Bill > HB531

This bill modifies Texas Election Code provisions regarding device usage in voting stations, allowing voters to access pre-downloaded ballot or candidate information on their wireless communication devices while maintaining restrictions on using devices to record images or sounds within 100 feet of a voting station. Specifically, the bill clarifies that while wireless communication devices are generally prohibited near voting stations, a person occupying a voting station may use their device to view previously downloaded election information. The bill also updates related notices, changing the language from a "prohibition" of device use to a description of "limited" device use, and gives presiding judges discretion to post notices about device restrictions in polling places. The bill would take effect immediately if it receives a two-thirds vote in the Texas legislature, or otherwise will take effect on September 1, 2025. The changes aim to provide voters with some flexibility in accessing election information while preserving the integrity of the voting process by preventing real-time recording or communication within polling places.

Government Affairs

https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB531