bail pending an appeal of a felony
337	337	conviction; or
338	338	(4) pending trial or appeal on a bailable offense for
339	339	which release on bail before election day is unlikely.
340	340	(a-1) On request of the applicant, an application for a
341	341	ballot to be voted by mail [on the ground of confinement in jail]
342	342	may be submitted to the early voting clerk, at the discretion of the
343	343	authority in charge of the jail, by personal delivery by the jail
344	344	authority or by a designated subordinate of the authority.
345	345	SECTION 28. Section 84.011(a), Election Code, is amended to
346	346	read as follows:
347	347	(a) The officially prescribed application form for an early
348	348	voting ballot must include:
349	349	(1) immediately preceding the signature space the
350	350	statement: "I certify that the information given in this
351	351	application is true, and I understand that giving false information
352	352	in this application is a crime.";
353	353	(2) a statement informing the applicant of the
354	354	offenses prescribed by Sections 84.003 and 84.004;
355	355	(3) spaces for entering an applicant's voter
356	356	registration number and county election precinct of registration,
357	357	with a statement informing the applicant that failure to furnish
358	358	that information does not invalidate the application; and
359	359	(4) on an application for a ballot to be voted by mail:
360	360	(A) a space for an applicant [applying on the
361	361	ground of absence from the county of residence] to indicate whether
362	362	the applicant will be absent from the applicant's county of
363	363	residence on election day and, if applicable, the date on or after
364	364	which the applicant can receive mail at the address outside the
365	365	county;
366	366	(B) a space for indicating the fact that an
367	367	applicant whose application is signed by a witness cannot make the
368	368	applicant's mark and a space for indicating the relationship or
369	369	lack of relationship of the witness to the applicant;
370	370	(C) a space for entering an applicant's telephone
371	371	number, with a statement informing the applicant that failure to
372	372	furnish that information does not invalidate the application;
373	373	(D) a space or box for an applicant who is 65
374	374	years of age or older on election day or has a sickness or physical
375	375	condition that requires the applicant to reside in a hospital or
376	376	nursing home or other long-term care facility, or with a relative,
377	377	[applying on the ground of age or disability] to indicate that the
378	378	address to which the ballot is to be mailed is the address of a
379	379	facility or relative described by Section 84.002(a)(3), if
380	380	applicable;
381	381	(E) a space or box for an applicant confined
382	382	[applying on the ground of confinement] in jail as described by
383	383	Section 84.009(a) to indicate that the address to which the ballot
384	384	is to be mailed is the address of a relative described by Section
385	385	84.002(a)(4), if applicable;
386	386	(F) spaces for entering the signature, printed
387	387	name, and residence address of any person assisting the applicant;
388	388	(G) a statement informing the applicant of the
389	389	condition prescribed by Section 81.005; and
390	390	(H) a statement informing the applicant of the
391	391	requirement prescribed by Section 86.003(c).
392	392	SECTION 29. Section 85.031(a), Election Code, is amended to
393	393	read as follows:
394	394	(a) For each person entitled to vote an early voting ballot
395	395	by personal appearance or entitled to register at a polling place,
396	396	the early voting clerk shall follow the procedure for accepting or
397	397	registering a regular voter on election day, with the modifications
398	398	necessary for the conduct of early voting.
399	399	SECTION 30. Sections 86.001(b) and (c), Election Code, are
400	400	amended to read as follows:
401	401	(b) If the application complies with the applicable
402	402	requirements prescribed by this title [applicant is entitled to
403	403	vote an early voting ballot by mail], the clerk shall provide an
404	404	official ballot to the applicant as provided by this chapter.
405	405	(c) Except as provided by Section 86.008, if the applicant
406	406	is not entitled to vote in the election [by mail], the clerk shall
407	407	reject the application, enter on the application "rejected" and the
408	408	reason for and date of rejection, and deliver written notice of the
409	409	reason for the rejection to the applicant at both the residence
410	410	address and mailing address on the application. A ballot may not be
411	411	provided to an applicant whose application is rejected.
412	412	SECTION 31. Section 86.003(c), Election Code, is amended to
413	413	read as follows:
414	414	(c) The address to which the balloting materials must be
415	415	addressed is the address at which the voter is registered to vote,
416	416	or the registered mailing address if different, unless the
417	417	application to vote early by mail indicates that the voter [ground
418	418	for voting by mail is]:
419	419	(1) will be absent from the voter's [absence from the]
420	420	county of residence on election day, in which case the address must
421	421	be an address outside the voter's county of residence;
422	422	(2) is confined [confinement] in jail as described by
423	423	Section 84.009(a), in which case the address must be the address of
424	424	the jail or of a relative described by Section 84.002(a)(4); or
425	425	(3) is 65 years of age or older on election day or has a
426	426	sickness or physical condition that requires the applicant to
427	427	reside in a hospital or nursing home or other long-term care
428	428	facility, or with a relative, [age or disability] and [the voter] is
429	429	living at a hospital, nursing home or other long-term care
430	430	facility, or retirement center, or with a relative described by
431	431	Section 84.002(a)(3), in which case the address must be the address
432	432	of that facility or relative.
