SRC-TJG S.B. 1643 78(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 1643
78R6695 DRH-DBy: Staples
State Affairs
4/2/2003
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Current law allows for the commissioners court to appoint the presiding
judge of each central counting station operating in an election.  As
proposed, S.B. 1643 requires the county chair of a political party whose
candidate for governor received the highest or second highest number of
votes in the county in the most recent gubernatorial general election to
submit to the commissioners court a list of names of persons in order of
preference for each precinct who are eligible for appointment as the
presiding judge.  This bill also states that the alternative presiding
judge will serve if the presiding judge cannot serve or is already serving
in another position, established under the Election Code. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to
a state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 127.005, Election Code, by adding Subsections
(e) and (f), as follows: 

(e) Requires the presiding judge and an alternate presiding judge to be
appointed for each central counting station operating in the election in
the same manner as a presiding judge and alternate presiding judge under
Section 32.002, for an election in which election judges appointed under
Section 32.002 serve. 

(f) Provides that an alternate presiding judge appointed under Subsection
(e) serves as presiding judge for the counting station if the regularly
appointed presiding judge cannot serve or serves in another position
established under this subchapter. 

SECTION 2.  Amends Chapter 127A, Election Code, by adding Section 127.008,
as follows: 

Sec. 127.008.  APPOINTMENT OF COUNTING STATION STAFF.  (a) Provides that
this station applies only to an election in which election judges
appointed under Section 32.002 serve. 

(b) Requires the county chair of each political party that holds a primary
in the county to submit in writing to the commissioners court a list of
names of persons qualified for each position described in this subchapter,
other than presiding judge, not later than the 25th day before the day of
an election.  Requires the person designated to make appointments under
this subchapter to make appointments in equal numbers from the lists
provided under this subsection, to the extent possible.  Requires the
alternate presiding judge, if not serving as presiding judge, to be
appointed to one of the positions. 

SECTION 3.  Effective date: September 1, 2003.