Bill Text: TX HB96 | 2017 | 85th Legislature 1st Special Session | Comm Sub


Bill Title: Relating to signature verification on an early voting ballot voted by mail.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-08-08 - Committee report sent to Calendars [HB96 Detail]

Download: Texas-2017-HB96-Comm_Sub.html
  85S12570 ADM-F
 
  By: Swanson H.B. No. 96
 
  Substitute the following for H.B. No. 96:
 
  By:  Swanson C.S.H.B. No. 96
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to signature verification on an early voting ballot voted
  by mail.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Sections 87.027(i) and (j), Election Code, are
  amended to read as follows:
         (i)  The signature verification committee shall compare the
  signature on each carrier envelope certificate, except those signed
  for a voter by a witness, with the signature on the voter's ballot
  application to determine whether the signatures are those of the
  voter [same person]. The committee may also compare the signatures
  with any two or more signatures of the voter made within the
  preceding six years and on file with the general custodian of
  election records or voter registrar [the signature on the voter's
  registration application] to confirm that the signatures are those
  of the voter and may [same person but may not] use the signatures
  [registration application signature] to determine that the
  signatures are not those of the voter [same person]. Except as
  provided by Subsection (l), a determination under this subsection
  that the signatures are not those of the voter [same person] must be
  made by a majority vote of the committee's membership. The
  committee shall place the jacket envelopes, carrier envelopes, and
  applications of voters whose signatures are not those of the voter
  [same person] in separate containers from those of voters whose
  signatures are those of the voter [same person]. The committee
  chair shall deliver the sorted materials to the early voting ballot
  board at the time specified by the board's presiding judge.
         (j)  If a signature verification committee is appointed, the
  early voting ballot board shall follow the same procedure for
  accepting the early voting ballots voted by mail as in an election
  without a signature verification committee, except that the board
  may not determine whether a voter's signatures on the carrier
  envelope certificate and ballot application are those of the voter
  [same person] if the committee has determined that the signatures
  are those of the voter [same person]. If the committee has
  determined that the signatures are not those of the voter [same
  person], the board may make a determination that the signatures are
  those of the voter [same person] by a majority vote of the board's
  membership.
         SECTION 2.  Section 87.041(e), Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (e)  In making the determination under Subsection (b)(2),
  the board may also compare the signatures with any two or more
  signatures of the voter made within the preceding six years and on
  file with the general custodian of election records or voter
  registrar to determine if [confirm that] the signatures are those
  of the voter [same person but may not use the signatures to
  determine that the signatures are not those of the same person].
         SECTION 3.  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 December 1, 2017.
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