H.B. No. 2504
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to candidates nominated by convention.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 141, Election Code, is
  amended by adding Section 141.041 to read as follows:
         Sec. 141.041.  FILING FEE OR PETITION TO APPEAR ON BALLOT FOR
  GENERAL ELECTION FOR STATE AND COUNTY OFFICERS. (a)  In addition
  to any other requirements, to be eligible to be placed on the ballot
  for the general election for state and county officers, a candidate
  who is nominated by convention under Chapter 181 or 182 must:
               (1)  pay a filing fee to the secretary of state for a
  statewide or district office or the county judge for a county or
  precinct office; or
               (2)  submit to the secretary of state for a statewide or
  district office or the county judge for a county or precinct office
  a petition in lieu of a filing fee that satisfies the requirements
  prescribed by Subsection (e) and Section 141.062.
         (b)  The amount of the filing fee is the amount prescribed by
  Section 172.024 for a candidate for nomination for the same office
  in a general primary election.
         (c)  A filing fee received by the secretary of state shall be
  deposited in the state treasury to the credit of the general revenue
  fund.
         (d)  A filing fee received by the county judge shall be
  deposited in the county treasury to the credit of the county general
  fund.
         (e)  The minimum number of signatures that must appear on the
  petition authorized by Subsection (a) is the number prescribed by
  Section 172.025 to appear on a petition of a candidate for
  nomination for the same office in a general primary election.
         (f)  The secretary of state shall adopt rules as necessary to
  implement this section.
         SECTION 2.  Section 181.005, Election Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
         (c)  A political party is entitled to have the names of its
  nominees placed on the general election ballot, without qualifying
  under Subsection (a) or (b), if the party had a nominee for a
  statewide office who received a number of votes equal to at least
  two percent of the total number of votes received by all candidates
  for that office at least once in the five previous general
  elections.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 2504 was passed by the House on May
  10, 2019, by the following vote:  Yeas 77, Nays 57, 1 present, not
  voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 2504 was passed by the Senate on May
  20, 2019, by the following vote:  Yeas 19, Nays 12.
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate    
  APPROVED:  _____________________
                     Date          
   
            _____________________
                   Governor