Dorazio Bill Livestreams Ballot Storage, Analog Clock Included

The text as introduced · 703 words

By: Dorazio
H.B. No. 4989

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to election integrity and security of ballot boxes,

including by preventing fraud in the conduct of elections in this

state; authorizing a penalty.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

ARTICLE 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS

SECTION 1.01. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the

Ballot Box Election Security, Transparency, and Accountability

Act.

SECTION 1.02. Chapter 33 of the Texas Election Code is

amended to read as follows:

Sec. 33.0605. Sec. 33.0605. OBSERVING DATA STORAGE

SEALING AND TRANSFER. (a) A watcher appointed to serve at a

polling place in an election who is available at the time of the

action may observe all election activities relating to the opening

and closing of the polling place, including starting up and closing

voting system equipment , printing of all types of voting system

tapes , inspecting of ballot boxes , the sealing and transfer of a

memory card, flash drive, hard drive, data storage device, or other

medium now existing or later developed used by the voting system

equipment.

(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this code, a

watcher duly accepted for service at a polling location is entitled

to follow the transfer and delivery of election materials,

including ballot boxes , from the polling place at which the watcher

was accepted to a regional tabulating center, the central counting

station, the main early voting site, the early voting clerk's

office , a secured storage location , or any other location

designated to receive, store, and process election materials. The

authority responsible for administering a regional tabulating

center or another location where election materials are delivered ,

processed, and stored must accept duly appointed watchers for

service in the same manner a watcher is accepted for service under

Section 33.051 and must accept the same number of watchers that may

serve under Section 33.007(a).

SECTION 1.03. Chapter 127 Section 127.1232 of the Election

Code is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 127.1232. SECURITY OF VOTED BALLOTS. (b) The general

custodian of election records in a county with a population of

100,000 or more shall implement a video surveillance system that

retains a record of all areas containing voted ballots, including

but not limited to all doorways, halls, and offices :

(1) from the time the ballots voted during early

voting and on election day are delivered to the early voting ballot

board, the early voting clerk, regional tabulating center, and the

central counting station, or any other location designated for

delivery , until the final canvass of precinct election returns; and

(2) from the time the absentee voted ballots are

delivered to the elections office , signature verification

committee or early voting ballot board until the final canvass of

precinct election returns.

(c) A video from a system implemented under Subsection (b)

shall be made available to the public by a livestream and must

include a large analog clock visible in each area under

surveillance.

(e) A person that violates this section commits an offense.

An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor for the first

offense. Multiple offenses thereafter are felonies of the third

degree.

SECTION 1.04. Chapter 127 Section 127.201 of the Texas

Election Code shall be amended as follows:

Sec. 127.201. PARTIAL COUNT OF ELECTRONIC VOTING SYSTEM

BALLOTS BY GENERAL CUSTODIAN. (d) Each candidate in the election

is entitled to be present for the retrieving of ballot boxes ,

opening of ballot box seals, ballot sorting, count ing of ballots ,

and resealing of ballot boxes for the partial count. Each

candidate , and treasurer of a specific-purpose political action

committee that was involved in the election is entitled to have a

watcher and representative present to monitor all activities

associated with the partial count . A representative must deliver a

certificate of appointment to the general custodian at the time the

representative reports for service. The certificate must be in

writing and must include:

(1) the printed name and signature of the

representative;

(2) the election subject to the count; and

(3) the printed name and signature of the candidate

making the appointment.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.