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  By: Bernal (Senate Sponsor - Hughes) H.B. No. 658
         (In the Senate - Received from the House May 10, 2017;
  May 10, 2017, read first time and referred to Committee on State
  Affairs; May 19, 2017, reported favorably by the following vote:  
  Yeas 9, Nays 0; May 19, 2017, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to priority voting for voters with certain disabilities
  substantially impairing mobility.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 63, Election Code, is amended by adding
  Section 63.0013 to read as follows:
         Sec. 63.0013.  ACCEPTING VOTERS WITH CERTAIN DISABILITIES.
  (a) In this section, "mobility problem that substantially impairs a
  person's ability to ambulate" has the meaning assigned by Section
  681.001, Transportation Code.
         (b)  An election officer may accept a person with a mobility
  problem that substantially impairs a person's ability to ambulate
  who is offering to vote before accepting others offering to vote at
  the polling place who arrived before the person.
         (c)  Notice of the priority given to persons with a mobility
  problem that substantially impairs a person's ability to ambulate
  shall be posted:
               (1)  at one or more locations in each polling place
  where it can be read by persons waiting to vote;
               (2)  on the Internet website of the secretary of state;
  and
               (3)  on each Internet website relating to elections
  maintained by a county.
         (d)  The notice required by Subsection (c) must read:
  "Pursuant to Section 63.0013, Election Code, an election officer
  may give voting order priority to individuals with a mobility
  problem that substantially impairs the person's ability to move
  around. A person assisting an individual with a mobility problem
  may also, at the individual's request, be given voting order
  priority. Disabilities and conditions that may qualify you for
  voting order priority include paralysis, lung disease, the use of
  portable oxygen, cardiac deficiency, severe limitation in the
  ability to walk due to arthritic, neurological, or orthopedic
  condition, wheelchair confinement, arthritis, foot disorder, the
  inability to walk 200 feet without stopping to rest, or use of a
  brace, cane, crutch, or other assistive device."
         (e)  A person assisting a voter in accordance with Section
  64.032(c) may be accepted to vote concurrently with a person
  accepted under Subsection (b) of this section at the voter's
  request. 
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
 
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