By Madden, Jones of Lubbock                           H.B. No. 1820
         77R11922 GGS-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the elimination of unnecessary county election
 1-3     precincts.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 42, Election Code, is
 1-6     amended by adding Section 42.010 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 42.010.  RECOMMENDATION ON ELIMINATION OF LESS POPULOUS
 1-8     PRECINCTS.  (a)  After each redistricting of a ward of a city
 1-9     described by Section 42.005(a)(6), the commissioners court may
1-10     submit recommendations to the governing body of the city on changes
1-11     to the wards of the city to allow the county to eliminate county
1-12     election precincts with no population or a substantially small
1-13     population.
1-14           (b)  After each redistricting of a territorial unit described
1-15     by Section 42.005(a)(1) or (2), the commissioners court shall
1-16     consider changes to the territorial units to allow the county to
1-17     eliminate county election precincts with no population or a
1-18     substantially small population.
1-19           (c)  After each redistricting of a territorial unit described
1-20     by Section 42.005(a)(3), (4), (5), or (7), the commissioners court
1-21     may submit recommendations to the secretary of state on changes to
1-22     the territorial units to allow the county to eliminate county
1-23     election precincts with no population or a substantially small
1-24     population.
 2-1           (d)  For purposes of this section, a "substantially small
 2-2     population" describes a precinct with a population of not more than
 2-3     10 persons or not more than 6 registered voters, according to the
 2-4     most recent federal census or list of registered voters, as
 2-5     applicable, as of the date of the redistricting.
 2-6           (e)  To be considered by the secretary of state, the
 2-7     recommendations must be submitted in the manner prescribed by the
 2-8     secretary.
 2-9           (f)  The secretary of state shall evaluate all timely
2-10     recommendations submitted in accordance with Subsection (e).  The
2-11     secretary shall compile all recommendations for the elimination of
2-12     the county election precincts in a manner consistent with state and
2-13     federal law.
2-14           (g)  The secretary of state shall file a report containing
2-15     the information described by Subsection (f) with the governor, the
2-16     lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of
2-17     representatives not later than the date of convening the first
2-18     regular legislative session that occurs after a redistricting of a
2-19     territorial unit described by Subsection (c).  If the information
2-20     submitted is insufficient for the compilation required by
2-21     Subsection (f), the secretary shall include a statement to that
2-22     effect in the report.
2-23           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.