BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 2127

By: Klick

Elections

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties suggest that the process for placing certain presidential and vice presidential candidate names on the general election ballot is not sufficiently centralized. H.B. 2127 seeks to address this issue.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

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. 2127 amends the Election Code to entitle a political party to have the names of its nominees for president and vice president of the United States placed on the ballot in a presidential general election if, in addition to other requirements, the party's state chair signs a written certification that the party's nominees possess the qualifications for those offices prescribed by federal law and if the party's state chair delivers the written certification with complete copies of the nominees' applications for a place on the ballot to the secretary of state before the later of two statutorily specified dates.

H.B. 2127 prohibits the names of a presidential and vice presidential candidate from being certified for placement on the ballot if, before delivering the certification, the secretary of state determines, for a candidate nominated by a political party, that the party has failed to submit a complete copy of the candidate's application for a place on the ballot or has incorrectly certified the candidate as possessing the qualifications prescribed by federal law for the office sought.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2015.