81R3474 JRH-D
 
  By: Howard of Travis H.B. No. 420
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the nonpartisan election of members to the State Board
  of Education.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 7.101(b), Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (b)  Members of the board are elected at biennial general
  elections held in compliance with the Election Code. A candidate's
  name for the board may appear on the ballot only as an independent
  candidate and Chapter 142, Election Code, applies to a candidate
  for the board.
         SECTION 2.  Section 1.005, Election Code, is amended by
  amending Subdivision (9) to read as follows:
               (9)  "Independent candidate" means a candidate in a
  nonpartisan election or a candidate in a partisan election who is
  not the nominee of a political party. The term includes a candidate
  for the State Board of Education.
         SECTION 3.  Section 142.001, Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 142.001.  APPLICABILITY OF CHAPTER. This chapter
  applies to:
               (1)  an independent candidate for an office that is to
  be voted on at the general election for state and county officers
  except the offices of president and vice-president of the United
  States; and
               (2)  any candidate for the State Board of Education.
         SECTION 4.  Chapter 161, Election Code, is amended by adding
  Section 161.0031 to read as follows:
         Sec. 161.0031.  NOMINATION FOR STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
  PROHIBITED. A political party may not make a nomination for the
  office of State Board of Education.
         SECTION 5.  Section 172.024(a), Election Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (a)  The filing fee for a candidate for nomination in the
  general primary election is as follows:
               (1)  United States senator $5,000
               (2)  office elected statewide, except United States
  senator 3,750
               (3)  United States representative 3,125
               (4)  state senator 1,250
               (5)  state representative 750
               (6)  [member, State Board of Education 300
               [(7)]  chief justice or justice, court of appeals,
  other than a justice specified by Subdivision (7) [(8)]   1,875
               (7) [(8)] chief justice or justice of a court of appeals
  that serves a court of appeals district in which a county with a
  population of more than 750,000 is wholly or partly situated 2,500
               (8) [(9)] district judge or judge specified by Section
  52.092(d) for which this schedule does not otherwise prescribe a
  fee 1,500
               (9) [(10)] district or criminal district judge of a
  court in a judicial district wholly contained in a county with a
  population of more than 850,000 2,500
               (10) [(11)] judge, statutory county court, other than a
  judge specified by Subdivision (11) [(12)] 1,500
               (11) [(12)] judge of a statutory county court in a
  county with a population of more than 850,000 2,500
               (12) [(13)] district attorney, criminal district
  attorney, or county attorney performing the duties of a district
  attorney 1,250
               (13) [(14)] county commissioner, district clerk, county
  clerk, sheriff, county tax assessor-collector, county treasurer,
  or judge, constitutional county court:
                     (A)  county with a population of 200,000 or more
  1,250
                     (B)  county with a population of under 200,000
  750
               (14) [(15)] justice of the peace or constable:
                     (A)  county with a population of 200,000 or more
  1,000
                     (B)  county with a population of under 200,000
  375
               (15) [(16)] county surveyor, inspector of hides and
  animals, or public weigher 75
               (16) [(17)] office of the county government for which
  this schedule does not otherwise prescribe a fee 750
         SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.