1-1 By: Danburg (Senate Sponsor - Carriker) H.B. No. 638 1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House April 5, 1993; 1-3 April 5, 1993, read first time and referred to Subcommittee on 1-4 Elections and Ethics; April 26, 1993, reported favorably by the 1-5 following vote: Yeas 4, Nays 0; April 26, 1993, sent to printer.) 1-6 COMMITTEE VOTE 1-7 Yea Nay PNV Absent 1-8 Carriker x 1-9 Harris of Dallas x 1-10 Ellis x 1-11 Henderson x 1-12 Luna x 1-13 Parker x 1-14 Wentworth x 1-15 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-16 AN ACT 1-17 relating to combining certain county election precincts. 1-18 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-19 SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 42, Election Code, is 1-20 amended by adding Section 42.0051 to read as follows: 1-21 Sec. 42.0051. COMBINING CERTAIN PRECINCTS. (a) If changes 1-22 in county election precinct boundaries to give effect to a 1-23 redistricting plan result in county election precincts with a 1-24 number of registered voters less than 500, a commissioners court 1-25 for a general or special election, or for a primary election the 1-26 county executive committee of a political party conducting a 1-27 primary election, may combine county election precincts 1-28 notwithstanding Section 42.005 to avoid unreasonable expenditures 1-29 for election equipment, supplies, and personnel. 1-30 (b) A combined precinct under this section is subject to the 1-31 maximum population prescribed for a precinct under Section 42.006. 1-32 (c) A combined precinct may not be established if it: 1-33 (1) results in a dilution of voting strength of a 1-34 group covered by the federal Voting Rights Act (42 U.S.C. Section 1-35 1973c et seq.); 1-36 (2) results in a dilution of representation of a group 1-37 covered by the Voting Rights Act in any political or electoral 1-38 process or procedure; or 1-39 (3) results in discouraging participation by a group 1-40 covered by the Voting Rights Act in any political or electoral 1-41 process or procedure because of the location of a polling place or 1-42 other factors. 1-43 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the 1-44 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-45 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-46 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 1-47 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 1-48 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 1-49 passage, and it is so enacted. 1-50 * * * * * 1-51 Austin, 1-52 Texas 1-53 April 26, 1993 1-54 Hon. Bob Bullock 1-55 President of the Senate 1-56 Sir: 1-57 We, your Subcommittee on Elections and Ethics to which was referred 1-58 H.B. No. 638, have had the same under consideration, and I am 1-59 instructed to report it back to the Senate with the recommendation 1-60 that it do pass and be printed. 1-61 Carriker, 1-62 Chairman 1-63 * * * * * 1-64 WITNESSES 1-65 No witnesses appeared on H.B. No. 638.