BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 157

By: Raymond

Elections

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Currently, a candidate for state representative or state senator wishing to apply for a place on the general primary election ballot must file the application for candidacy in one of two places, depending on the number of counties in the district in which the candidate wishes to run. A candidate for a district with more than one county must file the application with the state chair, and a candidate for a district with only one county must file the application with the county chair or the secretary, if any, of the county executive committee. If the county chair or the secretary cannot be found, the candidate may have difficulty completing the filing process. H.B. 157 aims to address this problem by enabling a candidate for a district with only one county to file an application for a place on the ballot with the candidate's state chair or with the county chair or the secretary.

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. 157 amends the Election Code to require an application for a place on the general primary election ballot for the office of state senator or state representative filled by the voters of a single county to be filed with the state chair or the county chair or the secretary, if any, of the county executive committee. The bill makes a nonsubstantive change.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2011.