H.B. No. 1888
AN ACT
relating to temporary branch polling place hours of operation.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. The heading to Section 42.0621, Election Code,
is amended to read as follows:
Sec. 42.0621. PRECINCTS FOR ELECTIONS HELD ON NOVEMBER [A]
UNIFORM ELECTION DATE.
SECTION 2. Section 42.0621(a), Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(a) In an election held on the November [a] uniform election
date, the political subdivisions to which Section 42.002(a)(5)
applies shall use the regular county election precincts.
SECTION 3. Section 85.062(e), Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(e) In an election covered by Subsection (d), a temporary
branch polling place that is located in a movable structure may be
established only with the approval of the county clerk. If a
[movable] temporary branch polling place is established in a
movable structure on the request of a political party, each other
political party whose nominee for governor in the most recent
gubernatorial general election received more than 10 percent of the
total number of votes received by all candidates for governor in the
election is entitled to establishment of such a polling place. The
election officers serving a polling place covered by this
subsection must be affiliated or aligned with different political
parties to the extent possible. The secretary of state, after
consulting the state chair of each affected political party, shall
prescribe the procedures necessary to implement this subsection.
SECTION 4. The heading to Section 85.064, Election Code, is
amended to read as follows:
Sec. 85.064. DAYS AND HOURS FOR VOTING: TEMPORARY BRANCH
[IN POPULOUS COUNTY].
SECTION 5. Section 85.064(b), Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(b) Early voting by personal appearance at each temporary
branch polling place [established under Section 85.062(d)] shall be
conducted on the days that voting is required to be conducted at the
main early voting polling place under Section 85.005 and remain
open for at least:
(1) eight hours each day; or
(2) three hours each day if the city or county clerk
does not serve as the early voting clerk for the territory holding
the election and the territory has fewer than 1,000 registered
voters. [The authority establishing the temporary branch polling
place shall determine the hours during which the voting is to be
conducted on those days. The authority shall order voting to be
conducted for the same number of hours that voting is required to be
conducted on those days at the main early voting polling place under
Section 85.005 on receipt of a written request for those hours
submitted by at least 15 registered voters of the county. The
request must be submitted in time to enable compliance with Section
85.067.]
SECTION 6. Section 85.068(a), Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(a) The early voting clerk shall post notice for each
election stating any dates and the hours that voting on Saturday or
Sunday will be conducted under Section 85.064(d) [or 85.065(b)], if
the early voting clerk is a county clerk or city secretary under
Section 83.002 or 83.005.
SECTION 7. The following provisions of the Election Code
are repealed:
(1) Section 42.002(c);
(2) Sections 85.064(a) and (c); and
(3) Section 85.065.
SECTION 8. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 1888 was passed by the House on May 8,
2019, by the following vote: Yeas 91, Nays 53, 1 present, not
voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 1888 was passed by the Senate on May
21, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 19, Nays 12.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: _____________________
Date
_____________________
Governor