| 1 | 1 | | 87S10269 BEE-D |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | By: Bucy H.B. No. 67 |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | relating to the authority of certain entities and individuals to |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | prevent individuals from accessing private property for the purpose |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | of registering voters or communicating political messages. |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 276, Election Code, is amended by adding |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | Section 276.015 to read as follows: |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | Sec. 276.015. DOOR TO DOOR VOTER REGISTRATION AND POLITICAL |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | MESSAGING. (a) In this section, "residential unit" includes a |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | single-family house, a single-family house located in a residential |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | subdivision or housing development, an apartment, a condominium, or |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | another unit in a multifamily residential structure. |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | (b) Except as provided by Subsection (c), a political |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | subdivision, property owners' association, homeowners' |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | association, or property manager may not adopt or enforce a rule, |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | order, ordinance, or policy that prevents an individual from |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | knocking on the front door of a residential unit, ringing the |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | doorbell of the unit, or leaving a pamphlet, flier, or other form of |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | written communication at the unit for the purpose of: |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | (1) assisting an occupant of the unit with registering |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | to vote; or |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | (2) communicating to an occupant of the unit support |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | or opposition for: |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | (A) a candidate for nomination or election to |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | public office or office of a political party; |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | (B) a political party; or |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | (C) a measure, as defined by Section 251.001. |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | (c) A political subdivision, property owners' association, |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | homeowners' association, or property manager may adopt and enforce |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | a reasonable restriction on the time, place, or manner of an |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | activity described by Subsection (b). |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | (d) A peace officer, as that term is described by Article |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | 2.12, Code of Criminal Procedure, or private party may not prevent |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | an individual from engaging in an activity described by Subsection |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | (b) unless the officer or party reasonably believes that the |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | activity poses a threat to a person or property or is in violation |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | of a statute, ordinance, order, rule, or policy. |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect on the 91st day after the |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | last day of the legislative session. |
|---|