Bill Text: TX HB3711 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the authority of peace officers and private parties to prevent individuals from accessing private property for the purpose of registering voters or communicating political messages.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-03-19 - Referred to Elections [HB3711 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-HB3711-Introduced.html
86R12970 BRG-D | ||
By: Bucy | H.B. No. 3711 |
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relating to the authority of peace officers and private parties to | ||
prevent individuals from accessing private property for the purpose | ||
of registering voters or communicating political messages. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Chapter 276, Election Code, is amended by adding | ||
Section 276.014 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 276.014. DOOR TO DOOR POLITICAL MESSAGING. (a) In this | ||
section, "residential unit" includes a single-family house, a | ||
single-family house located in a residential subdivision or housing | ||
development, an apartment, a condominium, or another unit in a | ||
multifamily residential structure. | ||
(b) Except as provided by Subsection (c), a peace officer or | ||
private party may not prevent an individual from knocking on the | ||
front door of a residential unit, ringing the doorbell of the unit, | ||
or leaving a pamphlet, flier, or other form of written | ||
communication at the unit for the purpose of: | ||
(1) assisting an occupant of the unit with registering | ||
to vote; or | ||
(2) communicating to an occupant of the unit support | ||
or opposition for: | ||
(A) a candidate for nomination or election to | ||
public office or office of a political party; | ||
(B) a political party; or | ||
(C) a measure, as defined by Section 251.001. | ||
(c) A peace officer may prevent an individual from engaging | ||
in an activity under Subsection (b) if necessary to enforce a | ||
criminal statute or a reasonable restriction on the time, place, or | ||
manner of the activity. | ||
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |