| 1 | 1 | | By: Swanson H.B. No. 188 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 5 | 5 | | AN ACT |
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| 6 | 6 | | relating to accommodating a voter unable to enter a polling place. |
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| 7 | 7 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 8 | 8 | | SECTION 1. LEGISLATIVE INTENT. It is the intent of the |
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| 9 | 9 | | Legislature to ensure the integrity of elections in Texas, which |
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| 10 | 10 | | includes the promotion of voter access. |
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| 11 | 11 | | SECTION 2. Section 64.009, Election Code, is amended by |
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| 12 | 12 | | adding Subsections (e) and (f) to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | (e) An election officer shall designate a parking space at |
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| 14 | 14 | | each polling place for voting under this section. The parking space |
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| 15 | 15 | | may not be one designated specifically for persons with |
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| 16 | 16 | | disabilities. The parking space must be clearly marked with a sign |
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| 17 | 17 | | indicating that the space is reserved for use by a voter who is |
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| 18 | 18 | | unable to enter the polling place. |
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| 19 | 19 | | (f) An election officer shall ensure that a voter has the |
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| 20 | 20 | | ability to request assistance from an election officer at the |
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| 21 | 21 | | polling place from inside a vehicle parked in the space designated |
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| 22 | 22 | | under Subsection (e) through use of: |
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| 23 | 23 | | (1) a telephone number displayed on the sign in large |
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| 24 | 24 | | font readable from the vehicle that the voter may text or call; or |
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| 25 | 25 | | (2) a button the voter may use to access an intercom |
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| 26 | 26 | | system. |
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| 27 | 27 | | SECTION 3. Section 104.004(e), Election Code, is amended to |
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| 28 | 28 | | read as follows: |
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| 29 | 29 | | (e) If the voter is physically unable to enter the early |
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| 30 | 30 | | voting polling place without personal assistance or a likelihood of |
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| 31 | 31 | | injuring the voter's health, the clerk shall deliver the balloting |
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| 32 | 32 | | materials to the voter at the polling place entrance or curb |
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| 33 | 33 | | following the procedures prescribed by Section 64.009. |
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| 34 | 34 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 35 | 35 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 36 | 36 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 37 | 37 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 38 | 38 | | Act takes effect on the 91st day after the last day of the |
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| 39 | 39 | | legislative session. |
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