BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center                                                                                                      S.B. 1705

                                                                                                                                            By: Harris

State Affairs

4/10/2007

As Filed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

The 78th Legislature passed H.B. 296, requiring a candidate for the Texas Supreme Court or the Court of Criminal Appeals to pay a filing fee and submit a petition with 50 signatures from each of the state's 14 appellate districts, in order to familiarize those candidates with the court. Sitting judges, however, are already familiar with their court and should not have to fulfill this requirement. In addition, the signatures that sitting judges are required to obtain take away from the possible signatures for candidates opposing a sitting judge on the court.

As proposed, S.B. 1705 removes the requirement for sitting members of the Texas Supreme Court or the Court of Criminal Appeals to obtain a certain number of signatures for placement on the ballot.

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 172.021(g), Election Code, as follows:

(g) Sets forth procedural requirements for a candidate for certain judicial offices. Provides that this requirement does not apply to certain appellate judicial officers who are seeking reelection to the same position that the judicial officeholder currently holds.

SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2007.