By Denny                                              H.B. No. 2395
         Line and page numbers may not match official copy.
         Bill not drafted by TLC or Senate E&E.
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to political party representation.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Section 85.002, Election Code is amended by
 1-5     adding Sec. 85.002(e) to read as follows:
 1-6           (e)  In a primary election, the general election for state
 1-7     and county officers, or a special election to fill a vacancy in the
 1-8     legislature or congress, the election officers serving at a main
 1-9     early voting polling place must be affiliated or aligned with
1-10     different political parties to the extent possible.  The secretary
1-11     of state, after consulting the state chair of each affected
1-12     political party, shall prescribe the procedures necessary to
1-13     implement this subsection.
1-14           SECTION 2.  Section 127.006(a), Election Code, is amended to
1-15     read as follows:
1-16           (a)  Both the manager and the presiding judge may appoint
1-17     clerks affiliated or aligned with different political parties to
1-18     the extent possible to serve at the central counting station.
1-19           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-20           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-21     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 2-1     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 2-2     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 2-3     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.