| 5 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 6 | 5 | | |
|---|
| 7 | 6 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
|---|
| 8 | 7 | | AN ACT |
|---|
| 9 | 8 | | relating to the reading and marking of a ballot by a person |
|---|
| 10 | 9 | | occupying a voting station or by the person 's child. |
|---|
| 11 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|---|
| 12 | 11 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 31, Election Code, is |
|---|
| 13 | 12 | | amended by adding Section 31.131 to read as follows: |
|---|
| 14 | 13 | | Sec. 31.131. EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS ON CHILD PARTICIPATION |
|---|
| 15 | 14 | | IN VOTING. (a) The secretary of state shall develop voter |
|---|
| 16 | 15 | | education materials for parents on the procedures under Section |
|---|
| 17 | 16 | | 64.002(b) that allow a child under 16 years of age to read and mark |
|---|
| 18 | 17 | | the ballot while accompanying the child's parent to a voting |
|---|
| 19 | 18 | | station. The secretary shall make the voter education materials |
|---|
| 20 | 19 | | available on the secretary's Internet website. |
|---|
| 21 | 20 | | (b) The county officer responsible for administering |
|---|
| 22 | 21 | | elections in a county to which Section 31.125 applies shall make the |
|---|
| 23 | 22 | | voter education materials developed by the secretary of state under |
|---|
| 24 | 23 | | Subsection (a) available on the county's Internet website. |
|---|
| 25 | 24 | | SECTION 2. Section 64.002(b), Election Code, is amended to |
|---|
| 26 | 25 | | read as follows: |
|---|
| 27 | 26 | | (b) A child under 18 years of age may accompany the child's |
|---|
| 28 | 27 | | parent to a voting station, and if the child is under 16 years of |
|---|
| 29 | 28 | | age, may read or mark the ballot at the direction of the parent. |
|---|
| 30 | 29 | | Reading or marking a ballot under this subsection does not |
|---|
| 31 | 30 | | constitute assisting a voter for purposes of Subchapter B. |
|---|
| 32 | 31 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
|---|