Texas 2023 - 88th Regular

Texas House Bill HB1271 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New	Differences
1	1	88R2026 MLH-D
2	2	By: Cole H.B. No. 1271
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the method of returning a ballot to be voted by mail.
8	8	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
9	9	SECTION 1. Section 4.003, Election Code, is amended by
10	10	amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (b-1) to read as
11	11	follows:
12	12	(b) In addition to any other notice given for an election
13	13	under Subsection (a), not later than the 21st day before election
14	14	day, a county shall post a copy of a notice of the election given by
15	15	the county or provided to the county under Section 4.008(a)[, which
16	16	must include the location of each polling place,] on the county's
17	17	Internet website, if the county maintains a website. An authority
18	18	responsible for giving notice of an election may post a copy of the
19	19	notice on the bulletin board used for posting notices of the
20	20	meetings of the governing body of the political subdivision that
21	21	the authority serves. If a county does not maintain a website, the
22	22	authority responsible for giving notice of the election shall post
23	23	a copy of a notice of the election on the bulletin board used for
24	24	posting notices of the meetings of the governing body of the
25	25	political subdivision that the authority serves. For each precinct
26	26	that is combined to form a consolidated precinct under Section
27	27	42.008, not later than the 10th day before election day, the
28	28	authority shall also post, at the polling place used in the
29	29	preceding general election, notice of the precinct's consolidation
30	30	and the location of the polling place in the consolidated precinct.
31	31	A notice posted under this subsection must remain posted
32	32	continuously through election day.
33	33	(b-1) The notice given under Subsection (b) must include:
34	34	(1) the location of each polling place that will be
35	35	open on election day;
36	36	(2) the location of each polling place that will be
37	37	open for early voting; and
38	38	(3) each location that will be available to voters to
39	39	deliver a marked ballot under Section 86.006(a-3).
40	40	SECTION 2. Section 86.006, Election Code, is amended by
41	41	amending Subsections (a) and (a-1) and adding Subsections (a-3) and
42	42	(a-4) to read as follows:
43	43	(a) A marked ballot voted under this chapter must be
44	44	returned to the early voting clerk in the official carrier
45	45	envelope. The carrier envelope may be delivered in another envelope
46	46	and must be transported and delivered only by:
47	47	(1) mail;
48	48	(2) common or contract carrier; or
49	49	(3) subject to Subsection [Subsections] (a-1) [and
50	50	(a-2)], in-person delivery by the voter who voted the ballot.
51	51	(a-1) The voter may deliver a marked ballot in person to the
52	52	early voting clerk's office or to another designated location
53	53	[only] while the polls are open on election day or during the early
54	54	voting period. A voter who delivers a marked ballot in person may
55	55	return only the voter's own ballot and must present an acceptable
56	56	form of identification described by Section 63.0101.
57	57	(a-3) The county clerk may designate any of the following
58	58	locations for delivering marked ballots under Subsection (a-1):
59	59	(1) the early voting clerk's office;
60	60	(2) any polling place open for early voting or for
61	61	election day; or
62	62	(3) any suitable location that meets criteria
63	63	prescribed by the secretary of state.
64	64	(a-4) To ensure that locations designated for delivering
65	65	marked ballots are accessible and secure, the secretary of state
66	66	shall adopt rules establishing criteria for a location that a
67	67	county clerk may designate under Subsection (a-3).
68	68	SECTION 3. Section 86.006(a-2), Election Code, is repealed.
69	69	SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.