By Moreno of El Paso                                   H.B. No. 992
         76R2865 PAM-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to prohibiting a candidate from filing applications for a
 1-3     place on the ballot,  declarations of intent for independent
 1-4     candidacy, or declarations of write-in candidacy for more than one
 1-5     office.
 1-6           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-7           SECTION 1.  Section 141.033(b), Election Code, is amended to
 1-8     read as follows:
 1-9           (b)  If a person files more than one application for a place
1-10     on a ballot in violation of this section, each application filed
1-11     [subsequent to the first one filed] is invalid.
1-12           SECTION 2.  Section 142.0021(b), Election Code, is amended to
1-13     read as follows:
1-14           (b)  If a person files more than one declaration of intent in
1-15     violation of this section, each declaration filed [subsequent to
1-16     the first one filed] is invalid.
1-17           SECTION 3.  Section 146.023(c), Election Code, is amended to
1-18     read as follows:
1-19           (c)  A candidate may not file a declaration of write-in
1-20     candidacy for more than one office.  If a person files more than
1-21     one declaration of write-in candidacy in violation of this
1-22     subsection, each declaration filed [subsequent to the first one
1-23     filed] is invalid.
1-24           SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
 2-1           SECTION 5.  The importance of this legislation and the
 2-2     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 2-3     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 2-4     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 2-5     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.