BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 1839
By: Patrick, Dan
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
In Harris County, there is always a need to find interested and capable citizens to serve as election clerks and judges at election time, as the county has 800 precinct polling locations needing 5,000 to 7,000 workers at a time. There are also over 300 municipal utility district boards of directors with about 1,500 members, many of whom are capable of serving in both capacities. Current law prohibits public officials, such as these members, from serving as election judges or clerks, however.
As proposed, S.B. 1839 authorizes a member of the board of directors of a municipal utility district to serve as an election clerk or judge in an election in a county with a population of more than 500,000, unless the election involves the director’s respective municipal utility district.
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. Section 32.052, Election Code, is amended by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (c), as follows:
(a) Provides that except as provided by Subsection (c), a person who holds an elective public office is ineligible to serve as an election judge or clerk in an election.
(c) Provides that a person holding an elective office of a municipal utility district within a county with a population of more than 500,000 is eligible to serve as an election judge or clerk in an election other than an election ordered by the district’s governing body or otherwise relating to district affairs.
SECTION 2. Provides that this Act takes effect on the date on which the constitutional amendment proposed by the 79th Legislature, Regular Session, 2005, to allow an officer of a municipal utility district to simultaneously serve as an election judge takes effect, and that if that amendment is not approved by the voters, this Act has no effect.