By Shapiro                                       S.B. No. 158

      75R660 DRH-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to requiring a declaration of write-in candidacy in an

 1-3     election for the members of the governing body of a junior college

 1-4     district or the board of a hospital district.

 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-6           SECTION 1.  Subchapter E, Chapter 130, Education Code, is

 1-7     amended by adding Section 130.0825 to read as follows:

 1-8           Sec. 130.0825.  WRITE-IN VOTING IN ELECTION FOR MEMBERS OF

 1-9     GOVERNING BODY.  (a)  In a general or special election for members

1-10     of the governing body of a junior college district,  a write-in

1-11     vote may not be counted unless the name written in appears on the

1-12     list of write-in candidates.

1-13           (b)  To be entitled to a place on the list of write-in

1-14     candidates, a candidate must make a declaration of write-in

1-15     candidacy.

1-16           (c)  A declaration of write-in candidacy must be filed with

1-17     the authority with whom an application for a place on the ballot is

1-18     required to be filed in the election.

1-19           (d)  A declaration for write-in candidacy must be filed not

1-20     later than 5 p.m. of the 45th day before election day.  However, if

1-21     a candidate whose name is to appear on the ballot dies or is

1-22     declared ineligible after the 48th day before election day, a

1-23     declaration of write-in candidacy for the office sought by the

1-24     deceased or ineligible candidate may be filed not later than 5 p.m.

 2-1     of the 42nd day before election day.

 2-2           (e)  Subchapter B, Chapter 146, Election Code, applies to

 2-3     write-in voting in an election for members of the governing body

 2-4     except to the extent of a conflict with this section.

 2-5           (f)  The secretary of state shall adopt rules necessary to

 2-6     implement this section.

 2-7           SECTION 2.  Chapter 285, Health and Safety Code, is amended

 2-8     by adding Subchapter J to read as follows:

 2-9        SUBCHAPTER J.  WRITE-IN VOTING IN ELECTION FOR BOARD MEMBERS

2-10           Sec. 285.131.  WRITE-IN VOTING IN ELECTION FOR BOARD MEMBERS.

2-11     (a)  In a general or special election for board members of a

2-12     hospital district created under general or special law, a write-in

2-13     vote may not be counted unless the name written in appears on the

2-14     list of write-in candidates.

2-15           (b)  To be entitled to a place on the list of write-in

2-16     candidates, a candidate must make a declaration of write-in

2-17     candidacy.

2-18           (c)  A declaration of write-in candidacy must be filed with

2-19     the authority with whom an application for a place on the ballot is

2-20     required to be filed in the election.

2-21           (d)  A declaration for write-in candidacy must be filed not

2-22     later than 5 p.m. of the 45th day before election day.  However, if

2-23     a candidate whose name is to appear on the ballot dies or is

2-24     declared ineligible after the 48th day before election day, a

2-25     declaration of write-in candidacy for the office sought by the

2-26     deceased or ineligible candidate may be filed not later than 5 p.m.

2-27     of the 42nd day before election day.

 3-1           (e)  Subchapter B, Chapter 146, Election Code, applies to

 3-2     write-in voting in an election for board members except to the

 3-3     extent of a conflict with this section.

 3-4           (f)  The secretary of state shall adopt rules necessary to

 3-5     implement this section.

 3-6           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

 3-7           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the

 3-8     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 3-9     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

3-10     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

3-11     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.