BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 2101

By: Pierson

Elections

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

During the 2008 election cycle, an unprecedented number of voters participated in the primary election process. Several local and county level party chairs could not find a location large enough to accommodate all of the voters within their counties.

H.B. 2101 allows the county executive committee of a political party to move a county convention outside of that county, with permission from the state executive committee. Before requesting permission to move the convention outside the county lines, the county executive committee must determine that there are no suitable locations within that county. This flexibility will allow the election process to be carried out with greater ease.

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. 2101 amends the Election Code to authorize the county executive committee for a political party that nominates candidates by primary election to apply to the party's state executive committee to issue an order permitting the party's county convention to be held at a location outside the county if the county executive committee determines that no suitable location for the convention is available in the county.  The bill requires such an order to be entered in the minutes of the state executive committee not later than the 30th day before the date the county convention is to be held.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2009.