86R4728 GRM-F
By: Israel H.B. No. 1184
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the deadline for submitting an application for a ballot
to be voted by mail.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 84.007(c), Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(c) Except as provided by Section 86.0015(b), an
application may be submitted at any time in the year of the election
for which a ballot is requested, but not later than 5 p.m. [the
close of regular business in the early voting clerk's office or 12
noon, whichever is later,] on the 11th day before election day
unless that day is a Saturday, Sunday, or legal state or national
holiday, in which case the last day is the first preceding regular
business day. For purposes of this subsection, an application for a
ballot to be voted by mail deposited in a post office box before the
post office box is last inspected for removal of mail on the next
business day after the day described above is considered timely
submitted.
SECTION 2. Section 84.008(a), Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(a) An applicant for a ballot to be voted by mail may submit
the application by delivering it in person to the early voting clerk
if the application is submitted not later than 5 p.m. on the 11th
day before election day unless that day is a Saturday, Sunday, or
legal state or national holiday, in which case the last day is the
first preceding regular business day [the close of regular business
in the clerk's office on the day before the first day of the period
for early voting by personal appearance].
SECTION 3. Section 86.0015(b-1), Election Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(b-1) An application submitted under this section must be
submitted before 5 p.m. [the close of regular business in the early
voting clerk's office or 12 noon, whichever is later,] on the 11th
day before election day unless that day is a Saturday, Sunday, or
legal state or national holiday, in which case the last day is the
first preceding regular business day. For purposes of this
subsection, an application for a ballot to be voted by mail
deposited in a post office box before the post office box is last
inspected for removal of mail on the next business day after the day
described above is considered timely submitted.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2019.