| 1 | 1 | | H.B. No. 1848 |
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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 a study by the secretary of state on the feasibility of |
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| 6 | 6 | | central counting stations complying with federal standards for |
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| 7 | 7 | | facilities that contain sensitive information. |
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| 8 | 8 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 9 | 9 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 127, Election Code, is |
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| 10 | 10 | | amended by adding Section 127.010 to read as follows: |
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| 11 | 11 | | Sec. 127.010. FEASIBILITY STUDY ON CENTRAL COUNTING STATION |
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| 12 | 12 | | OPERATING AS SENSITIVE COMPARTMENTED INFORMATION FACILITY. (a) |
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| 13 | 13 | | The secretary of state shall conduct a study to consider the |
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| 14 | 14 | | feasibility of conforming each central counting station with the |
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| 15 | 15 | | Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities (SCIF) standards |
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| 16 | 16 | | promulgated by the United States federal government. |
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| 17 | 17 | | (b) The study must consider the feasibility of ensuring |
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| 18 | 18 | | substantial compliance with the SCIF standards while allowing for |
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| 19 | 19 | | poll watching and other citizen involvement in an election |
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| 20 | 20 | | permitted under state law. |
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| 21 | 21 | | (c) Not later than December 1, 2024, the secretary of state |
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| 22 | 22 | | shall create a detailed report summarizing the findings of the |
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| 23 | 23 | | study and deliver the report to the legislature. |
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| 24 | 24 | | (d) This section expires December 15, 2024. |
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| 25 | 25 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 26 | 26 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 27 | 27 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 28 | 28 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 29 | 29 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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| 30 | 30 | | ______________________________ ______________________________ |
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| 31 | 31 | | President of the Senate Speaker of the House |
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| 32 | 32 | | I certify that H.B. No. 1848 was passed by the House on May 9, |
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| 33 | 33 | | 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 91, Nays 50, 2 present, not |
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| 34 | 34 | | voting. |
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| 35 | 35 | | ______________________________ |
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| 36 | 36 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
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| 37 | 37 | | I certify that H.B. No. 1848 was passed by the Senate on May |
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| 38 | 38 | | 24, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 20, Nays 11. |
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| 39 | 39 | | ______________________________ |
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| 40 | 40 | | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 41 | 41 | | APPROVED: _____________________ |
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| 42 | 42 | | Date |
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| 43 | 43 | | _____________________ |
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| 44 | 44 | | Governor |
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