By Madden, Pitts                                      H.B. No. 2276
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the period for filing an application for a place on the
 1-3     general primary election ballot in 2000 and to related dates and
 1-4     deadlines.
 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-6           SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 172, Election Code, is
 1-7     amended by adding Section 172.0231 to read as follows:
 1-8           Sec. 172.0231.  TEMPORARY PROVISION FOR 2000 PRIMARY.  (a)
 1-9     Notwithstanding any other provisions of this code, the dates and
1-10     deadlines for performing actions related to the general primary
1-11     election in 2000 are as follows:
1-12                 (1)  an application for a place on the general primary
1-13     ballot must be filed under Section 172.023(a) not later than 6 p.m.
1-14     on January 9, 2000;
1-15                 (2)  an application for a place on the general primary
1-16     ballot for an office other than precinct chair may not be filed
1-17     earlier than December 1, 1999;
1-18                 (3)  the state chair must deliver the certification to
1-19     the county chair under Section 172.028(b) not later than the 57th
1-20     day before general primary election day;
1-21                 (4)  a candidate may not withdraw from the general
1-22     primary election under Section 172.052(a) after the 55th day before
1-23     general primary election day;
1-24                 (5)  the deadline for an extension of the filing of an
 2-1     application for a place on the general primary election ballot
 2-2     under Sections 172.054(a)(1) and (2) is the 55th day before general
 2-3     primary election day;
 2-4                 (6)  an application for the extended deadline under
 2-5     Section 172.054(b) must be filed not later than 6 p.m. of the 53rd
 2-6     day before general primary election day;
 2-7                 (7)  a candidate's name shall be omitted from the
 2-8     ballot if an act described by Section 172.057 occurs on or before
 2-9     the 55th day before general primary election day;
2-10                 (8)  a candidate's name shall be placed on the ballot
2-11     if an act described by Section 172.058(a) occurs after the 55th day
2-12     before general primary election day; and
2-13                 (9)  the drawing described by Section 172.082(c) shall
2-14     be conducted not later than the 46th day before general primary
2-15     election day.
2-16           (b)  This section expires January 1, 2001.
2-17           SECTION 2.  Section 181.0041, Election Code, is amended to
2-18     read as follows:
2-19           Sec. 181.0041.  REGISTRATION OF PARTY REQUIRED.  A political
2-20     party that intends to make nominations under this chapter for the
2-21     general election for state and county officers must register with
2-22     the secretary of state, in the manner prescribed by the secretary,
2-23     not later than the regular filing deadline for candidates in the
2-24     general primary election [January 2 of the election year].
2-25           SECTION 3.  Section 181.033(a), Election Code, is amended to
2-26     read as follows:
2-27           (a)  Except as provided by Subsection (b), an application for
 3-1     nomination by a convention must be filed not later than the regular
 3-2     filing deadline for candidates in the general primary election [5
 3-3     p.m.  on January 2 preceding the convention].
 3-4           SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
 3-5           SECTION 5.  The importance of this legislation and the
 3-6     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 3-7     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 3-8     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 3-9     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.