BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1945

By: Hilderbran

Natural Resources

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

There is a need to update provisions relating to the election of directors of the Real-Edwards Conservation and Reclamation District.  H.B. 1945 would address this issue by revising provisions relating to such elections.

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. 1945 amends Chapter 341, Acts of the 56th Legislature, Regular Session, 1959, to set the staggered four-year term of a director of the Real-Edwards Conservation and Reclamation District to expire on January 1 of odd-numbered years.  The bill requires the district to hold an election on the uniform election date in November of each even-numbered year to elect the appropriate number of directors, rather than on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in each even-numbered year.  The bill removes provisions relating to voting boxes requirements for director elections, posting requirements for notice of an election, and a prohibition against a person being selected a director unless the person is above the age of 21 years and a resident within the territorial limits of the district. 

H.B. 1945 requires an applicant, in order to be a candidate for election as a director, to indicate on the application either the position number of the district that the person seeks to represent or that the person seeks to run at large.  The bill requires a person, in order to be eligible to be a candidate for director position number 1, 3, 5, or 7, to be a registered voter in Edwards County and, in order to be eligible to be a candidate for director position number 2, 4, 6, or 8, to be a registered voter in Real County.  The bill requires a person, in order to be eligible to be a candidate for the at-large position, to be a registered voter in the district. 

H.B. 1945 requires a member of the board of directors of the district serving on the bill's effective date to continue in office until the member's successor qualifies for office.  The bill requires four directors to be elected from positions 1, 2, 3, and 4 at the election held November 6, 2012, and four directors to be elected from position numbers 5, 6, 7, and 8 and one director elected at large at the election held November 4, 2014. 

H.B. 1945 makes nonsubstantive changes.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2011.