| 1 | 1 | | 87R1905 ADM-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: González of Dallas H.B. No. 479 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to electronic submission of an application for an early |
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| 8 | 8 | | voting ballot by mail. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Sections 84.001(b) and (d), Election Code, are |
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| 11 | 11 | | amended to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | (b) An application must be in writing and signed by the |
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| 13 | 13 | | applicant. Except as provided by Section 84.0091, an [An] |
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| 14 | 14 | | electronic signature is not permitted. |
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| 15 | 15 | | (d) An application must be submitted [by mail] to the early |
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| 16 | 16 | | voting clerk for the election who serves the election precinct of |
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| 17 | 17 | | the applicant's residence. |
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| 18 | 18 | | SECTION 2. Section 84.007(a), Election Code, is amended to |
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| 19 | 19 | | read as follows: |
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| 20 | 20 | | (a) Except as provided by Sections 84.008, [and] 84.009, and |
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| 21 | 21 | | 84.0091, an application for a ballot to be voted by mail must be |
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| 22 | 22 | | submitted as provided by this section. |
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| 23 | 23 | | SECTION 3. Subchapter A, Chapter 84, Election Code, is |
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| 24 | 24 | | amended by adding Section 84.0091 to read as follows: |
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| 25 | 25 | | Sec. 84.0091. SUBMITTING APPLICATION FOR BALLOT VOTED BY |
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| 26 | 26 | | MAIL: ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION. The secretary of state shall |
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| 27 | 27 | | implement a program to allow a person to complete an application for |
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| 28 | 28 | | an early voting ballot by mail over the Internet from the official |
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| 29 | 29 | | website of this state. The program must: |
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| 30 | 30 | | (1) permit an applicant to electronically sign the |
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| 31 | 31 | | application; |
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| 32 | 32 | | (2) deliver a completed application to the early |
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| 33 | 33 | | voting clerk for the election who serves the election precinct of |
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| 34 | 34 | | the applicant's residence; and |
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| 35 | 35 | | (3) permit an applicant to check the status of the |
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| 36 | 36 | | applicant's application. |
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| 37 | 37 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
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