Bill Text: TX HB3247 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the alteration of voting standards, practices, or procedures.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-03-19 - Referred to Elections [HB3247 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-HB3247-Introduced.html
| 87R10743 SLB-D | ||
| By: Schofield | H.B. No. 3247 | |
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| relating to the alteration of voting standards, practices, or | ||
| procedures. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Chapter 1, Election Code, is amended by adding | ||
| Section 1.022 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 1.022. ALTERATION OF VOTING STANDARDS, PRACTICES, OR | ||
| PROCEDURES. (a) An election official of a political subdivision | ||
| seeking to alter, in response to a pandemic disaster, any voting | ||
| standard, practice, or procedure in a manner not otherwise | ||
| expressly authorized by this code, must first obtain approval of | ||
| the proposed alteration from the secretary of state by submitting a | ||
| written request for approval to the secretary of state. | ||
| (b) The secretary of state by written order may approve a | ||
| proposed alteration requested under Subsection (a). An election | ||
| official of a political subdivision may not alter any voting | ||
| standard, practice, or procedure in a manner not otherwise | ||
| expressly authorized by this code without a written order of | ||
| approval from the secretary of state. | ||
| (c) The secretary of state may not approve a request under | ||
| Subsection (a) or (b) unless a condition directly caused by the | ||
| disaster which is the subject of a disaster declaration under | ||
| Chapter 418, Government Code, or another law authorizing the | ||
| declaration of a disaster, has made the conduct of the election | ||
| infeasible in the absence of the alteration. | ||
| (d) In the absence of the governor's disaster declaration, | ||
| an election official of a political subdivision may not alter any | ||
| voting standard, practice, or procedure in a manner not otherwise | ||
| expressly authorized by this code. | ||
| SECTION 2. 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, 2021. | ||
