| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to the public inspection of election records. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Section 1.012, Election Code, is amended by |
|
|
amending Subsections (a), (d), and (e) and adding Subsections (f) |
|
|
and (g) to read as follows: |
|
|
(a) An [Subject to Subsection (b), an] election record that |
|
|
is public information shall be made available to the public during |
|
|
the regular business hours of the record's custodian not later than |
|
|
10 days after the date the custodian receives a request for public |
|
|
inspection. |
|
|
(d) In this code, "election record" includes: |
|
|
(1) anything created, distributed, or received by |
|
|
government under this code; |
|
|
(2) anything required by law to be kept by others for |
|
|
information of government under this code; or |
|
|
(3) a certificate, application, notice, report, or |
|
|
other document or paper issued, created, or received by government |
|
|
under this code. |
|
|
(e) Except as provided by Subsection (f), an [An] election |
|
|
record shall be available not later than the 15th day after election |
|
|
day in an electronic format for a fee of not more than $50. |
|
|
(f) Not later than the 60th day after election day, the |
|
|
general custodian of election records shall make available for |
|
|
public inspection election records that are: |
|
|
(1) original voted ballots; or |
|
|
(2) images of voted ballots, if a county maintains |
|
|
images of voted ballots. |
|
|
(g) The custodian shall adopt procedures to ensure the |
|
|
redaction of any personally identifiable information of the voter |
|
|
contained on a ballot before making the voted ballot available for |
|
|
public inspection. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Section 1.012(b), Election Code, is repealed. |
|
|
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |