1-1     By:  Madden, Jones of Lubbock                         H.B. No. 1820
 1-2          (Senate Sponsor - Shapiro)
 1-3           (In the Senate - Received from the House May 11, 2001;
 1-4     May 11, 2001, read first time and referred to Committee on State
 1-5     Affairs; May 11, 2001, reported favorably by the following vote:
 1-6     Yeas 6, Nays 0; May 11, 2001, sent to printer.)
 1-7                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-8                                   AN ACT
 1-9     relating to the elimination of unnecessary county election
1-10     precincts.
1-11           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-12           SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 42, Election Code, is
1-13     amended by adding Section 42.010 to read as follows:
1-14           Sec. 42.010.  RECOMMENDATION ON ELIMINATION OF LESS POPULOUS
1-15     PRECINCTS.  (a)  After each redistricting of a ward of a city
1-16     described by Section 42.005(a)(6), the commissioners court may
1-17     submit recommendations to the governing body of the city on changes
1-18     to the wards of the city to allow the county to eliminate county
1-19     election precincts with no population or a substantially small
1-20     population.
1-21           (b)  After each redistricting of a territorial unit described
1-22     by Section 42.005(a)(1) or (2), the commissioners court shall
1-23     consider changes to the territorial units to allow the county to
1-24     eliminate county election precincts with no population or a
1-25     substantially small population.
1-26           (c)  After each redistricting of a territorial unit described
1-27     by Section 42.005(a)(3), (4), (5), or (7), the commissioners court
1-28     may submit recommendations to the secretary of state on changes to
1-29     the territorial units to allow the county to eliminate county
1-30     election precincts with no population or a substantially small
1-31     population.
1-32           (d)  For purposes of this section, a "substantially small
1-33     population" describes a precinct with a population of not more than
1-34     10 persons or not more than 6 registered voters, according to the
1-35     most recent federal census or list of registered voters, as
1-36     applicable, as of the date of the redistricting.
1-37           (e)  To be considered by the secretary of state, the
1-38     recommendations must be submitted in the manner prescribed by the
1-39     secretary.
1-40           (f)  The secretary of state shall evaluate all timely
1-41     recommendations submitted in accordance with Subsection (e).  The
1-42     secretary shall compile all recommendations for the elimination of
1-43     the county election precincts in a manner consistent with state and
1-44     federal law.
1-45           (g)  The secretary of state shall file a report containing
1-46     the information described by Subsection (f) with the governor, the
1-47     lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of
1-48     representatives not later than the date of convening the first
1-49     regular legislative session that occurs after a redistricting of a
1-50     territorial unit described by Subsection (c).  If the information
1-51     submitted is insufficient for the compilation required by
1-52     Subsection (f), the secretary shall include a statement to that
1-53     effect in the report.
1-54           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
1-55                                  * * * * *