BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 544

By: Raymond

Elections

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Currently, a candidate for the office of state representative or state senator who wishes to apply for a place on the ballot in a general primary election is required to file an application for candidacy in one of two places.  If the candidate is running in a district with more than one county, the candidate must file the application with the party's state chair.  If the candidate is running for an office filled by voters from a district with a single county, the candidate must file the application with the party's county chair or the secretary, if any, of the county executive committee, which can cause problems for the candidate when the county chair or secretary is difficult to reach. 

H.B. 544 gives a candidate for the office of state representative or state senator filled by the voters from a district with a single county the option of filing the application with the party's state chair.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 544 amends the Election Code to specify that a provision requiring that an application for a place on the general primary election ballot be filed with the county chair or the secretary, if any, of the county executive committee, for the office filled by the voters of a single county applies only to an office other than state senator or state representative. The bill requires, for the office of state senator or state representative filled by the voters of a single county, that such an application be filed with the state chair, the county chair, or the secretary, if any, of the county executive committee. The bill requires a withdrawal request for the general primary election to be filed with the authority with whom the withdrawing candidate's application for a place on the ballot was filed, rather than with the authority with whom the application is required to be filed.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2009.