88R9548 TSS-D
 
  By: Hefner H.B. No. 3684
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to a procedure for applying for a place on a ballot as a
  candidate for precinct chair of a political party; providing an
  administrative penalty.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 171, Election Code, is
  amended by adding Sections 171.0232 and 171.0233 to read as
  follows:
         Sec. 171.0232.  PROCEDURE FOR APPLYING FOR PLACE ON BALLOT
  AS PRECINCT CHAIR. (a)  The secretary of state shall adopt rules
  establishing a procedure for the filing of applications with the
  county chair for a place on the ballot as a candidate for precinct
  chair. The procedure must require:
               (1)  the county chair to:
                     (A)  mark on the application the date on which an
  application was received;
                     (B)  not later than 24 hours after receiving an
  application, send to the person who submitted the application by
  mail or e-mail:
                           (i)  confirmation that the application was
  received by the county chair; and
                           (ii)  a copy of the application marked with
  the date the application was received under Subdivision (1)(A); and
                     (C)  not later than 72 hours after receiving an
  application:
                           (i)  submit the application to the secretary
  of state; and
                           (ii)  post notification that the person
  applied for a place on the ballot as a candidate for precinct chair
  on the party's Internet website or on an Internet website or
  bulletin board maintained by the county commissioner's court for
  the purposes of public notice; and
               (2)  the secretary of state to verify each application
  submitted.
         (b)  The secretary of state may assess an administrative
  penalty of not more than $500 against a county chair for each
  instance in which the chair violates the procedure established
  under Subsection (a).
         Sec. 171.0233.  CIVIL LIABILITY. (a)  A county chair is
  liable to a person whose application for a place on the ballot as a
  candidate for precinct chair was denied or never received as a
  result of the county chair failing or refusing to comply with or
  delaying the procedure adopted under Section 171.0232 with the
  intention of preventing the person from appearing on the ballot.
         (b)  A person who prevails in an action brought under
  Subsection (a) may recover:
               (1)  all money spent by the person in preparing to run
  for office including money spent on fund-raising, polling, filing
  fees, staff, or consultants;
               (2)  income lost as a result of the time the person
  spent preparing to run for office; and
               (3)  court costs and reasonable attorney's fees.
         SECTION 2.  As soon as practicable after the effective date
  of this Act but not later than December 1, 2023, the secretary of
  state shall adopt rules as necessary to implement Section 171.0232,
  Election Code, as added by this Act.
         SECTION 3.  The change in law made by this Act applies only
  to a cause of action that accrues on or after January 1, 2024.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.