Hall’s bill ending the countywide polling place program

The text as introduced · 493 words

89R2483 MLH-D

By: Hall
S.B. No. 76

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to elimination of the countywide polling place program.

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

SECTION 1. Sections 31.014(a) and (c), Election Code, are

amended to read as follows:

(a) The secretary of state shall prescribe specific

requirements and standards, consistent with this code, for the

certification of an electronic device used to accept voters under

Chapter 63 that require the device to:

(1) produce an electronic copy of the list of voters

who were accepted to vote for delivery to the election judge after

the polls close;

(2) display the voter's original signature in

accordance with Section 63.002;

(3) accept a voter for voting even when the device is

off-line;

(4) provide the full list of voters registered in the

county with an indication of the jurisdictional or distinguishing

number for each territorial unit in which each voter resides;

(5) time-stamp when each voter is accepted at a

polling place, including the voter's unique identifier;

(6) if the county [ participates in the countywide

polling place program under Section 43.007 or ] has more than one

early voting polling place, transmit a time stamp when each voter is

accepted, including the voter's unique identifier, to all polling

place locations;

(7) time-stamp the receipt of a transmission under

Subdivision (6); and

(8) produce in an electronic format compatible with

the statewide voter registration list under Section 18.061 data for

retention and transfer that includes:

(A) the polling location in which the device was

used;

(B) the dated time stamp under Subdivision (5);

and

(C) the dated time stamp under Subdivision (7).

(c) The secretary of state shall adopt rules that require a

device described by this section used during the early voting

period [ or under the countywide polling place program under Section

43.007 ] to update data in real time. If a county uses a device that

does not comply with the rule in two consecutive general elections

for state and county officers, the secretary of state shall assess a

noncompliance fee. The noncompliance fee shall be set at an amount

determined by secretary of state rule.

SECTION 2. Section 32.0511(d), Election Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(d) Not more than two student election clerks may serve at a

polling place[ , except that not more than four student election

clerks may serve at any countywide polling place ].

SECTION 3. The following provisions of the Election Code

are repealed:

(1) Section 32.002(c-1);

(2) Section 43.004(c);

(3) Section 43.007; and

(4) Section 85.062(f-1).

SECTION 4. Nothing in this Act may be construed to impact

polling locations used for early voting by personal appearance or

prevent a voter from casting a ballot at any branch polling place in

the territory served by the early voting clerk as provided by

Section 85.066, Election Code.

SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.