433	433	SECTION 32. Section 86.004(b), Election Code, is amended to
434	434	read as follows:
435	435	(b) For an election to which Section 101.104 applies, the
436	436	balloting materials for a voter who indicates on the application
437	437	for a ballot to be voted by mail or the federal postcard application
438	438	that the voter seeks [is eligible] to vote early by mail as a
439	439	consequence of the voter's being outside the United States shall be
440	440	mailed on or before the later of the 45th day before election day or
441	441	the seventh calendar day after the date the clerk receives the
442	442	application. However, if it is not possible to mail the ballots by
443	443	the deadline of the 45th day before election day, the clerk shall
444	444	notify the secretary of state within 24 hours of knowing that the
445	445	deadline will not be met. The secretary of state shall monitor the
446	446	situation and advise the clerk, who shall mail the ballots as soon
447	447	as possible in accordance with the secretary of state's guidelines.
448	448	SECTION 33. Section 87.041(b), Election Code, is amended to
449	449	read as follows:
450	450	(b) A ballot may be accepted only if:
451	451	(1) the carrier envelope certificate is properly
452	452	executed;
453	453	(2) neither the voter's signature on the ballot
454	454	application nor the signature on the carrier envelope certificate
455	455	is determined to have been executed by a person other than the
456	456	voter, unless signed by a witness;
457	457	(3) [the voter's ballot application states a legal
458	458	ground for early voting by mail;
459	459	[(4)] the voter is registered to vote, if registration
460	460	is required by law;
461	461	(4) [(5) the address to which the ballot was mailed to
462	462	the voter, as indicated by the application, was outside the voter's
463	463	county of residence, if the ground for early voting is absence from
464	464	the county of residence;
465	465	[(6)] for a voter to whom a statement of residence form
466	466	was required to be sent under Section 86.002(a), the statement of
467	467	residence is returned in the carrier envelope and indicates that
468	468	the voter satisfies the residence requirements prescribed by
469	469	Section 63.0011; and
470	470	(5) [(7)] the address to which the ballot was mailed
471	471	to the voter is an address [that is otherwise] required by Sections
472	472	84.002 and 86.003.
473	473	SECTION 34. Section 102.001(a), Election Code, is amended
474	474	to read as follows:
475	475	(a) A qualified voter is eligible to vote a late ballot as
476	476	provided by this chapter if the voter has a sickness or physical
477	477	condition [described by Section 82.002] that prevents the voter
478	478	from appearing at the polling place on election day without a
479	479	likelihood of needing personal assistance or of injuring the
480	480	voter's health and originates on or after the day before the last
481	481	day for submitting an application for a ballot to be voted by mail.
482	482	SECTION 35. Section 662.003(b), Government Code, is amended
483	483	to read as follows:
484	484	(b) A state holiday includes only the following days:
485	485	(1) the 19th day of January, "Confederate Heroes Day,"
486	486	in honor of Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee, and other Confederate
487	487	heroes;
488	488	(2) the second day of March, "Texas Independence Day";
489	489	(3) the 21st day of April, "San Jacinto Day";
490	490	(4) the 19th day of June, "Emancipation Day in Texas,"
491	491	in honor of the emancipation of the slaves in Texas in 1865;
492	492	(5) the 27th day of August, "Lyndon Baines Johnson
493	493	Day," in observance of the birthday of Lyndon Baines Johnson;
494	494	(6) the Friday after Thanksgiving Day;
495	495	(7) the 24th day of December; [and]
496	496	(8) the 26th day of December; and
497	497	(9) every day on which an election, including a
498	498	primary election, is held throughout the state.
499	499	SECTION 36. Section 662.021, Government Code, is amended to
500	500	read as follows:
501	501	Sec. 662.021. DATES OF HOLIDAYS. A legal holiday includes
502	502	only the following days:
503	503	(1) a national holiday under Section 662.003(a); and
504	504	(2) a state holiday under Sections 662.003(b)(1)
505	505	through (6) or Section 662.003(b)(9).
506	506	SECTION 37. Sections 13.040, 82.001, 82.002, 82.003,
507	507	82.004, 84.002(b), and 112.002(b), Election Code, are repealed.
508	508	SECTION 38. The secretary of state shall adopt rules as
509	509	required by Section 63.010, Election Code, as added by this Act, not
510	510	later than February 1, 2016.
511	511	SECTION 39. (a) The changes in law made by this Act in
512	512	adding Sections 62.0015 and 63.010, Election Code, and in amending
513	513	Section 85.03(a), Election Code, apply only to an election for
514	514	which early voting by personal appearance begins on or after
515	515	February 1, 2016.
516	516	(b) The changes in law made by this Act in amending Sections
517	517	13.002(e), 82.005, 82.007, 84.001(a), 84.002(a), 84.009,
518	518	84.011(a), 86.001(b) and (c), 86.003(c), 86.004(b), 87.041(b), and
519	519	102.001(a), Election Code, and in repealing Sections 82.001,
520	520	82.002, 82.003, 82.004, 84.002(b), and 112.002(b), Election Code,
521	521	apply only to an election ordered on or after September 1, 2015.
522	522	(c) The changes in law made by this Act in adding Section
523	523	13.009, Election Code, and repealing Section 13.040, Election Code,
524	524	apply only to a voter registration application submitted on or
525	525	after the effective date of this Act.
526	526	SECTION 40. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.