Bill Text: IL SB1253 | 2019-2020 | 101st General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amends the Election Code. Requires a permanent polling place for early voting to remain open beginning the 22nd day (rather than the 15th day) before an election. Makes changes to the hours a permanent polling place for early voting must remain open. Requires certain permanent polling places to be open a total of at least 16 hours (rather than 14 hours) on the final weekend during the early voting period. Effective immediately.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)

Status: (Failed) 2021-01-13 - Session Sine Die [SB1253 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2019-SB1253-Introduced.html

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101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2019 and 2020 SB1253 Introduced 2/6/2019, by Sen. Ram Villivalam SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
10 ILCS 5/19A-15
Amends the Election Code. Requires a permanent polling place for early voting to remain open beginning the 22nd day (rather than the 15th day) before an election. Makes changes to the hours a permanent polling place for early voting must remain open. Requires certain permanent polling places to be open a total of at least 16 hours (rather than 14 hours) on the final weekend during the early voting period. Effective immediately.
LRB101 08141 SMS 53207 b
A BILL FOR
SB1253 LRB101 08141 SMS 53207 b
AN ACT concerning elections.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Election Code is amended by changing Section
19A-15 as follows:
(10 ILCS 5/19A-15)
Sec. 19A-15. Period for early voting; hours.
(a) The period for early voting by personal appearance
begins the 40th day preceding a general primary, consolidated
primary, consolidated, or general election and extends through
the end of the day before election day.
(b) Except as otherwise provided by this Section, a
permanent polling place for early voting must remain open
beginning the 22nd 15th day before an election through the end
of the day before election day during the hours of 8:30 a.m. to
4:30 p.m., or 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., on weekdays, except that
beginning 11 8 days before election day, a permanent polling
place for early voting must remain open during the hours of
8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., or 9:00 a.m. to 7:30 7:00 p.m.,
everyday and 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Saturdays and holidays,
and 10:00 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays; except that, in addition
to the hours required by this subsection, a permanent polling
place designated by an election authority under subsections

SB1253 - 2 - LRB101 08141 SMS 53207 b
(c), (d), and (e) of Section 19A-10 must remain open for a
total of at least 8 hours on any holiday during the early
voting period and a total of at least 16 14 hours on the final
weekend during the early voting period.
(c) Notwithstanding subsection (b), an election authority
may close an early voting polling place if the building in
which the polling place is located has been closed by the State
or unit of local government in response to a severe weather
emergency or other force majeure. The election authority shall
notify the State Board of Elections of any closure and shall
make reasonable efforts to provide notice to the public of an
alternative location for early voting.
(d) (Blank).
(Source: P.A. 97-81, eff. 7-5-11; 97-766, eff. 7-6-12; 98-4,
eff. 3-12-13; 98-115, eff. 7-29-13; 98-691, eff. 7-1-14;
98-1171, eff. 6-1-15.)
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.