HB 274 — The reading and marking of a ballot by a person occupyin

90R31 LRM-F By: Guillen H.B. No. 274 relating to the reading and marking of a ballot by a person occupying a voting station or by the person's child.

SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 31, Election Code, is amended by adding Section 31.131 to read as follows: Sec. 31.131. EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS ON CHILD PARTICIPATION IN VOTING. (a) The secretary of state shall develop voter education materials for parents on the procedures under Section 64.002(b) that allow a child under 16 years of age to read and mark the ballot while accompanying the child's parent to a voting station. The secretary shall make the voter education materials available on the secretary's Internet website. (b) The county officer responsible for administering elections in a county to which Section 31.125 applies shall make the voter education materials developed by the secretary of state under Subsection (a) available on the county's Internet website.

SECTION 2. Section 64.002(b), Election Code, is amended to read as follows: (b) A child under 18 years of age may accompany the child's parent to a voting station , and if the child is under 16 years of age, may read or mark the ballot at the direction of the parent. Reading or marking a ballot under this subsection does not constitute assisting a voter for purposes of Subchapter B .

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2027.