H.B. 296 78(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


H.B. 296
By: Goodman
Judicial Affairs
Committee Report (Unamended)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Current law allows a candidate for the Texas Supreme Court or the Court of
Criminal Appeals to either pay a filing fee (presently $3,000) or file a
petition with a minimum number of signatures (presently 5,000).    

Requiring both signatures and a filing fee would indicate a measure of
statewide support for a person's candidacy.  The 77th Legislature passed a
similar bill in 2001, but this was vetoed by the governor.   

H.B. 296 requires a candidate for either court who chooses to pay the
filing fee to also submit a petition with 50 signatures from each of the
state's 14 court of appeals districts.  

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or
institution. 

ANALYSIS

H.B. 296 adds Section 172.021 to the Election Code to  require a candidate
to file a petition with 50 signatures from each of the state's 14 court of
appeals districts, in addition to paying the filing fee.  

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2003.