84R11064 JRJ-D
 
  By: Ellis S.B. No. 1448
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to holding a primary election for a political party in a
  county without party leadership.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 172.128, Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 172.128.  ALTERNATIVE PRIMARY PROCEDURE FOR COUNTIES
  WITHOUT COUNTY PARTY LEADERSHIP. (a)  Notwithstanding a
  conflicting provision of this code, [This section applies only to]
  a primary election that is required for the nomination of a
  political party to a statewide office or a presidential primary
  election shall be held in accordance with this section in a county
  in which:
               (1)  the office of county chair is vacant and there is
  an insufficient number of members serving on the county executive
  committee to fill a vacancy on the committee; and
               (2)  the party is unable to establish a temporary
  executive committee under Section 171.027.
         (b)  On request of the [The] state chair of a political
  party, [may contract with] a county clerk, county tax
  assessor-collector, or county elections administrator, as
  appropriate, shall contract with the state chair to hold a primary
  election under this section [in a county in which:
               [(1)   the office of county chair is vacant and there is
  an insufficient number of members serving on the county executive
  committee to fill a vacancy on the committee; and
               [(2)   the party is unable to establish a temporary
  executive committee under Section 171.027].
         (c)  A contract for election services entered into under this
  section shall provide that the county shall be eligible to be
  reimbursed for primary election expenses in the same manner a
  county chair would be reimbursed under Subchapter D, Chapter 173.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.