| 1 | 1 | | By: Noble H.B. No. 31 |
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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 the signature required on an application for a ballot to |
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| 7 | 7 | | be voted by mail or a carrier envelope for a ballot voted by mail; |
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| 8 | 8 | | changing the elements of a criminal offense. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Section 84.001(b), Election Code, is amended to |
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| 11 | 11 | | read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | (b) An application must be in writing and signed by the |
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| 13 | 13 | | applicant using ink on paper. An electronic signature or |
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| 14 | 14 | | photocopied signature is not permitted. |
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| 15 | 15 | | SECTION 2. Section 86.005(c), Election Code, is amended to |
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| 16 | 16 | | read as follows: |
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| 17 | 17 | | (c) After marking the ballot, the voter must place it in the |
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| 18 | 18 | | official ballot envelope and then seal the ballot envelope, place |
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| 19 | 19 | | the ballot envelope in the official carrier envelope and then seal |
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| 20 | 20 | | the carrier envelope, and sign the certificate on the carrier |
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| 21 | 21 | | envelope using ink on paper. An electronic signature or |
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| 22 | 22 | | photocopied signature is not permitted. |
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| 23 | 23 | | SECTION 3. Section 86.0051(b), Election Code, is amended to |
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| 24 | 24 | | read as follows: |
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| 25 | 25 | | (b) A person other than the voter who assists a voter by |
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| 26 | 26 | | depositing the carrier envelope in the mail or with a common or |
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| 27 | 27 | | contract carrier or who obtains the carrier envelope for that |
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| 28 | 28 | | purpose must provide the person's signature, printed name, and |
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| 29 | 29 | | residence address on the reverse side of the envelope. The person |
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| 30 | 30 | | must sign the envelope using ink on paper. An electronic signature |
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| 31 | 31 | | or photocopied signature is not permitted. |
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| 32 | 32 | | SECTION 4. The change in law made by this Act applies to an |
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| 33 | 33 | | application for a ballot to be voted by mail or a ballot voted by |
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| 34 | 34 | | mail submitted on or after the effective date of this Act. An |
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| 35 | 35 | | application for a ballot to be voted by mail or a ballot voted by |
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| 36 | 36 | | mail submitted before the effective date of this Act is governed by |
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| 37 | 37 | | the law in effect when the application or ballot was submitted, and |
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| 38 | 38 | | the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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| 39 | 39 | | SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 40 | 40 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 41 | 41 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 42 | 42 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 43 | 43 | | Act takes effect on the 91st day after the last day of the |
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| 44 | 44 | | legislative session. |
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