SB1805 - Relating to the administration of and procedures relating to early voting by personal appearance.

  2025S0154-T 02/28/25     By: Sparks S.B. No. 1805     A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the administration of and procedures relating to early   voting by personal appearance.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 19.004(a), Election Code, is amended to   read as follows:          (a)  Except as provided by Subsection (d), state funds   disbursed under this chapter may be used only to:                (1)  defray expenses of the registrar's office in   connection with voter registration, including additional expenses   related to:                      (A)  implementation of the National Voter   Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. Section 20501 et seq.);                      (B)  complying with weekly updating requirements;   and                      (C)  the employment of temporary voter   registration personnel for not more than 39 weeks in a state fiscal   year; and                (2)  if the registrar's county has a population of less   than 10,000 [ 55,000 ], defray the cost to the registrar's county of   keeping the polling places in the county open during the early   voting period as required under Section [ Sections 85.005(c), ]   85.006(e)[ , and 85.064(d) ].          SECTION 2.  Section 85.005(c), Election Code, is amended to   read as follows:          (c)   In a county with a population of 10,000 or more, the   voting [ Voting ] in a primary election or the general election for   state and county officers shall be conducted at the main early   voting polling place for at least 12 consecutive hours on each   weekday of the last week of the early voting period, and the voting   in a special election ordered by the governor shall be conducted at   the main early voting polling place for at least 12 consecutive   hours on each of the last two days of the early voting period.   Voting under this subsection may not be conducted earlier than 6   a.m. or later than 10 p.m.          SECTION 3.  Section 85.006(e), Election Code, is amended to   read as follows:          (e)  In a primary election or the general election for state   and county officers in a county with a population of 10,000 or more ,   the early voting clerk shall order voting by personal appearance at   the main early voting polling place to be conducted on the last   Saturday of the early voting period for at least 12 consecutive   hours, except that voting may not be conducted earlier than 6 a.m.   or later than 10 p.m., and on the last Sunday of the early voting   period for at least six consecutive hours, except that voting may   not be conducted earlier than 9 a.m. or later than 10 p.m. The early   voting clerk shall order voting to be conducted at those times in   those elections for those hours on a single weekend day in a county   with a population under 10,000. The day of extended voting hours   must be agreed to by party chairs and posted publicly in compliance   with Section 85.007. This subsection supersedes any provision of   this subchapter to the extent of any conflict.          SECTION 4.  Section 85.064, Election Code, is amended by   adding Subsection (e) to read as follows:           (e)     Subsection (d) applies only to an election in which the   territory served by the early voting clerk is situated in a county   with a population of 10,000 or more. In an election in which the   territory served by the clerk is situated in more than one county,   this section applies if the sum of the populations of the counties   is 10,000 or more.          SECTION 5.  The changes in law made by this Act apply only to   an election for which early voting begins on or after the effective   date of this Act.          SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.