SRC-TNM H.B. 324 75(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   H.B. 324
By: Maxey (Barrientos)
State Affairs
5-6-97
Engrossed


DIGEST 

Currently, it is difficult for working individuals to take advantage of
the early voting system.  During the last cycle of spring municipal
elections, certain municipalities conducted early voting as required by
the Election Code, but only during  the business hours of the city clerk's
office, which are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  H.B. 324 would require early
voting hours to be from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. for city elections conducted in a
city in a county in which all the members of a governing body are elected
on an at-large basis and with a population of 450,000 or more, and, if the
city secretary is the early voting clerk under Section 83.005, Election
Code, in order to make municipal elections more accessible to those who
work during the day. 

PURPOSE

As proposed, H.B. 324 outlines provisions regarding the days and hours
during which early voting by personal appearance is conducted in certain
municipalities. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 85A, Election Code, by adding Section 85.008, as
follows: 

Sec. 85.008. DAYS AND HOURS FOR VOTING: ELECTION IN CERTAIN CITIES.
Provides that this section applies only to a city with a population of
more than 450,000 in which all members of the governing body are elected
on an at-large basis.  Provides that notwithstanding and in addition to
other applicable provisions of this code, in an election in which the city
secretary is the early voting clerk under Section 83.005, early voting by
personal appearance shall be conducted on the corresponding days and for
the same number of hours that the voting is required to be conducted in
the general election for state and county officers in the county in which
a majority of the population of the city is located. 

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1997.

SECTION 3. Emergency clause.