| 1 | 1 | | H.B. No. 1632 |
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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 standardized training for election officers. |
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| 6 | 6 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 7 | 7 | | SECTION 1. Section 32.111(a), Election Code, is amended to |
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| 8 | 8 | | read as follows: |
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| 9 | 9 | | (a) The secretary of state shall: |
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| 10 | 10 | | (1) adopt standards of training in election law and |
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| 11 | 11 | | procedure for presiding or alternate election judges; |
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| 12 | 12 | | (2) develop materials for a standardized curriculum |
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| 13 | 13 | | for that training, including a published handbook, made available |
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| 14 | 14 | | on the secretary of state's Internet website, free of charge; and |
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| 15 | 15 | | (3) distribute the materials as necessary to the |
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| 16 | 16 | | governing bodies of political subdivisions that hold elections and |
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| 17 | 17 | | to each county executive committee of a political party that holds a |
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| 18 | 18 | | primary election. |
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| 19 | 19 | | SECTION 2. Subchapter F, Chapter 32, Election Code, is |
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| 20 | 20 | | amended by adding Section 32.1111 to read as follows: |
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| 21 | 21 | | Sec. 32.1111. ONLINE TRAINING. (a) The secretary of state |
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| 22 | 22 | | shall: |
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| 23 | 23 | | (1) make available a standardized training program |
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| 24 | 24 | | developed under Section 32.111: |
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| 25 | 25 | | (A) entirely via the Internet; and |
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| 26 | 26 | | (B) at any time, without a requirement for prior |
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| 27 | 27 | | registration; |
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| 28 | 28 | | (2) require the passage of an examination at the end of |
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| 29 | 29 | | the training program; and |
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| 30 | 30 | | (3) provide an individual who completes the training |
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| 31 | 31 | | with a certificate of completion. |
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| 32 | 32 | | (b) A certificate of completion provided under Subsection |
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| 33 | 33 | | (a)(3) shall expire no later than one year following the date it was |
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| 34 | 34 | | awarded. |
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| 35 | 35 | | (c) Completion of the training program under this section is |
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| 36 | 36 | | not a prerequisite to eligibility for service in an election for: |
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| 37 | 37 | | (1) county election officials; |
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| 38 | 38 | | (2) presiding or alternate election judges; |
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| 39 | 39 | | (3) election clerks; |
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| 40 | 40 | | (4) members of the early voting ballot board; |
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| 41 | 41 | | (5) members of the signature verification committee; |
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| 42 | 42 | | or |
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| 43 | 43 | | (6) central counting station officers. |
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| 44 | 44 | | SECTION 3. Subchapter A, Chapter 87, Election Code, is |
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| 45 | 45 | | amended by adding Section 87.0031 to read as follows: |
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| 46 | 46 | | Sec. 87.0031. TRAINING. The secretary of state shall |
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| 47 | 47 | | provide a standardized training program and materials for members |
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| 48 | 48 | | of an early voting ballot board in the same manner it provides such |
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| 49 | 49 | | a program under Subchapter F, Chapter 32. |
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| 50 | 50 | | SECTION 4. Subchapter B, Chapter 87, Election Code, is |
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| 51 | 51 | | amended by adding Section 87.0272 to read as follows: |
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| 52 | 52 | | Sec. 87.0272. TRAINING. The secretary of state shall |
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| 53 | 53 | | provide a standardized training program and materials for members |
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| 54 | 54 | | of a signature verification committee in the same manner it |
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| 55 | 55 | | provides such a program under Subchapter F, Chapter 32. |
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| 56 | 56 | | SECTION 5. Subchapter A, Chapter 127, Election Code, is |
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| 57 | 57 | | amended by adding Section 127.010 to read as follows: |
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| 58 | 58 | | Sec. 127.010. TRAINING. The secretary of state shall |
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| 59 | 59 | | provide a standardized training program and materials for members |
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| 60 | 60 | | of a counting station in the same manner it provides such a program |
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| 61 | 61 | | under Subchapter F, Chapter 32. |
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| 62 | 62 | | SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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| 63 | 63 | | ______________________________ ______________________________ |
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| 64 | 64 | | President of the Senate Speaker of the House |
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| 65 | 65 | | I certify that H.B. No. 1632 was passed by the House on May 2, |
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| 66 | 66 | | 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 139, Nays 0, 1 present, not |
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| 67 | 67 | | voting. |
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| 68 | 68 | | ______________________________ |
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| 69 | 69 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
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| 70 | 70 | | I certify that H.B. No. 1632 was passed by the Senate on May |
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| 71 | 71 | | 17, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. |
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| 72 | 72 | | ______________________________ |
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| 73 | 73 | | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 74 | 74 | | APPROVED: _____________________ |
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| 75 | 75 | | Date |
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| 76 | 76 | | _____________________ |
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| 77 | 77 | | Governor |
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