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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the time of holding precinct conventions in certain |
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counties. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 163.006(a), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) A rule on electoral affairs that is to become effective |
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in a year in which the party will hold precinct conventions under |
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this title must be filed with the secretary of state not later than |
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the 30th day before the date the party convenes its earliest [of
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convening the] precinct conventions. The secretary of state may |
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extend this deadline for good cause. |
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SECTION 2. Section 174.021, Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 174.021. SELECTION OF DELEGATES TO COUNTY AND |
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SENATORIAL DISTRICT CONVENTIONS. (a) The delegates to a political |
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party's county and senatorial district conventions held under this |
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chapter shall be selected in accordance with party rules at |
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precinct conventions held as provided by this subchapter. |
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(b) A political party may by rule allow a county with a |
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population of 25,000 or less to hold precinct conventions before |
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the county convention on the same day and at the same place as the |
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county convention. The rule may modify other provisions of this |
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subchapter as necessary for the county to hold precinct conventions |
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as provided by this subsection. |
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SECTION 3. Section 174.022, Election Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (e) to read as follows: |
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(e) The county executive committee shall set the hour for |
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convening precinct conventions under Section 174.021(b) for each |
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precinct served by the committee. If the committee fails to do so, |
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the county chair shall, consistent with that section, set the hour. |
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SECTION 4. Section 174.093, Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 174.093. NOTICE OF TIME AND PLACE. Before the date of |
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the party's primary election [precinct conventions held under this
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chapter], the state chair shall deliver written notice of the date, |
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hour, and place for convening the biennial state convention to the |
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secretary of state, each county chair, and each temporary chair of a |
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senatorial district convention. |
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SECTION 5. Section 181.005(a), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) To be entitled to have the names of its nominees placed |
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on the general election ballot, a political party required to make |
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nominations by convention must file with the secretary of state, |
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not later than the 75th day after the date of the earliest precinct |
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conventions held under this chapter, lists of precinct convention |
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participants indicating that the number of participants equals at |
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least one percent of the total number of votes received by all |
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candidates for governor in the most recent gubernatorial general |
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election. The lists must include each participant's residence |
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address and voter registration number. |
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SECTION 6. Section 181.006(j), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(j) The petition may not be circulated before [until after] |
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the date of the party's county [precinct] conventions held under |
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this chapter. A signature obtained [on or] before that date is |
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invalid. |
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SECTION 7. Section 181.061, Election Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (c-1) to read as follows: |
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(c-1) A political party may by rule allow a county with a |
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population of 25,000 or less to hold precinct conventions before |
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the county convention on the same day and at the same place as the |
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county convention. The rule may modify other provisions of this |
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subchapter as necessary for the county to hold precinct conventions |
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as provided by this subsection. |
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SECTION 8. Section 181.063, Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 181.063. HOUR AND PLACE OF PRECINCT AND COUNTY |
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CONVENTIONS. The hours and places for convening the county |
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convention and precinct conventions held under this chapter shall |
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be set as provided by Section 174.022 [174.022(b)] for setting the |
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hours and places of precinct conventions of a party holding a |
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primary election. |
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SECTION 9. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |