By Culberson                                          H.B. No. 2345
         76R2215 DRH-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the form of certain ballot propositions.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 52, Election Code, is
 1-5     amended by adding Section 52.0721 to read as follows:
 1-6           Sec. 52.0721.  CERTAIN PROPOSITIONS IN HOME-RULE CITY.  (a)
 1-7     The wording of a proposition in a home-rule city in which the
 1-8     measure to be voted on was initiated by a petition signed by voters
 1-9     must be the same as the wording of the proposed proposition stating
1-10     the measure on the petition.
1-11           (b)  If the wording of the proposition is not in the form
1-12     required by Subsection (a), a registered voter of the city may
1-13     bring an action for judicial relief in a district court of a county
1-14     in which the city is located.  If the action is brought before the
1-15     date of the election, the court shall, if practicable, set a
1-16     hearing on the matter before the date of the election.  The court
1-17     may issue an order:
1-18                 (1)  requiring the proposition to be in the form
1-19     required by Subsection (a);
1-20                 (2)  delaying the election until the proposition is in
1-21     the form required by Subsection (a); or
1-22                 (3)  invalidating the results of the election.
1-23           (c)  If the court determines that the difference in wording
1-24     between the proposition and the proposed proposition on the
 2-1     petition is necessary to correct a typographical or grammatical
 2-2     error or is a minimal change in the form of the wording, the court
 2-3     shall dismiss the action without granting relief.
 2-4           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
 2-5           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
 2-6     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 2-7     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 2-8     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 2-9     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.