| 1 | 1 | | 89R10213 PRL-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Hall S.B. No. 931 |
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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 process of canvassing elections. |
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| 10 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 11 | | SECTION 1. Sections 67.004(d) and (f), Election Code, are |
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| 12 | 12 | | amended to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | (d) The canvassing authority shall [may] compare the |
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| 14 | 14 | | precinct returns with the corresponding tally list. If a |
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| 15 | 15 | | discrepancy is discovered between the vote totals shown on the |
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| 16 | 16 | | returns and those shown on the tally list for a precinct, the |
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| 17 | 17 | | presiding judge of the precinct shall examine the returns and tally |
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| 18 | 18 | | list and make the necessary corrections on the returns. |
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| 19 | 19 | | (f) On completion of the canvass, the presiding officer of |
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| 20 | 20 | | the canvassing authority shall deliver the precinct returns, tally |
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| 21 | 21 | | lists, and early voting precinct report used in the canvass to the |
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| 22 | 22 | | general custodian of election records. The presiding officer of |
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| 23 | 23 | | the canvassing authority shall verify that the precinct returns are |
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| 24 | 24 | | accurately reflected in the county returns prepared by the |
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| 25 | 25 | | custodian. The custodian shall preserve the records delivered |
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| 26 | 26 | | under this subsection [them] for the period for preserving the |
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| 27 | 27 | | precinct election records. |
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| 28 | 28 | | SECTION 2. Section 67.007, Election Code, is amended by |
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| 29 | 29 | | adding Subsections (d-1), (d-2), and (d-3) to read as follows: |
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| 30 | 30 | | (d-1) The county clerk may not deliver the county returns to |
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| 31 | 31 | | the secretary of state under this section before each canvassing |
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| 32 | 32 | | authority has verified that the county returns accurately reflect |
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| 33 | 33 | | the precinct returns under Section 67.004(f). |
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| 34 | 34 | | (d-2) The secretary of state shall post the county returns |
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| 35 | 35 | | on the secretary of state's Internet website, organized by |
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| 36 | 36 | | precinct. Not later than 24 hours after the secretary of state posts |
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| 37 | 37 | | the county returns, the county clerk shall verify that the county |
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| 38 | 38 | | returns on the secretary of state's Internet website accurately |
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| 39 | 39 | | reflect the precinct returns delivered to the county clerk. |
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| 40 | 40 | | (d-3) The secretary of state shall compare the county |
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| 41 | 41 | | returns with the corresponding local election register. If a |
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| 42 | 42 | | discrepancy is discovered between the vote totals shown on the |
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| 43 | 43 | | returns and those shown on the register, the secretary of state |
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| 44 | 44 | | shall examine the returns and register and make the necessary |
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| 45 | 45 | | corrections on the returns. |
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| 46 | 46 | | SECTION 3. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
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| 47 | 47 | | an election ordered on or after the effective date of this Act. |
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| 48 | 48 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 49 | 49 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 50 | 50 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 51 | 51 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 52 | 52 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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