BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 427
By: Van de Putte
AUTHOR'S/SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Currently, the Texas Election Code does not require any school district, junior college district or other political subdivision to notify the voter registrar of any boundary changes. This presents a problem when a county discovers immediately before an election that jurisdiction boundary changes have been made. This opens the door to potential legal challenges if voting precincts have to be changed and there is insufficient time to conduct appropriate hearings and submit required documents to the county commissioners court and to the United States Department of Justice for pre-clearance.
S.B. 427 requires the governing body of any political subdivision to notify the voter registrar of any internal and external boundary changes, including changes to single-member districts or annexations.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter C, Chapter 42, Election Code, by adding Section 42.0615, as follows:
Sec. 42.0615. NOTICE TO REGISTRAR OF BOUNDARY CHANGE OF POLITICAL SUBDIVISION. Requires the members of the governing body of a political subdivision to notify the county voter registrar of specific changes to its boundaries or to the boundaries of districts used to elect members to the governing body.
SECTION 2. (a) Amends Section 43.061(b), Election Code, to make modifications of notice requirement, if the location of an election polling place changes after notice is given.
(b) Makes application of this section prospective.
SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2005.