| 1 | 1 | | 89R5034 PRL-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Eckhardt S.B. No. 979 |
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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 voter registration at polling places. |
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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. Section 20.001, Election Code, is amended by |
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| 12 | 12 | | adding Subsection (d-1) to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | (d-1) Each polling place is designated as a voter |
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| 14 | 14 | | registration agency. |
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| 15 | 15 | | SECTION 2. Chapter 20, Election Code, is amended by adding |
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| 16 | 16 | | Subchapter F to read as follows: |
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| 17 | 17 | | SUBCHAPTER F. POLLING PLACE |
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| 18 | 18 | | Sec. 20.151. APPLICABILITY OF OTHER PROVISIONS. The other |
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| 19 | 19 | | provisions of this chapter apply to a polling place except |
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| 20 | 20 | | provisions that conflict with this subchapter. |
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| 21 | 21 | | Sec. 20.152. REGISTRATION PROCEDURE. (a) An election |
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| 22 | 22 | | officer at the polling place shall provide to each person of voting |
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| 23 | 23 | | age who is lawfully present in the polling place and is not |
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| 24 | 24 | | registered to vote in the election an opportunity to complete a |
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| 25 | 25 | | voter registration application form. |
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| 26 | 26 | | (b) A polling place shall use the official form prescribed |
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| 27 | 27 | | by the secretary of state. |
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| 28 | 28 | | Sec. 20.153. DECLINATION FORM NOT REQUIRED. A polling |
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| 29 | 29 | | place is not required to comply with the procedures prescribed by |
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| 30 | 30 | | this chapter relating to the form for a declination of voter |
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| 31 | 31 | | registration. |
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| 32 | 32 | | Sec. 20.154. NOTIFICATION OF INELIGIBILITY TO VOTE IN |
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| 33 | 33 | | CURRENT ELECTION REQUIRED. An election officer who provides a |
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| 34 | 34 | | person an opportunity to complete a voter registration application |
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| 35 | 35 | | under this subchapter shall notify the person that the person is not |
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| 36 | 36 | | eligible to vote in the current election. |
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| 37 | 37 | | SECTION 3. Section 61.001(a-1), Election Code, is amended |
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| 38 | 38 | | to read as follows: |
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| 39 | 39 | | (a-1) Under this code, a person may be lawfully present in a |
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| 40 | 40 | | polling place during the time described by Subsection (a) if the |
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| 41 | 41 | | person is: |
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| 42 | 42 | | (1) an election judge or clerk; |
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| 43 | 43 | | (2) a watcher; |
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| 44 | 44 | | (3) the secretary of state; |
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| 45 | 45 | | (4) a staff member of the Elections Division of the |
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| 46 | 46 | | Office of the Secretary of State performing an official duty in |
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| 47 | 47 | | accordance with this code; |
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| 48 | 48 | | (5) an election official, a sheriff, or a staff member |
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| 49 | 49 | | of an election official or sheriff delivering election supplies; |
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| 50 | 50 | | (6) a state inspector; |
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| 51 | 51 | | (7) a person admitted to vote; |
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| 52 | 52 | | (8) a child under 18 years of age who is accompanying a |
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| 53 | 53 | | parent who has been admitted to vote; |
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| 54 | 54 | | (9) a person providing assistance to a voter under |
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| 55 | 55 | | Section 61.032 or 64.032; |
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| 56 | 56 | | (10) a person accompanying a voter who has a |
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| 57 | 57 | | disability; |
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| 58 | 58 | | (11) a special peace officer appointed by the |
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| 59 | 59 | | presiding judge under Section 32.075; |
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| 60 | 60 | | (12) the county chair of a political party conducting |
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| 61 | 61 | | a primary election, as authorized by Section 172.1113; |
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| 62 | 62 | | (13) a voting system technician, as authorized by |
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| 63 | 63 | | Section 125.010; |
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| 64 | 64 | | (14) the county election officer, as defined by |
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| 65 | 65 | | Section 31.091, as necessary to perform tasks related to the |
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| 66 | 66 | | administration of the election; [or] |
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| 67 | 67 | | (15) a person whose presence has been authorized by |
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| 68 | 68 | | the presiding judge in accordance with this code; or |
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| 69 | 69 | | (16) a person registering to vote under Subchapter F, |
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| 70 | 70 | | Chapter 20. |
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| 71 | 71 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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