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.