| 1 | 1 | | H.B. No. 1299 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | AN ACT |
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| 5 | 5 | | relating to the signature required on a carrier envelope for a |
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| 6 | 6 | | ballot voted by mail; changing the elements of a criminal offense. |
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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. Section 86.005(c), Election Code, is amended to |
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| 9 | 9 | | read as follows: |
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| 10 | 10 | | (c) After marking the ballot, the voter must place it in the |
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| 11 | 11 | | official ballot envelope and then seal the ballot envelope, place |
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| 12 | 12 | | the ballot envelope in the official carrier envelope and then seal |
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| 13 | 13 | | the carrier envelope, and sign the certificate on the carrier |
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| 14 | 14 | | envelope using ink on paper. An electronic signature or |
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| 15 | 15 | | photocopied signature is not permitted. |
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| 16 | 16 | | SECTION 2. Section 86.0051(b), Election Code, is amended to |
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| 17 | 17 | | read as follows: |
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| 18 | 18 | | (b) A person other than the voter who assists a voter by |
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| 19 | 19 | | depositing the carrier envelope in the mail or with a common or |
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| 20 | 20 | | contract carrier or who obtains the carrier envelope for that |
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| 21 | 21 | | purpose must provide the person's signature, printed name, and |
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| 22 | 22 | | residence address on the reverse side of the envelope. The person |
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| 23 | 23 | | must sign the envelope using ink on paper. An electronic signature |
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| 24 | 24 | | or photocopied signature is not permitted. |
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| 25 | 25 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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| 26 | 26 | | ______________________________ ______________________________ |
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| 27 | 27 | | President of the Senate Speaker of the House |
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| 28 | 28 | | I certify that H.B. No. 1299 was passed by the House on May |
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| 29 | 29 | | 12, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 91, Nays 48, 2 present, not |
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| 30 | 30 | | voting. |
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| 31 | 31 | | ______________________________ |
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| 32 | 32 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
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| 33 | 33 | | I certify that H.B. No. 1299 was passed by the Senate on May |
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| 34 | 34 | | 22, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 20, Nays 11. |
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| 35 | 35 | | ______________________________ |
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| 36 | 36 | | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 37 | 37 | | APPROVED: _____________________ |
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| 38 | 38 | | Date |
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| 39 | 39 | | _____________________ |
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| 40 | 40 | | Governor |
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