83R12491 ATP-F
By: Morrison H.B. No. 3103
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the administration of primary elections.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 172.022(b), Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(b) Not later than the day before the last day of the filing
period, the county chair shall post on the political party's
Internet website or in the location where a candidate files for a
place on the ballot [bulletin board used for posting notice of
meetings of the commissioners court a] notice of the address at
which the county chair or secretary will be available to receive
applications on the last day of the filing period. If both the
county chair and the secretary will be available, the notice must
contain the address at which each will be available. Section 1.006
does not apply to this subsection.
SECTION 2. Sections 172.028(a) and (b), Election Code, are
amended to read as follows:
(a) Except as provided by Subsection (c), the state chair
shall certify to the secretary of state [in writing] for placement
on the general primary election ballot the name of each candidate
who files with the chair an application that complies with Section
172.021(b). The secretary of state shall post on the secretary's
Internet website that is viewable by the public the certified list.
(b) Not later than the 81st day before general primary
election day, the state chair shall notify [deliver the
certification to] the county chair in each county in which the
candidate's name is to appear on the ballot that the certification
has been posted by the secretary of state.
SECTION 3. Sections 172.029(a), (d), and (e), Election
Code, are amended to read as follows:
(a) For each general primary election, the state chair and
each county chair shall electronically submit [prepare] a list
containing:
(1) the name of each candidate who files an
application for a place on the ballot with the chair, including an
application for the office of a political party, as the name is to
appear on the ballot;
(2) the candidate's address as shown on the
application; and
(3) the date on which the candidate filed the
application.
(d) The secretary of state shall be notified if a [A
candidate's name must be omitted from the list if, before delivery
of the list, the] candidate withdraws, dies, or is declared
ineligible, or if the candidate's application is determined not to
comply with the applicable requirements. The secretary of state
shall adopt rules implementing this subsection.
(e) The secretary of state shall:
(1) archive and keep available for inspection the list
of all candidates; and
(2) prescribe rules for submitting the list
electronically and methodology for distribution to each county
clerk and state chair [shall retain each list received until the day
after general primary election day].
SECTION 4. Section 172.056(b), Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(b) Notification shall be made as prescribed by Section
172.029 that additional names have been added during the extended
period. [The list prepared under this section is subject to the
requirements prescribed by Section 172.029 except that the list
must be delivered to the secretary of state, county clerk, and state
chair, as applicable, not later than the seventh day after the date
of the extended deadline.]
SECTION 5. Section 172.082(e), Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(e) The county chair shall post notice of the date, hour,
and place of the drawing for at least 24 consecutive hours
immediately before the drawing begins. The notice shall be posted
on the bulletin board used for posting notice of meetings of the
commissioners court. If the party maintains an Internet website,
the party shall post the notice on the party's website. All
candidates who provide an e-mail address on their filing form shall
be notified electronically.
SECTION 6. Section 172.084(e), Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(e) The notice required by Subsection (d) shall be posted on
the bulletin board used for posting notice of meetings of the
commissioners court. If the party maintains an Internet website,
the party shall post the notice on the party's website. All
candidates who provide an e-mail address on their filing form shall
be notified electronically.
SECTION 7. Sections 172.118(a) and (d), Election Code, are
amended to read as follows:
(a) Not later than the 20th day after the date the local
canvass is completed, the county chair shall deliver written notice
to the state chair and to the county clerk of the names of the
persons elected as county chair and precinct chairs for the county.
This notice may be given by electronic means or through an
electronic submission system adopted by the state executive
committee of the party.
(d) On request of the secretary of state, the state chair
shall deliver to the secretary written notice of the names and
addresses of the party's county chairs. This notice may be given in
electronic format as set out in rules adopted by the secretary of
state.
SECTION 8. Section 172.119(b), Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(b) The county chair shall deliver the county returns and
retain a copy in the same manner as the county returns for a general
election are delivered and retained by the county clerk except that
the delivery shall be made to the state chair. The state executive
committee may adopt by rule an electronic submission system for
delivery of the county returns.
SECTION 9. Section 172.124, Election Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (d) to read as follows:
(d) The secretary of state shall create and maintain an
electronic system for submission of the report.
SECTION 10. Section 172.125(a), Election Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(a) For a runoff primary election, the voter registrar shall
make appropriate notations to indicate [enter on the list of
registered voters a notation beside each voter's name indicating]
the preceding party primary for which the voter was accepted for
voting, if any.
SECTION 11. Sections 172.028(d) and 172.029(b) and (c),
Election Code, are repealed.
SECTION 12. This Act takes effect immediately if it
receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each
house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.
If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate
effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2013.