Bill Text: TX HB933 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Relating to posting of election information on the secretary of state's and each county's Internet website.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 9-3)

Status: (Passed) 2019-06-14 - Effective on 9/1/19 [HB933 Detail]

Download: Texas-2019-HB933-Introduced.html
  86R4750 SRS-D
 
  By: Bucy H.B. No. 933
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to posting of election information on the secretary of
  state's and each county's Internet website.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 4.003(b), Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (b)  In addition to any other notice given for an election
  under Subsection (a), not later than the 21st day before election
  day, the authority responsible for giving notice of the election
  shall post a copy of the notice, which must include the location of
  each polling place, on the county's Internet website and may post a
  copy of the notice on the bulletin board used for posting notices of
  the meetings of the governing body of the political subdivision
  that the authority serves. For each precinct that is combined to
  form a consolidated precinct under Section 42.008, not later than
  the 10th day before election day, the authority shall also post, at
  the polling place used in the preceding general election, notice of
  the precinct's consolidation and the location of the polling place
  in the consolidated precinct. A notice posted under this
  subsection must remain posted continuously through election day.
         SECTION 2.  Section 31.012(a), Election Code, as effective
  September 1, 2020, is amended to read as follows:
         (a)  The secretary of state and the voter registrar of each
  county [that maintains a website] shall provide notice of the
  identification requirements for voting prescribed by Chapter 63 and
  that straight ticket voting has been eliminated pursuant to H.B.
  25, Acts of the 85th Legislature, Regular Session, 2017, on each
  entity's respective website in each language in which voter
  registration and election materials are available.  The secretary
  of state shall prescribe the wording of the notice to be included on
  the websites.
         SECTION 3.  Subchapter A, Chapter 31, Election Code, is
  amended by adding Section 31.016 to read as follows:
         Sec. 31.016.  VOTER INFORMATION ON SECRETARY OF STATE'S
  WEBSITE. (a) The secretary of state shall prescribe procedures
  requiring the county officer responsible for administering
  elections to submit contact information of the county election
  office to the secretary of state for inclusion on the secretary of
  state's Internet website, including: 
               (1)  the street address and zip code;
               (2)  the mailing address if different from the address
  provided in Subdivision (1); 
               (3)  telephone number;
               (4)  facsimile number; and
               (5)  e-mail address.
         (b)  The secretary of state shall prescribe procedures
  requiring each entity designating the location of a polling place,
  including an early voting polling place, to submit information on
  the location to the secretary of state for inclusion on the
  secretary of state's Internet website. 
         (c)  For each polling place the information submitted must
  include:
               (1)  the name of the building in which the polling place
  is located, if available;
               (2)  the street address and zip code of the polling
  place; and
               (3)  the days and hours of voting at each location.
         (d)  The polling information under Subsection (c) shall be
  posted on the secretary of state's Internet website in a
  downloadable format.
         SECTION 4.  Subchapter E, Chapter 31, Election Code, is
  amended by adding Section 31.125 to read as follows:
         Sec. 31.125.  COUNTY WEBSITE. (a)  The county officer
  responsible for administering elections shall post on the county's
  Internet website contact information for the county election office
  including: 
               (1)  the street address and zip code;
               (2)  the mailing address if different from the address
  provided in Subdivision (1); 
               (3)  telephone number;
               (4)  facsimile number; and
               (5)  e-mail address.
         (b)  For each polling place located in the county, the county
  shall post on the county's Internet website:
               (1)  the name of the building in which the polling place
  is located, if available; 
               (2)  the street address and zip code of the polling
  place; and 
               (3)  the days and hours of voting at each location. 
         SECTION 5.  Section 32.114(c), Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (c)  The county clerk shall:
               (1)  post a notice of the time and place of each session
  on the county's Internet website and may post the notice on the 
  bulletin board used for posting notice of meetings of the
  commissioners court and shall include on the notice a statement
  that the program is open to the public;
               (2)  notify each presiding judge appointed by the
  commissioners court of the time and place of each session and of the
  duty of each election judge to complete the training program;
               (3)  notify the county chair of each political party in
  the county of the time and place of each session; and
               (4)  notify the voter registrar of the date, hour, and
  place of each session.
         SECTION 6.  Section 42.035(a), Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (a)  Beginning with the first week following the week in
  which an order changing a county election precinct boundary is
  adopted, the commissioners court shall publish notice of the
  change:
               (1)  in a newspaper in the county once a week for three
  consecutive weeks; and 
               (2)  on the county's Internet website for three
  consecutive weeks.
         SECTION 7.  Section 43.061(c), Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (c)  Notice required by Subsection (b) must be given by:
