Texas 2017 - 85th Regular

Texas House Bill HB1077 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	85R4072 SRS-F
2	2	By: Cyrier H.B. No. 1077
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the eligibility of certain citizens residing outside
8	8	the United States to vote a full ballot.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Section 101.001, Election Code, is amended to
11	11	read as follows:
12	12	Sec. 101.001. ELIGIBILITY. (a) A person is eligible for
13	13	early voting by mail as provided by this chapter if:
14	14	(1) the person is qualified to vote in this state or,
15	15	if not registered to vote in this state, would be qualified if
16	16	registered; and
17	17	(2) the person is:
18	18	(A) a member of the armed forces of the United
19	19	States, or the spouse or a dependent of a member;
20	20	(B) a member of the merchant marine of the United
21	21	States, or the spouse or a dependent of a member; or
22	22	(C) domiciled in this state but temporarily
23	23	living outside the territorial limits of the United States and the
24	24	District of Columbia.
25	25	(b) Notwithstanding Subsection (a) and Chapter 114, a
26	26	person who indicates on a federal postcard application that the
27	27	person is a United States citizen residing outside the United
28	28	States indefinitely is entitled to vote a full ballot as provided by
29	29	this chapter if the person is otherwise eligible to vote under this
30	30	chapter and is a registered voter at the address contained on the
31	31	application.
32	32	SECTION 2. Section 101.052, Election Code, is amended by
33	33	adding Subsection (n) to read as follows:
34	34	(n) The early voting clerk shall provide notice to a person
35	35	who indicates on a federal postcard application that the person is a
36	36	United States citizen residing outside the United States
37	37	indefinitely, other than a person described by Section 101.001(b),
38	38	that as a result of the person's indication, the person is only
39	39	eligible to vote a federal ballot as provided by Chapter 114. The
40	40	secretary of state shall prescribe the form and manner of the notice
41	41	provided under this subsection.
42	42	SECTION 3. Subchapter B, Chapter 101, Election Code, is
43	43	amended by adding Section 101.059 to read as follows:
44	44	Sec. 101.059. NOTICE ON COUNTY WEBSITE FOR CITIZENS
45	45	RESIDING OUTSIDE OF UNITED STATES INDEFINITELY. If a county
46	46	maintains an Internet website to provide information on voting, the
47	47	website must include information that describes the effects on the
48	48	ballot a person will receive under state law if the person indicates
49	49	on a federal postcard application that the person is a United States
50	50	citizen residing outside the United States indefinitely.
51	51	SECTION 4. Section 114.002, Election Code, is amended to
52	52	read as follows:
53	53	Sec. 114.002. ELIGIBILITY. A United States citizen
54	54	residing [dwelling] outside the United States is eligible to vote a
55	55	federal ballot by mail if:
56	56	(1) the citizen's most recent domicile in the United
57	57	States was in this state and the citizen is residing outside the
58	58	United States indefinitely [citizen's intent to return to this
59	59	state is uncertain];
60	60	(2) the citizen would be eligible for registration as
61	61	a voter in this state if a resident; and
62	62	(3) the citizen is not eligible to vote on federal
63	63	offices in any other state.
64	64	SECTION 5. The change in law made by this Act applies to a
65	65	federal postcard application that requests a ballot for an election
66	66	that is held on or after the effective date of this Act.
67	67	SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.