| 1 | 1 | | 89R900 TSS-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Leo Wilson H.B. No. 695 |
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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 use of certain facilities of a building being used |
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| 10 | 10 | | as a polling place or early voting polling place. |
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| 11 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 12 | 12 | | SECTION 1. Section 61.003, Election Code, is amended by |
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| 13 | 13 | | adding Subsection (a-2) to read as follows: |
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| 14 | 14 | | (a-2) The secretary of state shall adopt rules requiring the |
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| 15 | 15 | | entity that owns or controls a building being used as a polling |
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| 16 | 16 | | place to permit a person electioneering on the building's premises |
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| 17 | 17 | | outside of the area described in Subsection (a) to use the |
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| 18 | 18 | | facilities of the buildings otherwise available to voters or |
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| 19 | 19 | | election officials, including bathrooms. The rules must provide |
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| 20 | 20 | | that the person: |
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| 21 | 21 | | (1) may not bring political signs or literature inside |
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| 22 | 22 | | the area described in Subsection (a); |
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| 23 | 23 | | (2) must cover or remove any political logos or |
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| 24 | 24 | | messaging before entering the area described in Subsection (a); and |
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| 25 | 25 | | (3) must meet any other requirements determined by the |
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| 26 | 26 | | secretary of state to be necessary to ensure the person complies |
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| 27 | 27 | | with Subsection (a). |
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| 28 | 28 | | SECTION 2. Section 85.036, Election Code, is amended by |
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| 29 | 29 | | adding Subsection (c-1) to read as follows: |
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| 30 | 30 | | (c-1) The secretary of state shall adopt rules requiring the |
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| 31 | 31 | | entity that owns or controls a building being used as an early |
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| 32 | 32 | | voting polling place to permit a person electioneering on the |
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| 33 | 33 | | building's premises outside of the area described in Subsection (a) |
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| 34 | 34 | | to use the facilities of the buildings otherwise available to |
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| 35 | 35 | | voters or election officials, including bathrooms. The rules must |
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| 36 | 36 | | provide that the person: |
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| 37 | 37 | | (1) may not bring political signs or literature inside |
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| 38 | 38 | | the area described in Subsection (a); |
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| 39 | 39 | | (2) must cover or remove any political logos or |
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| 40 | 40 | | messaging before entering the area described in Subsection (a); and |
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| 41 | 41 | | (3) must meet any other requirements determined by the |
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| 42 | 42 | | secretary of state to be necessary to ensure the person complies |
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| 43 | 43 | | with Subsection (a). |
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| 44 | 44 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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