Bill Text: TX HB429 | 2025-2026 | 89th Legislature | Comm Sub

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Bill Title: Relating to the reading and marking of a ballot by a person occupying a voting station or by the person's child.

Sponsorship: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2025-04-17 - Considered in Calendars [HB429 Detail]

Download: Texas-2025-HB429-Comm_Sub.html

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89R13229 LRM-F
By: Guillen, Plesa H.B. No. 429
Substitute the following for H.B. No. 429:
By: Shaheen C.S.H.B. No. 429

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the reading and marking of a ballot by a person
occupying a voting station or by the person's child.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 31, Election Code, is
amended by adding Section 31.131 to read as follows:
Sec. 31.131. EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS ON CHILD PARTICIPATION
IN VOTING. (a) The secretary of state shall develop voter
education materials for parents on the procedures under Section
64.002(b) that allow a child under 16 years of age to read and mark
the ballot while accompanying the child's parent to a voting
station. The secretary shall make the voter education materials
available on the secretary's Internet website.
(b) The county officer responsible for administering
elections in a county to which Section 31.125 applies shall make the
voter education materials developed by the secretary of state under
Subsection (a) available on the county's Internet website.
SECTION 2. Section 64.002(b), Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(b) A child under 18 years of age may accompany the child's
parent to a voting station, and if the child is under 16 years of
age, may read or mark the ballot at the direction of the parent.
Reading or marking a ballot under this subsection does not
constitute assisting a voter for purposes of Subchapter B.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.