BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 363
85R4394 SRS-F	By: Perry
	State Affairs
	4/27/2017
	As Filed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Currently, voters are required to arrive in person at their local polling center multiple times per year. This requirement poses difficulty for voters as they often must wait in lines for long periods of time in urban areas or drive long distances in rural areas in order to vote. Voters have requested that voting occur only one time per year in order to ensure they are able to vote for all candidates and are only required to vote once per year or twice in case of a run-off election.

For the convenience of voters and to increase voter participation in all elections across the state by amending the Election Code to create a uniform election date.

S.B. 363 seeks to create a uniform election date.

As proposed, S.B. 363 amends current law relating to the uniform election dates for certain political subdivisions.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Sections 41.001(b) and (c), Election Code, as follows:

(b) Deletes existing text providing that Subsection (a) (relating to requiring each general or special election in this state to be held on a certain date) does not apply to an election held under a statute that expressly provides that the requirement of Subsection (a) does not apply to the election. Redesignates existing Subdivision (7) as Subdivision (6) and makes no further changes to the subdivision.

(c) Creates an exception under Section 41.005(a-1).

SECTION 2. Amends Section 41.005, Election Code, by adding Subsection (a-1) to authorize, in addition to the prescribed election dates, a general election held by a political subdivision other than a county to be held on the first Tuesday in March.

SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2017.