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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a voter education program for high school seniors. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 31, Election Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 31.013 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 31.013. VOTER EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR HIGH SCHOOL |
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SENIORS. (a) The secretary of state, in consultation with the |
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commissioner of education, shall develop a nonpartisan voter |
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education program designed to be presented to high school seniors. |
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(b) The voter education program developed under Subsection |
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(a) must: |
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(1) provide information concerning: |
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(A) the importance of voting; |
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(B) the manner in which a person may register to |
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vote in this state; |
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(C) the manner in which a person may vote using |
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the voting systems most commonly used in this state; |
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(D) election dates, as provided under Chapter 41; |
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(E) the hours polls are open; |
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(F) early voting; and |
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(G) how to determine the correct polling place; |
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and |
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(2) provide an opportunity, during the period in which |
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the program is being presented, for students to complete voter |
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registration application forms. |
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(c) Once each year, at the request of an administrator of a |
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public or private high school, the county clerk for the county in |
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which the school is located, or the clerk's designee, may present |
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the program to high school seniors at the school. The program must |
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be presented at school during regular school hours. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |