SRC-LBB S.B. 1644 78(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 1644
78R6265 DRH-DBy: Staples
State Affairs
4/1/2003
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, Section 83.002 of the Election Code stipulates that the county
clerk is the early voting clerk for the county in the general elections,
primary elections, and special elections ordered by the governor.  As
proposed, S.B. 1644 requires the commissioners court to appoint one of the
county clerk's deputies to serve as the early voting clerk if a county
clerk is a candidate for an office for which more than one name appears on
the ballot for election to that office. 

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 83.002, Election Code, as follows:

Sec. 83.002.  (a)  Creates this subdivision from existing text and
provides an exception. 

(b)  Requires the commissioners court, not later than the 65th day before
the date of the election, to appoint one of the county clerk's permanent
deputies to serve as the early voting clerk in an election in which the
county clerk is designated as the early voting clerk for the county under
Subsection (a) and  a candidate for an office for which more than one name
appears on the ballot for election to that office. 

(c)  Provides that if an appointment is made under Subsection (b), a
reference in this title to the county clerk in relation to early voting in
an election to which Subsection (b) applies means the person appointed by
the commissioners court under Subsection (b). 

SECTION 2.  Effective date:  September 1, 2003.