79R5452 DRH-D

By:  Denny                                                        H.B. No. 1801



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the uniform election date in May.                                 
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 41.001(a), Election Code, is amended to 
read as follows: 
	(a)  Except as otherwise provided by this subchapter, each 
general or special election in this state shall be held on one of 
the following dates:
		(1)  the first Saturday in February;                                          
		(2)  the second [first] Saturday in May;              
		(3)  the second Saturday in September;  or                                    
		(4)  the first Tuesday after the first Monday in 
November.                  
	SECTION 2.  Section 67.003, Election Code, is amended to 
read as follows:    
	Sec. 67.003.  TIME FOR LOCAL CANVASS.  (a)  Except as 
provided by Subsection (b), each [Each] local canvassing authority 
shall convene to conduct the local canvass at the time set by the 
canvassing authority's presiding officer not earlier than the 
eighth day or later than the 11th day after election day.
	(b)  For an election held on the uniform election date in 
May,  if no provisional ballots have been cast in the election, the 
local  canvass must occur not earlier than the third day or later 
than the sixth day after election day.
	SECTION 3.  Section 85.001, Election Code, is amended by 
adding Subsection (e) to read as follows:
	(e)  For an election held on the uniform election date in 
May, the period for early voting by personal appearance begins on 
the 14th day before election day and continues through the fourth 
day before election day.
	SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.