| 3 | 2 | | |
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| 4 | 3 | | |
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| 5 | 4 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 5 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 6 | | relating to procedures for early voting by mail. |
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| 8 | 7 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 9 | 8 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 81, Election Code, is amended by adding |
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| 10 | 9 | | Section 81.006 to read as follows: |
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| 11 | 10 | | Sec. 81.006. MODIFICATION OF EARLY VOTING BY MAIL |
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| 12 | 11 | | QUALIFICATIONS AND PROCEDURES. Except as specifically permitted by |
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| 13 | 12 | | statute, the qualifications for early voting by mail and procedures |
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| 14 | 13 | | for conducting early voting by mail may not be amended or suspended |
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| 15 | 14 | | for any reason. |
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| 16 | 15 | | SECTION 2. Section 418.016, Government Code, is amended by |
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| 17 | 16 | | adding Subsection (i) to read as follows: |
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| 18 | 17 | | (i) Notwithstanding Subsection (a) and except as provided |
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| 19 | 18 | | by this subsection, the governor may not suspend a provision of a |
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| 20 | 19 | | statute, an order, or a rule under this section if the provision, |
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| 21 | 20 | | order, or rule is related to the qualifications or procedures for |
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| 22 | 21 | | early voting by mail. Upon declaration of a state of disaster, the |
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| 23 | 22 | | governor may suspend Section 86.006(a-1), Election Code, only for |
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| 24 | 23 | | the purpose of allowing a voter registered to vote at an address |
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| 25 | 24 | | located in a disaster area to deliver a marked ballot voted under |
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| 26 | 25 | | Section 86.006(a-1) to the early voting clerk's office on or before |
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| 27 | 26 | | election day. |
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| 28 | 27 | | SECTION 3. Section 418.108, Government Code, is amended by |
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| 29 | 28 | | adding Subsection (j) to read as follows: |
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| 30 | 29 | | (j) The presiding officer of the governing body of a |
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| 31 | 30 | | political subdivision may not suspend a provision of a statute, |
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| 32 | 31 | | rule, or order under this section if the statute, rule, or order is |
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| 33 | 32 | | related to the qualifications or procedures for early voting by |
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| 34 | 33 | | mail. |
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| 35 | 34 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
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