BILL ANALYSIS |
C.S.H.B. 2847 |
By: Riddle |
Elections |
Committee Report (Substituted) |
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Current law requires county election precincts to be used as precincts for any political subdivision except in Harris County which is exempt due to a population requirement. This exemption has raised concerns that obscure polling places can be selected to affect election outcomes.
C.S.H.B. 2847 specifies that a provision designating county election precincts as the election precincts for any election held on the November uniform election date, with certain elections exceptions, applies to any election of a political subdivision, other than a conservation or reclamation district that is located in a county with a population of more than 3.3 million or a county adjacent to a county with a population of more than 3.3 million. The bill removes language making this provision applicable to an election for a school district located in any county.
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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.
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ANALYSIS
C.S.H.B. 2847 amends the Election Code to specify that a provision designating county election precincts as the election precincts for any election held on the November uniform election date applies to any other election of a political subdivision, other than a conservation or reclamation district that is located in a county with a population of more than 3.3 million or a county adjacent to a county with a population of more than 3.3 million, rather than to any other election of a political subdivision held on that date, other than a school district, that is not located in such a county. The bill removes language establishing that the county election precincts are the election precincts for an election for a school district located in any county, and makes technical corrections.
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EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2009.
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COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE
C.S.H.B. 2847 differs from the original by specifying that a provision designating county election precincts as the election precincts for any election held on the November uniform election date, with certain exceptions, applies to any election of a political subdivision, other than a conservation or reclamation district that is located in a county with a population of more than 3.3 million or a county adjacent to a county with a population of more than 3.3 million, whereas the original specifies that the provision applies to any election of a political subdivision held on the November uniform election date and removes language making the provision inapplicable to a school district in any county and a political subdivision, other than a school district, in such a county. |