| 1 | 1 | | 89R1517 PRL-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Bucy H.B. No. 509 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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| 9 | 9 | | relating to the authority of certain entities and individuals to |
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| 10 | 10 | | prevent individuals from accessing private property for the purpose |
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| 11 | 11 | | of registering voters or communicating political messages. |
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| 12 | 12 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 13 | 13 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 276, Election Code, is amended by adding |
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| 14 | 14 | | Section 276.020 to read as follows: |
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| 15 | 15 | | Sec. 276.020. DOOR-TO-DOOR VOTER REGISTRATION AND |
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| 16 | 16 | | POLITICAL MESSAGING. (a) In this section, "residential unit" |
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| 17 | 17 | | includes a single-family house, a single-family house located in a |
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| 18 | 18 | | residential subdivision or housing development, an apartment, a |
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| 19 | 19 | | condominium, or another unit in a multifamily residential |
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| 20 | 20 | | structure. |
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| 21 | 21 | | (b) Except as provided by Subsection (c), a political |
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| 22 | 22 | | subdivision, property owners' association, homeowners' |
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| 23 | 23 | | association, or property manager may not adopt or enforce a rule, |
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| 24 | 24 | | order, ordinance, or policy that prevents an individual from |
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| 25 | 25 | | knocking on the front door of a residential unit, ringing the |
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| 26 | 26 | | doorbell of the unit, or leaving a pamphlet, flier, or other form of |
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| 27 | 27 | | written communication at the unit for the purpose of: |
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| 28 | 28 | | (1) assisting an occupant of the unit with registering |
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| 29 | 29 | | to vote; or |
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| 30 | 30 | | (2) communicating to an occupant of the unit support |
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| 31 | 31 | | or opposition for: |
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| 32 | 32 | | (A) a candidate for nomination or election to |
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| 33 | 33 | | public office or office of a political party; |
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| 34 | 34 | | (B) a political party; or |
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| 35 | 35 | | (C) a measure, as defined by Section 251.001. |
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| 36 | 36 | | (c) A political subdivision, property owners' association, |
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| 37 | 37 | | homeowners' association, or property manager may adopt and enforce |
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| 38 | 38 | | a reasonable restriction on the time, place, or manner of an |
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| 39 | 39 | | activity described by Subsection (b). |
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| 40 | 40 | | (d) A peace officer, as that term is described by Article |
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| 41 | 41 | | 2A.001, Code of Criminal Procedure, or private party may not |
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| 42 | 42 | | prevent an individual from engaging in an activity described by |
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| 43 | 43 | | Subsection (b) unless the officer or party reasonably believes that |
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| 44 | 44 | | the activity poses a threat to a person or property or is in |
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| 45 | 45 | | violation of a statute, ordinance, order, rule, or policy. |
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| 46 | 46 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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