By:  Taylor, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Jackson)                    H.B. No. 2759
	(In the Senate - Received from the House May 10, 2005; 
May 12, 2005, read first time and referred to Committee on State 
Affairs; May 20, 2005, reported adversely, with favorable 
Committee Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 7, Nays 0; 
May 20, 2005, sent to printer.)


COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 2759                                   By:  Jackson


A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT


relating to requirements for county election precincts.                     
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 42.001, Election Code, is amended to 
read as follows:    
	Sec. 42.001.  PRECINCTS ESTABLISHED BY COMMISSIONERS COURT.  
(a) Each commissioners court by order shall divide all the 
territory of the county into county election precincts in 
accordance with this subchapter.  The precincts must be compact and 
contiguous.
	(b)  In a county with a population of more than 175,000, in 
establishing a county election precinct, the commissioners court 
shall consider  the availability of buildings to use as polling 
places so that a voter of the precinct will not have to travel more 
than 25 miles from the voter's residence to reach the polling place 
for the precinct.
	SECTION 2.  Section 42.006(d), Election Code, is amended to 
read as follows: 
	(d)  In a county in which a voting system has been adopted for 
use in the general election for state and county officers, the 
maximum number of registered voters a precinct may contain is 
5,000[:
		[(1)  3,000, in a county with a population of 250,000 or 
more;
		[(2)  4,000, in a county with a population of 175,000 or 
more but less than 250,000; and
		[(3)  5,000, in a county with a population of less than 
175,000].
	SECTION 3.  Section 43.002, Election Code, is amended by 
adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
	(c)  In making a designation under this section, the 
commissioners court of a county with a population of more than 
175,000 may not designate a location as a polling place that would 
require a voter in the precinct to travel more than 25 miles from 
the voter's residence to the polling place.
	SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.                           



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