bill making mail ballot return postage free

The text as introduced · 267 words

90R4349 LRM-D

By: Bucy
H.B. No. 535

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to postage requirements and restrictions for early voting

ballots voted by mail.

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

SECTION 1. Section 86.002, Election Code, is amended by

adding Subsections (a-1) and (a-2) to read as follows:

(a-1) The officially prescribed carrier envelope shall be

prepared so that it can be mailed free of United States postage. The

secretary of state shall adopt rules necessary for the

administration of this subsection.

(a-2) An officially prescribed carrier envelope may not

include indicia of any variety from a third-party entity, such as a

campaign or third-party voter registration organization.

SECTION 2. Section 86.013(a), Election Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(a) "Carrier Envelope for Early Voting Ballot," the name and

official title of the early voting clerk as addressee, [ and ] the

clerk's official mailing address , and an indication that return

postage for the envelope and balloting materials is prepaid must be

printed on the face of each official carrier envelope for a ballot

to be voted by mail.

SECTION 3. Section 86.002(e), Election Code, is repealed.

SECTION 4. The change in law made by this Act applies only

to an election ordered on or after the effective date of this Act.

An election ordered before the effective date of this Act is

governed by the law as it existed immediately before the effective

date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect for that

purpose.

SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2027.