Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB331 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	S.B. No. 331
	1	+	87R18998 ADM-D
	2	+	By: Johnson S.B. No. 331
	3	+	(Button)
	4	+	Substitute the following for S.B. No. 331: No.
2	5
3	6
	7	+	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
4	8		AN ACT
5	9		relating to eligibility to serve as an interpreter in an election.
6	10		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
7	11		SECTION 1. Section 61.032, Election Code, is amended to
8	12		read as follows:
9	13		Sec. 61.032. INTERPRETER PERMITTED. If an election officer
10	14		who attempts to communicate with a voter does not understand the
11	15		language used by the voter, the voter may communicate through an
12	16		interpreter selected by the voter or, if the voter has not selected
13	17		an interpreter, any interpreter an election officer may appoint.
14	18		SECTION 2. Section 61.033, Election Code, is amended to
15	19		read as follows:
16	20		Sec. 61.033. ELIGIBILITY TO SERVE AS INTERPRETER. To be
17	21		eligible to serve as an interpreter, a person:
18	22		(1) may be any person other than the voter's employer,
19	23		an agent of the voter's employer, or an officer or agent of a labor
20	24		union to which the voter belongs; and
21	25		(2) if appointed to serve as an interpreter by an
22	26		election officer, must be a registered voter of the county in which
23	27		the voter needing the interpreter resides or a registered voter of
24	28		an adjacent county.
25	29		SECTION 3. Section 61.034, Election Code, is amended to
26	30		read as follows:
27	31		Sec. 61.034. TRANSLATING BALLOT. If a voter cannot
28	32		comprehend the language in which the ballot is printed, the voter
29	33		may receive assistance in accordance with Subchapter B, Chapter 64
30	34		[an interpreter may accompany the voter to the voting station for
31	35		the purpose of translating the ballot to the voter].
32	36		SECTION 4. Section 61.035, Election Code, is amended to
33	37		read as follows:
34	38		Sec. 61.035. OATH. (a) Before serving as an interpreter,
35	39		the person selected as interpreter must take the following oath
36	40		administered by an election officer:
37	41		"I swear (or affirm) that, to the best of my ability, I will
38	42		correctly interpret and translate each question, answer, or
39	43		statement addressed either to the voter by any election officer or
40	44		to an election officer by the voter."
41	45		(b) A person who will be providing ballot assistance under
42	46		Section 61.034 must also take the oath required by Subchapter B,
43	47		Chapter 64, and meet all other requirements of that subchapter.
44	48		SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
45	49		a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
46	50		provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
47	51		Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
48	52		Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
49		-	______________________________ ______________________________
50		-	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
51		-	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 331 passed the Senate on
52		-	April 7, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0; and that the
53		-	Senate concurred in House amendment on May 28, 2021, by the
54		-	following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
55		-	______________________________
56		-	Secretary of the Senate
57		-	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 331 passed the House, with
58		-	amendment, on May 25, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 134,
59		-	Nays 10, two present not voting.
60		-	______________________________
61		-	Chief Clerk of the House
62		-	Approved:
63		-	______________________________
64		-	Date
65		-	______________________________
66		-	Governor