88R732 TSS-D
 
  By: Swanson H.B. No. 1217
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the hours during which early voting by personal
  appearance is conducted.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 85.005(c), Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (c)  Voting [In a county with a population of 55,000 or more,
  the voting] in a primary election or the general election for state
  and county officers shall be conducted at the main early voting
  polling place for at least 12 hours on each weekday of the last week
  of the early voting period, and the voting in a special election
  ordered by the governor shall be conducted at the main early voting
  polling place for at least 12 hours on each of the last two days of
  the early voting period.  Voting under this subsection may not be
  conducted earlier than 6 a.m. or later than 10 p.m.  [Voting shall
  be conducted in accordance with this subsection in those elections
  in a county with a population under 55,000 on receipt by the early
  voting clerk of a written request for the extended hours submitted
  by at least 15 registered voters of the county.  The request must be
  submitted in time to enable compliance with Section 85.067.]
         SECTION 2.  Section 85.006(e), Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (e)  In a primary election or the general election for state
  and county officers [in a county with a population of 55,000 or
  more], the early voting clerk shall order voting by personal
  appearance at the main early voting polling place to be conducted on
  the last Saturday of the early voting period for at least 12 hours,
  except that voting may not be conducted earlier than 6 a.m. or later
  than 10 p.m., and on the last Sunday of the early voting period for
  at least six hours, except that voting may not be conducted earlier
  than 9 a.m. or later than 10 p.m.  [The early voting clerk shall
  order voting to be conducted at those times in those elections in a
  county with a population under 55,000 on receipt of a written
  request for those hours submitted by at least 15 registered voters
  of the county.  The request must be submitted in time to enable
  compliance with Section 85.007.]  This subsection supersedes any
  provision of this subchapter to the extent of any conflict.
         SECTION 3.  The heading to Section 85.064, Election Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 85.064.  DAYS AND HOURS FOR VOTING: TEMPORARY BRANCH
  [IN POPULOUS COUNTY].
         SECTION 4.  Section 85.064(d), Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (d)  The authority authorized under Section 85.006 to order
  early voting on a Saturday or Sunday may also order, in the manner
  prescribed by that section, early voting to be conducted on a
  Saturday or Sunday at any one or more of the temporary branch
  polling places.  In addition, the early voting clerk [of a county
  covered by Section 85.006(e)] shall order such voting in accordance
  with Section 85.006(e) [that subsection] at each temporary branch
  polling place established under Section 85.062(d).
         SECTION 5.  Section 85.068(a), Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (a)  The early voting clerk shall post notice for each
  election stating any dates and the hours that voting on Saturday or
  Sunday will be conducted under Section 85.064(d) [or 85.065(b)], if
  the early voting clerk is a county clerk or city secretary under
  Section 83.002 or 83.005.
         SECTION 6.  The following provisions of the Election Code
  are repealed:
               (1)  Section 85.064(a); and
               (2)  Section 85.065.
         SECTION 7.  The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
  an election for which early voting begins on or after the effective
  date of this Act.
         SECTION 8.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.