By Denny                                               H.B. No. 737
         76R1352 GGS-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to changing the August uniform election date to a
 1-3     September date.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 41.001(a), Election Code, is amended to
 1-6     read as follows:
 1-7           (a)  Except as otherwise provided by this subchapter, each
 1-8     general or special election in this state shall be held on one of
 1-9     the following dates:
1-10                 (1)  the third Saturday in January;
1-11                 (2)  the first Saturday in May;
1-12                 (3)  the third [second] Saturday in September [August];
1-13     or
1-14                 (4)  the first Tuesday after the first Monday in
1-15     November.
1-16           SECTION 2.  Section 41.0052(a), Election Code, is amended to
1-17     read as follows:
1-18           (a)  The governing body of a political subdivision other than
1-19     a county may, not later than December 31, 1999 [1997], change the
1-20     date on which it holds its general election for officers to another
1-21     authorized uniform election date.  An election on the new date may
1-22     not be held before 2000 [1998].
1-23           SECTION 3.  (a)  An election that is held on the August
1-24     uniform election date in 1999 is subject to the prior law governing
 2-1     that election, and the prior law is continued in effect for that
 2-2     purpose.
 2-3           (b)  Section 41.006, Election Code, applies to a change in
 2-4     election dates made in accordance with this Act.
 2-5           SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
 2-6           SECTION 5.  The importance of this legislation and the
 2-7     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 2-8     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 2-9     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-10     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.