| 1 | 1 | | By: Middleton, et al. S.B. No. 1993 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 5 | 5 | | AN ACT |
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| 6 | 6 | | relating to the authority of the secretary of state to order a new |
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| 7 | 7 | | election in certain counties. |
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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. Title 14, Election Code, is amended by adding |
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| 10 | 10 | | Subtitle E to read as follows: |
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| 11 | 11 | | SUBTITLE E. ORDER FOR NEW ELECTION BY SECRETARY OF STATE |
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| 12 | 12 | | CHAPTER 249. SHORTAGE OF BALLOTS IN CERTAIN COUNTIES |
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| 13 | 13 | | Sec. 249.001. STANDARD FOR NEW ELECTION. Notwithstanding |
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| 14 | 14 | | any other law, in a county with a population of 2.7 million or more, |
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| 15 | 15 | | the secretary of state shall order a new election if the secretary |
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| 16 | 16 | | has good cause to believe that at least two percent of the total |
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| 17 | 17 | | number of polling places in the county: |
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| 18 | 18 | | (1) ran out of usable ballots during voting hours; and |
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| 19 | 19 | | (2) did not receive supplemental ballots under Section |
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| 20 | 20 | | 51.008 for one or more hours after making a request for supplemental |
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| 21 | 21 | | ballots to the authority responsible for distributing election |
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| 22 | 22 | | supplies. |
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| 23 | 23 | | Sec. 249.002. PROCEDURES FOR NEW ELECTION. In establishing |
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| 24 | 24 | | the procedures for a new election ordered under this chapter, the |
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| 25 | 25 | | secretary of state shall have the same authority granted to a |
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| 26 | 26 | | district court under Section 231.007. |
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| 27 | 27 | | Sec. 249.003. EXPENSES OF NEW ELECTION. The expenses of a |
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| 28 | 28 | | new election ordered by the secretary of state under this chapter |
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| 29 | 29 | | are paid from the same fund and by the same authority that paid the |
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| 30 | 30 | | expenses of the previous election. |
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| 31 | 31 | | SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
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| 32 | 32 | | an election ordered on or after the effective date of this Act. |
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| 33 | 33 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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