               (1)  notifying each candidate whose name appears on the
  ballot in the election or, in the case of an office filled by voters
  of more than one county, notifying the county chair or, for an
  independent candidate, the county judge of the county in which the
  change occurs; or
               (2)  posting the notice in a listing used specifically
  to inform the public of changes to the location of a polling place
  on the [any] Internet website that the county clerk maintains to
  provide information on elections held in the county.
         SECTION 8.  Section 66.059, Election Code, is amended by
  amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (b-1) to read as
  follows:
         (b)  If the political subdivision holding the election is not
  a county, the [The] district judge shall post a notice of the date,
  hour, and place for opening the box on the bulletin board used for
  posting notices of the meetings of the governing body of the
  political subdivision served by the general custodian of election
  records. The notice must remain posted continuously for the 24
  hours immediately preceding the hour set for opening the box.
         (b-1)  If the political subdivision holding the election is a
  county, the district judge shall post a notice of the date, hour,
  and place for opening the box on the county's Internet website. The
  notice must remain posted continuously for the 24 hours preceding
  the hour set for opening the box.
         SECTION 9.  Section 67.012(b), Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (b)  The secretary of state shall post, on the secretary of
  state's Internet website [bulletin board used for posting notice of
  meetings of state governmental bodies], a notice of the date, hour,
  and place of the canvass at least 72 hours before the canvass is
  conducted.
         SECTION 10.  Section 85.007(c), Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (c)  Notice under Subsection (b) shall be posted
  continuously for at least 72 hours immediately preceding the first
  hour that the voting to which the notice pertains will be conducted.
  The notice shall be posted on:
               (1)  the bulletin board used for posting notice of
  meetings of the [commissioners court if the early voting clerk is
  the county clerk, or of the] city governing body if the early voting
  clerk is the city secretary; or 
               (2)  the county's Internet website if the early voting
  clerk is the county clerk.
         SECTION 11.  Section 85.067(d), Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (d)  The schedule shall be posted on:
               (1)  the bulletin board used for posting notice of
  meetings of the governing body of the political subdivision served
  by the authority ordering the election or, if the early voting clerk
  is the [county clerk or] city secretary, meetings of the
  [commissioners court or] city governing body; or
               (2)  the county's Internet website if the early voting
  clerk is the county clerk [, as applicable].
         SECTION 12.  Section 87.027, Election Code, is amended by
  amending Subsection (k) and adding Subsection (k-1) to read as
  follows:
         (k)  Postings required by this section shall be made on the
  bulletin board used for posting notice of meetings of the
  [commissioners court, in an election for which the county election
  board is established or a primary election, or of the] governing
  body of the political subdivision in an election other than an
  election for which the county election board is established or a
  primary election [other elections].
         (k-1)  Postings required by this section shall be made on the
  county's Internet website in an election for which the county
  election board is established or a primary election.
         SECTION 13.  Section 172.113(d), Election Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (d)  The authority shall make periodic announcements of the
  current state of the tabulation, including by posting the
  announcements on the Internet website of the county[, if the county
  maintains a website].
         SECTION 14.  Section 181.006(k), Election Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (k)  The secretary of state shall post a notice of the
  receipt of a petition on the secretary of state's Internet website
  and may post the notice on a bulletin board used for posting notice
  of meetings of state governmental bodies. Any person may challenge
  the validity of the petition by filing a written statement of the
  challenge with the secretary of state not later than the fifth day
  after the date notice is posted. The secretary of state may verify
  the petition signatures regardless of whether the petition is
  timely challenged.
         SECTION 15.  Section 203.012(c), Election Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (c)  The secretary of state shall post, on the secretary of
  state's Internet website [bulletin board used for posting notice of
  meetings of state governmental bodies], a notice of the date, hour,
  and place of the canvass at least 24 hours before the canvass is
  conducted.
         SECTION 16.  Section 274.002(c), Election Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (c)  The secretary of state shall post on the secretary of
  state's Internet website and may post on a bulletin board for
  posting notice of a meeting of a state governmental body a notice of
  the date, hour, and place of the drawing. The notice must remain
  posted continuously for 72 hours immediately preceding the
  scheduled time of the drawing.
         SECTION 17.  (a) Not later than September 1, 2019, the
  secretary of state shall post the information as required by
  Section 31.016, Election Code, as added by this Act.
         (b)  Not later than October 1, 2019, the county shall post
  information as required by Section 31.125, Election Code, as added
  by this Act.
         SECTION 18.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
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