Texas 2023 - 88th Regular

Texas House Bill HB4780 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

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1	1	88R24377 PRL-F
2	2	By: Smith H.B. No. 4780
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to early voting ballots voted by mail.
8	8	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
9	9	SECTION 1. Section 64.0322(b), Election Code, is amended to
10	10	read as follows:
11	11	(b) The secretary of state shall prescribe the form required
12	12	by this section. The form must be incorporated into the official
13	13	carrier envelope or signature sheet contained in the official
14	14	carrier envelope if the voter is voting an early voting ballot by
15	15	mail and receives assistance under Section 86.010, or must be
16	16	submitted to an election officer at the time the voter casts a
17	17	ballot if the voter is voting at a polling place or under Section
18	18	64.009.
19	19	SECTION 2. Sections 86.002(b) and (g), Election Code, are
20	20	amended to read as follows:
21	21	(b) Before providing the balloting materials to the voter,
22	22	the clerk shall enter on the signature sheet contained in the
23	23	carrier envelope the identity and date of the election.
24	24	(g) The signature sheet contained in the carrier envelope
25	25	must include a space [that is hidden from view when the envelope is
26	26	sealed] for the voter to enter the following information:
27	27	(1) the number of the voter's driver's license,
28	28	election identification certificate, or personal identification
29	29	card issued by the Department of Public Safety;
30	30	(2) if the voter has not been issued a number described
31	31	by Subdivision (1), the last four digits of the voter's social
32	32	security number; or
33	33	(3) a statement by the applicant that the applicant
34	34	has not been issued a number described by Subdivision (1) or (2).
35	35	SECTION 3. Section 86.010(e), Election Code, is amended to
36	36	read as follows:
37	37	(e) A person who assists a voter to prepare a ballot to be
38	38	voted by mail shall enter on:
39	39	(1) the official carrier envelope of the voter[:
40	40	[(1)] the person's signature, printed name, and
41	41	residence address; and
42	42	(2) the signature sheet contained in the official
43	43	carrier envelope:
44	44	(A) the relationship of the person providing the
45	45	assistance to the voter; and
46	46	(B) [(3)] whether the person received or
47	47	accepted any form of compensation or other benefit from a
48	48	candidate, campaign, or political committee in exchange for
49	49	providing assistance.
50	50	SECTION 4. Section 86.013, Election Code, is amended by
51	51	amending Subsections (b), (d), (e), (f), and (g) and adding
52	52	Subsection (h) to read as follows:
53	53	(b) Spaces must appear on the signature sheet contained in
54	54	[reverse side of] the official carrier envelope for:
55	55	(1) indicating the identity and date of the election;
56	56	(2) entering the signature, printed name, and
57	57	residence address of a person other than the voter who deposits the
58	58	carrier envelope in the mail or with a common or contract carrier;
59	59	and
60	60	(3) indicating the relationship of that person to the
61	61	voter.
62	62	(d) The following textual material, as prescribed by the
63	63	secretary of state, must be printed on the signature sheet
64	64	contained in [reverse side of] the official carrier envelope [or on
65	65	a separate sheet accompanying the carrier envelope] when it is
66	66	provided:
67	67	(1) the prohibition prescribed by Section 86.006(b);
68	68	(2) the conditions for delivery by common or contract
69	69	carrier prescribed by Sections 81.005 and 86.006;
70	70	(3) the requirements for the legal execution and
71	71	delivery of the carrier envelope, including the prohibition on
72	72	compensation for depositing carrier envelopes containing ballots
73	73	voted by other persons under Section 86.0052;
74	74	(4) the prohibition prescribed by Section 86.006(e);
75	75	and
76	76	(5) the offenses prescribed by Sections 86.006(f) and
77	77	86.010(f).
78	78	(e) The following notice must be printed on the signature
79	79	sheet contained in [reverse side of] the official carrier envelope,
80	80	near the space provided for the voter's signature: "This envelope
81	81	must be sealed by the voter before it leaves the voter's hands. Do
82	82	not sign this envelope unless the ballot has been marked by you or
83	83	at your direction."
84	84	(f) The oath of a person assisting a voter must be included
85	85	on the signature sheet contained in the official carrier envelope
86	86	as part of the certificate prescribed by Subsection (c).
87	87	(g) The secretary of state by rule shall require that a
88	88	notice informing voters of the telephone number established under
89	89	Section 31.0055 and the purpose of the telephone number be printed
90	90	on the signature sheet[:
91	91	[(1) the official carrier envelope; or
92	92	[(2) an insert] enclosed with the balloting materials
93	93	for voting by mail sent to the voter.
94	94	(h) The secretary of state shall prescribe the form and
95	95	content of the signature sheet that satisfies requirements of this
96	96	code.
97	97	SECTION 5. Section 272.011(b), Election Code, is amended to
98	98	read as follows:
99	99	(b) The secretary of state shall prepare the translation for
100	100	election materials required to be provided in a language other than
101	101	English or Spanish for the following state prescribed voter forms:
102	102	(1) voter registration application form required by
103	103	Section 13.002;
104	104	(2) the confirmation form required by Section 15.051;
105	105	(3) the voting instruction poster required by Section
106	106	62.011;
107	107	(4) the reasonable impediment declaration required by
108	108	Section 63.001(b);
109	109	(5) the statement of residence form required by
110	110	Section 63.0011;
111	111	(6) the provisional ballot affidavit required by
112	112	Section 63.011;
113	113	(7) the application for a ballot by mail required by
114	114	Section 84.011;
115	115	(8) the carrier envelope, signature sheet, and voting
116	116	instructions required by Section 86.013; and
117	117	(9) any other voter forms that the secretary of state
118	118	identifies as frequently used and for which state resources are
119	119	otherwise available.
120	120	SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.