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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to petition requirements for an application for a place on |
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the general primary election ballot for certain judicial offices. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 172.021, Election Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsections (e) and (g) to read as follows: |
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(e) A candidate for an office specified by Section |
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172.024(a)(8), (10), or (12), or for justice of the peace in a |
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county with a population of more than 1.5 million, who chooses to |
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pay the filing fee must also accompany the application with a |
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petition for a place on the primary ballot as a candidate for |
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judicial office that complies with the requirements prescribed for |
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the petition authorized by Subsection (b), except that the minimum |
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number of signatures that must appear on the petition required by |
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this subsection is 250. If the candidate chooses to file the |
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petition authorized by Subsection (b) in lieu of the filing fee, the |
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minimum number of signatures required for that petition is |
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increased by 250. Signatures on a petition filed under this |
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subsection or Subsection (b) by a candidate covered by this |
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subsection may not be obtained on the grounds of a county courthouse |
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or courthouse annex. |
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(g) A candidate for the office of chief justice or justice, |
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supreme court, or presiding judge or judge, court of criminal |
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appeals, who chooses to pay the filing fee must also accompany the |
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application with a petition that complies with the requirements |
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prescribed for a petition authorized by Subsection (b), except that |
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the minimum number of signatures that must appear on the petition |
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required by this subsection is 50 from each court of appeals |
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district. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |