BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center                                                                                                      S.B. 1780

                                                                                                                                      By: Hinojosa

State Affairs

4/29/2009

As Filed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

As proposed, S.B. 1780 amends current law relating to political party precinct conventions.

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.  Amends Section 172.1111(a), Election Code, as follows:

(a)  Requires the presiding judge, before the opening of the polls, to post a written notice in bold print of the date, hour, and place for convening the precinct convention at each outside door through which a voter may enter the building in which the polling place is located and at one additional public place in the precinct as determined by the presiding judge.  Deletes existing text requiring the presiding judge, before the opening of the polls, to post at each outside door through which a voter may enter the building in which the polling place is located a written notice in bold print of the date, hour, and place for convening the precinct convention.  Makes a nonsubstantive change. 

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 172.1141, Election Code, as follows:

Sec. 172.1141.  LIST OF REGISTERED VOTERS FOR CONVENTION.  (a)  Creates this subsection from existing text.

(b)  Prohibits paired or combined precinct voter lists, for purposes of this section, from being combined.

SECTION 3.  Amends Section 174.023(a), Election Code, to require the county chair to post a notice of the hour and place for convening each precinct convention on the bulletin board used for posting notice of meetings of the commissioners court and at one additional public place in the county. 

SECTION 4.  Amends Subchapter B, Chapter 174, Election Code, by adding Section 174.028, as follows:

Sec. 174.028.  SECRETARY OF STATE STUDY.  Requires the secretary of state to conduct a biennial study regarding the requirements of this subchapter and the effect of those requirements on the efficient operation of precinct conventions.  Requires the secretary of state, not later than January 1 of each odd-numbered year, to report the results of the study and issue any recommendations for statutory changes based on the study to the legislature.

SECTION 5.  Effective date: September 1, 2009.