Bill Text: TX HB259 | 2013-2014 | 83rd Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Relating to electioneering conducted near a polling place.
Sponsorship: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 23-9)
Status: (Passed) 2013-06-14 - Effective immediately [HB259 Detail]
Download: Texas-2013-HB259-Enrolled.html
| H.B. No. 259 | ||
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| relating to electioneering conducted near a polling place. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. The heading to Section 61.003, Election Code, is | ||
| amended to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 61.003. ELECTIONEERING AND LOITERING NEAR POLLING | ||
| PLACE [ |
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| SECTION 2. Section 61.003, Election Code, is amended by | ||
| adding Subsection (a-1) and amending Subsection (b) to read as | ||
| follows: | ||
| (a-1) The entity that owns or controls a public building | ||
| being used as a polling place may not, at any time during the voting | ||
| period, prohibit electioneering on the building's premises outside | ||
| of the area described in Subsection (a), but may enact reasonable | ||
| regulations concerning the time, place, and manner of | ||
| electioneering. | ||
| (b) In this section: | ||
| (1) "Electioneering" includes the posting, use, or | ||
| distribution of political signs or literature. | ||
| (2) "Voting [ |
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| beginning when the polls open for voting and ending when the polls | ||
| close or the last voter has voted, whichever is later. | ||
| SECTION 3. The heading to Section 85.036, Election Code, is | ||
| amended to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 85.036. ELECTIONEERING [ |
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| SECTION 4. Section 85.036, Election Code, is amended by | ||
| adding Subsections (b) and (f) to read as follows: | ||
| (b) The entity that owns or controls a public building being | ||
| used as an early voting polling place may not, at any time during | ||
| the early voting period, prohibit electioneering on the building's | ||
| premises outside of the area described in Subsection (a), but may | ||
| enact reasonable regulations concerning the time, place, and manner | ||
| of electioneering. | ||
| (f) In this section: | ||
| (1) "Early voting period" means the period prescribed | ||
| by Section 85.001. | ||
| (2) "Electioneering" includes the posting, use, or | ||
| distribution of political signs or literature. | ||
| SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives | ||
| a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as | ||
| provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this | ||
| Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this | ||
| Act takes effect September 1, 2013. | ||
| ______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
| President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
| I certify that H.B. No. 259 was passed by the House on May 1, | ||
| 2013, by the following vote: Yeas 136, Nays 6, 2 present, not | ||
| voting. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Chief Clerk of the House | ||
| I certify that H.B. No. 259 was passed by the Senate on May | ||
| 20, 2013, by the following vote: Yeas 26, Nays 5. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Secretary of the Senate | ||
| APPROVED: _____________________ | ||
| Date | ||
| _____________________ | ||
| Governor | ||
