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.