By Gallego                                            H.B. No. 1594
       74R1062 DRH-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to alternate forms of elections for the governing bodies
    1-3  of certain municipalities and school districts.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Subtitle B, Title 2, Local Government Code, is
    1-6  amended by adding Chapter 27 to read as follows:
    1-7          CHAPTER 27.  ALTERNATE FORMS OF ELECTING GOVERNING
    1-8                   BODIES OF CERTAIN MUNICIPALITIES
    1-9        Sec. 27.001.  APPLICATION.  This chapter applies only to a
   1-10  general-law municipality.
   1-11        Sec. 27.002.  TOWN MEETING.  (a)  Instead of an election
   1-12  using election precincts and polling places to choose the members
   1-13  of its governing body, a municipality may elect the members of the
   1-14  governing body at a town meeting if a majority of the qualified
   1-15  voters of the municipality are present at the meeting.
   1-16        (b)  The secretary of state shall adopt rules that govern the
   1-17  procedure a municipality must use to elect its governing body under
   1-18  this section.
   1-19        Sec. 27.003.  CUMULATIVE OR LIMITED VOTING.  (a)  A
   1-20  municipality that elects more than one member of its governing body
   1-21  at an election may conduct the election using a cumulative or
   1-22  limited voting procedure approved by the secretary of state.
   1-23        (b)  The secretary of state shall adopt rules to administer a
   1-24  cumulative or limited voting procedure authorized by this section.
    2-1        (c)  Except for the rules adopted under Subsection (b), the
    2-2  election is held in the same manner that a municipality generally
    2-3  uses in electing members to its governing body.
    2-4        (d)  This section does not apply to the election of a mayor.
    2-5        SECTION 2.  Subchapter A, Chapter 23, Education Code, is
    2-6  amended by adding Sections 23.026 and 23.027 to read as follows:
    2-7        Sec. 23.026.  ELECTING TRUSTEES BY TOWN MEETING IN CERTAIN
    2-8  INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS.  (a)  Instead of an election using
    2-9  election precincts and polling places to choose its trustees, an
   2-10  independent school district with 1,600 or fewer students in average
   2-11  daily attendance may elect its trustees at a town meeting if a
   2-12  majority of the qualified voters of the district are present at the
   2-13  meeting.
   2-14        (b)  The secretary of state shall adopt rules that govern the
   2-15  procedure a district must use to elect its governing body under
   2-16  this section.
   2-17        Sec. 23.027.  ELECTING TRUSTEES THROUGH CUMULATIVE OR LIMITED
   2-18  VOTING IN CERTAIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS.  (a)  An
   2-19  independent school district with 1,600 or fewer students in average
   2-20  daily attendance that elects more than one trustee at large in an
   2-21  election may conduct the election using a cumulative or limited
   2-22  voting procedure approved by the secretary of state.
   2-23        (b)  The secretary of state shall adopt rules to administer a
   2-24  cumulative or limited voting procedure authorized by this section.
   2-25        (c)  Except for the rules adopted under Subsection (b), the
   2-26  election is held in the same manner that a district generally uses
   2-27  in electing trustees to its board.
    3-1        SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1995.
    3-2        SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
    3-3  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    3-4  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    3-5  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    3-6  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.