By: Crockett H.B. No. 200
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to voter education for residents of certain long-term care
facilities.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 31, Election Code, is
amended by adding Section 31.0125 to read as follows:
Sec. 31.0125. VOTER EDUCATION PAMPHLET FOR LONG-TERM CARE
FACILITY RESIDENTS. (a) In this section, "long-term care
facility" means a facility licensed under Chapter 242, 247, or 252,
Health and Safety Code.
(b) The secretary of state shall develop a voter education
pamphlet for long-term care facility residents. The pamphlet must
include information on:
(1) a resident's voting rights, including information
contained in the notice of voters' rights publicized under Section
62.0115; and
(2) the voting process, including general information
on common deceptive practices and disenfranchisement methods that
may occur during the voting process.
(c) The secretary of state shall make the voter education
pamphlet available on the secretary's Internet website.
SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 242, Health and Safety
Code, is amended by adding Section 242.020 to read as follows:
Sec. 242.020. VOTER EDUCATION FOR RESIDENTS. (a) In this
section, "voter education pamphlet" means the voter education
pamphlet for long-term care facility residents developed by the
secretary of state under Section 31.0125, Election Code.
(b) A nursing facility employee shall, not later than the
30th day before the date of an election in which residents are
generally eligible to vote and using information contained in the
voter education pamphlet as a reference, inform each resident,
verbally and in an audible and intelligible manner, of the
resident's voting rights and the voting process.
(c) Each nursing facility shall make copies of the voter
education pamphlet available in common areas of the facility.
SECTION 3. Subchapter D, Chapter 247, Health and Safety
Code, is amended by adding Section 247.072 to read as follows:
Sec. 247.072. VOTER EDUCATION FOR RESIDENTS. (a) In this
section, "voter education pamphlet" means the voter education
pamphlet for long-term care facility residents developed by the
secretary of state under Section 31.0125, Election Code.
(b) An assisted living facility employee shall, not later
than the 30th day before the date of an election in which facility
residents are generally eligible to vote and using information
contained in the voter education pamphlet as a reference, inform
each resident, verbally and in an audible and intelligible manner,
of the resident's voting rights and the voting process.
(c) Each assisted living facility shall make copies of the
voter education pamphlet available in common areas of the facility.
SECTION 4. Subchapter A, Chapter 252, Health and Safety
Code, is amended by adding Section 252.012 to read as follows:
Sec. 252.012. VOTER EDUCATION FOR RESIDENTS. (a) In this
section, "voter education pamphlet" means the voter education
pamphlet for long-term care facility residents developed by the
secretary of state under Section 31.0125, Election Code.
(b) A facility employee shall, not later than the 30th day
before the date of an election in which residents are generally
eligible to vote and using information contained in the voter
education pamphlet as a reference, inform each resident, verbally
and in an audible and intelligible manner, of the resident's voting
rights and the voting process.
(c) Each facility shall make copies of the voter education
pamphlet available in common areas of the facility.
SECTION 5. As soon as practicable after the effective date
of this Act, the secretary of state shall develop the voter
education pamphlet for long-term care facility residents required
by Section 31.0125, Election Code, as added by this Act.
SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.