85R25321 JRJ-D
By: Phillips H.B. No. 2722
Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2722:
By: Laubenberg C.S.H.B. No. 2722
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to early voting by certain persons who have an employment
hardship.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subtitle B, Title 7, Election Code, is amended by
adding Chapter 107 to read as follows:
CHAPTER 107. EARLY VOTING BY PERSON IN SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCE
Sec. 107.001. APPLICABILITY. This chapter applies only to
a voter:
(1) who is eligible to vote in this state; and
(2) whose occupation causes a hardship for the voter:
(A) that prevents the voter from knowing whether
the voter is able to appear at the polling place on election day or
during the regular hours for conducting early voting without
causing a disruption in the operations of the voter's employment;
or
(B) because the occupation is of a nature that
causes the voter to be working periodically offshore.
Sec. 107.002. FORM AND CONTENTS OF APPLICATION. (a) The
secretary of state shall prescribe a unique application for a
ballot to be voted under this chapter that must include, in addition
to the information required by the applicable provisions of Section
84.002:
(1) an affidavit certifying the applicant is employed
in an occupation that causes a hardship for voting, signed by the
applicant and the applicant's employer or contracting entity; and
(2) the address of the applicant's employer or of a
person related to the applicant within the second degree by
affinity or the third degree by consanguinity, as determined under
Chapter 573, Government Code, if that address is different from the
address at which the applicant is registered to vote.
(b) The application must be submitted to the early voting
clerk not later than the 60th day before election day for the
applicant to be eligible to vote a ballot under this chapter.
Sec. 107.003. VOTING PROCEDURE; PROCESSING RESULTS. (a)
On submission of an application under this chapter to the early
voting clerk, the clerk shall review the application and verify the
applicant's registration status in accordance with the procedure
applicable to early voting by mail.
(b) The voting shall be conducted with the balloting
materials for early voting by mail.
(c) The address to which the balloting materials must be
addressed is the address at which the voter is registered to vote or
the address of the applicant's employer or of a person related to
the applicant within the second degree by affinity or the third
degree by consanguinity, as determined under Chapter 573,
Government Code.
(d) The voter must mark and seal the ballot in the same
manner as if early voting by mail.
(e) The results shall be processed in accordance with the
procedures applicable to processing early voting ballots voted by
mail.
(f) Section 86.0015 applies to an application for a ballot
to be voted under this chapter, notwithstanding Section 86.0015(a).
Sec. 107.004. RULES. The secretary of state shall adopt
rules to implement this chapter.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.