By Denny                                              H.B. No. 2785

         75R3893 DRH-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the composition of the teams counting regular paper

 1-3     ballots in certain elections.

 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 65.001, Election Code, is amended to read

 1-6     as follows:

 1-7           Sec. 65.001. COUNTING OFFICERS.  (a)  At each polling place,

 1-8     the ballots shall be counted by one or more teams of election

 1-9     officers assigned by the presiding judge.  Each team must consist

1-10     of two or more election officers.

1-11           (b)  In the general election for state and county officers or

1-12     a special election to fill a vacancy in an office regularly filled

1-13     at the general election, each team counting regular paper ballots,

1-14     to the extent possible, must be composed of election officers who

1-15     are affiliated or aligned  with different political parties.

1-16           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-17           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-18     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-19     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-20     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-21     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.