BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 563

By: Jackson, Mike

Elections

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Current law prohibits the designation of incumbency on primary ballots.

S.B. 563 requires that incumbent candidates be designated as such on primary and primary runoff ballots in a manner prescribed by the secretary of state.

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

S.B. 563 amends the Election Code to require a ballot, for each office that appears on the primary election ballot or a runoff primary election ballot, to indicate a candidate who is an incumbent for that office adjacent to the candidate's name in a manner prescribed by the secretary of state.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2009.