Bill Text: TX HB3449 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Comm Sub


Bill Title: Relating to ballots voted by mail.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-05-11 - Placed on General State Calendar [HB3449 Detail]

Download: Texas-2023-HB3449-Comm_Sub.html
  88R26125 MPF-F
 
  By: Noble H.B. No. 3449
 
  Substitute the following for H.B. No. 3449:
 
  By:  Smith C.S.H.B. No. 3449
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to ballots voted by mail.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 84, Election Code, is
  amended by adding Section 84.0105 to read as follows:
         Sec. 84.0105.  PRESERVATION OF SIGNATURE. For a period of at
  least six years, the general custodian of election records shall
  preserve an image of the voter's signature on the carrier envelope
  and early voting ballot application.
         SECTION 2.  Section 87.021, Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 87.021.  BALLOTS AND OTHER MATERIALS DELIVERED TO
  BOARD.  The early voting clerk shall deliver to the early voting
  ballot board:
               (1)  in an election in which regular paper ballots are
  used for early voting by personal appearance, each ballot box, in
  accordance with Section 85.032(b), containing the early voting
  ballots voted by personal appearance and the clerk's key to each
  box;
               (2)  the jacket envelopes containing the early voting
  ballots voted by mail, regardless of the ballot type or voting
  system used;
               (3)  the poll lists prepared in connection with early
  voting by personal appearance;
               (4)  the list of registered voters used in conducting
  early voting; [and]
               (5)  a ballot transmittal form that includes a
  statement of the number of early voting ballots voted by mail,
  regardless of the ballot type or voting system used, that are
  delivered to the early voting ballot board, and in an election in
  which regular paper ballots are used for early voting by personal
  appearance, the number of names appearing on the poll lists
  prepared in connection with early voting by personal appearance;
               (6)  copies of the applications for ballots to be voted
  by mail for each ballot voted by mail received; and
               (7)  copies of the voter's signature in the county's
  election records and in the possession of the county clerk or voter
  registrar from at least the previous six years.
         SECTION 3.  Sections 87.027(h) and (i), Election Code, are
  amended to read as follows:
         (h)  If a signature verification committee is appointed for
  the election, the early voting clerk shall deliver the jacket
  envelopes containing the early voting ballots voted by mail, the
  copies of the applications for ballots to be voted by mail, and the
  copies of the voter's signature in the county's election records and
  in the possession of the county clerk or voter registrar from at
  least the previous six years to the committee instead of to the
  early voting ballot board.  Deliveries may be made only during the
  period of the committee's operation at times scheduled in advance
  of delivery by the early voting clerk.  The clerk shall post notice
  of the time of each delivery.  The notice must remain posted
  continuously for at least two days before the date of the delivery.
         (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.  The committee shall [may] also compare the signatures with
  any known signature of the voter in the county's election records
  and on file with the county clerk or voter registrar to determine
  whether the signatures are those of the voter.  Except as provided
  by Subsection (l), a determination under this subsection that the
  signatures are not those of the voter 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 in separate containers
  from those of voters whose signatures are those of the voter.  The
  committee chair shall deliver the sorted materials to the early
  voting ballot board at the time specified by the board's presiding
  judge.
         SECTION 4.  Section 87.041, Election Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (b-1) and amending Subsection (e) to read as
  follows:
         (b-1)  If a signature verification committee is not
  appointed under Section 87.027, the board must make a determination
  as to whether the signatures are those of the voter under Subsection
  (b)(2).
         (e)  In making the determination under Subsection (b)(2), to
  determine whether the signatures are those of the voter, the board
  shall:
               (1)  compare the signature on each carrier envelope,
  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; and
               (2)  [may also] compare the signatures with any known
  signature of the voter on file with the county clerk or voter
  registrar.
         SECTION 5.  The heading to Section 87.126, Election Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 87.126.  ELECTRONIC RECORDING OF CERTAIN [BALLOT]
  MATERIALS USED IN EARLY VOTING BY MAIL [AND APPLICATIONS].
         SECTION 6.  Section 87.126, Election Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (a-2) and amending Subsection (b) to read as
  follows:
         (a-2)  The early voting clerk shall have software available
  to display all electronically available signatures in the county's
  election records. The software must be made available for the first
  election following an update of the software the early voting clerk
  uses under this section that occurs after September 1, 2023.
         (b)  The secretary of state may adopt rules providing
  requirements for the electronic image quality and storage of the
  electronic images of the documents described by this section
  [Subsection (a)].
         SECTION 7.  Section 87.041(d-1), Election Code, is repealed.
         SECTION 8.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
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