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BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

 

C.S.H.B. 2504

By: Springer

Elections

Committee Report (Substituted)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

It has been noted that the filing fees paid by certain candidates for nomination in a general primary election are used to help cover a variety of election expenses. It has been suggested that there should be a requirement for certain other candidates to pay a filing fee or submit a petition in lieu of that fee to appear on the ballot for the general election for state and county officers. C.S.H.B. 2504 provides for this requirement.

 

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 rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the secretary of state in SECTION 1 of this bill.

 

ANALYSIS

 

C.S.H.B. 2504 amends the Election Code to require a candidate who is nominated by convention, in order to be eligible to be placed on the ballot for the general election for state and county officers, to pay a filing fee or submit a valid petition in lieu of a filing fee to the secretary of state for a statewide or district office or to the county judge for a county or precinct office. The bill sets the amount of the filing fee and the minimum number of petition signatures required at the same amount and number required for a candidate for nomination for the same office in a general primary election. The bill provides for the deposit of the fees in the state treasury to the credit of the general revenue fund or the county treasury to the credit of the county general fund, as applicable, and requires the secretary of state to adopt rules as necessary to implement the bill's provisions.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

September 1, 2019.

 

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

 

C.S.H.B. 2504 differs from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways by conforming to certain bill drafting conventions.