| 1 | 1 | | 88R2863 SGM-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: González of Dallas, Swanson, Cain, Bucy, H.B. No. 386 |
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| 3 | 3 | | Plesa, et al. |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 7 | 7 | | AN ACT |
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| 8 | 8 | | relating to accommodating a voter unable to enter a polling place. |
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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. This Act may be cited as the Kate Garrison |
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| 11 | 11 | | Memorial Act. |
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| 12 | 12 | | SECTION 2. Section 64.009, Election Code, is amended by |
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| 13 | 13 | | adding Subsections (a-1) and (a-2) to read as follows: |
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| 14 | 14 | | (a-1) An election officer shall designate a parking space at |
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| 15 | 15 | | each polling place for voting under this section. The parking space |
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| 16 | 16 | | may not be one designated specifically for persons with |
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| 17 | 17 | | disabilities. The parking space must be clearly marked with a sign: |
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| 18 | 18 | | (1) indicating that the space is reserved for use by a |
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| 19 | 19 | | voter who is unable to enter the polling place; and |
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| 20 | 20 | | (2) displaying, in large font that is clearly readable |
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| 21 | 21 | | from a vehicle, a telephone number that a voter may call or text to |
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| 22 | 22 | | request assistance from an election officer at the polling place. |
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| 23 | 23 | | (a-2) As an alternative to displaying a telephone number |
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| 24 | 24 | | under Subsection (a-1)(2), a parking space may comply with the |
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| 25 | 25 | | requirements of this section by providing the voter with a button or |
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| 26 | 26 | | intercom that the voter may use to request assistance from an |
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| 27 | 27 | | election officer. |
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| 28 | 28 | | SECTION 3. Section 104.004(e), Election Code, is amended to |
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| 29 | 29 | | read as follows: |
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| 30 | 30 | | (e) If the voter is physically unable to enter the early |
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| 31 | 31 | | voting polling place without personal assistance or a likelihood of |
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| 32 | 32 | | injuring the voter's health, the clerk shall deliver the balloting |
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| 33 | 33 | | materials to the voter at the polling place entrance or curb |
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| 34 | 34 | | following the procedures prescribed by Section 64.009. |
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| 35 | 35 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 36 | 36 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 37 | 37 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 38 | 38 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 39 | 39 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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