BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 729

By: Seliger

Elections

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Currently, school districts are required to hold their elections in conjunction with a municipality, county, or the state.  A few exceptions are made for small districts which hold elections in conjunction with a hospital district (Section 11.0581 (Joint Elections Required), Education Code).  This bill would allow a school district that uses cumulative voting to hold its elections with the junior college district instead of the city, county, or state if the school district so chooses.  This would eliminate confusion among voters as to which ballots are cumulative and which are by place.

Amarillo Independent School District (ISD) is the largest ISD in the nation that uses cumulative voting.  The change would require the Amarillo ISD elections to be held in even-numbered years.  Elections are currently held in odd-numbered years, so the district would have to change the terms of its board members.  Amarillo ISD believes that this is a better option because the method of voting would be consistent and both Amarillo College and Amarillo ISD elections are related to education and property taxes.

As proposed, S.B. 729 amends current law relating to a joint election for trustees of an independent school district.

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

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 11.0581(a), Education Code, to require that an election for trustees of an independent school district be held on the same date as certain other elections, including the election for the members of the governing board of a public junior college district in which the school district is wholly or partly located.  Makes a nonsubstantive change.

SECTION 2.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2011.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2011.