By: Dorazio H.B. No. 4989       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to election integrity and security of ballot boxes,   including by preventing fraud in the conduct of elections in this   state; authorizing a penalty.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:   ARTICLE 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS          SECTION 1.01.  SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the   Ballot Box Election Security, Transparency, and Accountability   Act.          SECTION 1.02.  Chapter 33 of the Texas Election Code is   amended to read as follows:          Sec. 33.0605.  Sec. 33.0605.  OBSERVING DATA STORAGE   SEALING AND TRANSFER. (a) A watcher appointed to serve at a   polling place in an election who is available at the time of the   action may observe all election activities relating to the opening   and closing of the polling place, including starting up and closing   voting system equipment, printing of all types of voting system   tapes, inspecting of ballot boxes, the sealing and transfer of a   memory card, flash drive, hard drive, data storage device, or other   medium now existing or later developed used by the voting system   equipment.          (b)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this code, a   watcher duly accepted for service at a polling location is entitled   to follow the transfer and delivery of election materials,   including ballot boxes, from the polling place at which the watcher   was accepted to a regional tabulating center, the central counting   station, the main early voting site, the early voting clerk's   office, a secured storage location, or any other location   designated to receive, store, and process election materials. The   authority responsible for administering a regional tabulating   center or another location where election materials are delivered,   processed, and stored must accept duly appointed watchers for   service in the same manner a watcher is accepted for service under   Section 33.051 and must accept the same number of watchers that may   serve under Section 33.007(a).          SECTION 1.03.  Chapter 127 Section 127.1232 of the Election   Code is amended to read as follows:          Sec. 127.1232.  SECURITY OF VOTED BALLOTS. (b) The general   custodian of election records in a county with a population of   100,000 or more shall implement a video surveillance system that   retains a record of all areas containing voted ballots, including   but not limited to all doorways, halls, and offices:                (1)  from the time the ballots voted during early   voting and on election day are delivered to the early voting ballot   board, the early voting clerk, regional tabulating center, and the   central counting station, or any other location designated for   delivery, until the final canvass of precinct election returns; and                (2)  from the time the absentee voted ballots are   delivered to the elections office, signature verification   committee or early voting ballot board until the final canvass of   precinct election returns.          (c)  A video from a system implemented under Subsection (b)   shall be made available to the public by a livestream and must   include a large analog clock visible in each area under   surveillance.          (e)  A person that violates this section commits an offense.   An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor for the first   offense. Multiple offenses thereafter are felonies of the third   degree.          SECTION 1.04.  Chapter 127 Section 127.201 of the Texas   Election Code shall be amended as follows:          Sec. 127.201.  PARTIAL COUNT OF ELECTRONIC VOTING SYSTEM   BALLOTS BY GENERAL CUSTODIAN. (d) Each candidate in the election   is entitled to be present for the retrieving of ballot boxes,   opening of ballot box seals, ballot sorting, counting of ballots,   and resealing of ballot boxes for the partial count. Each   candidate, and treasurer of a specific-purpose political action   committee that was involved in the election is entitled to have a   watcher and representative present to monitor all activities   associated with the partial count. A representative must deliver a   certificate of appointment to the general custodian at the time the   representative reports for service. The certificate must be in   writing and must include:                (1)  the printed name and signature of the   representative;                (2)  the election subject to the count; and                (3)  the printed name and signature of the candidate   making the appointment.          SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.