85R25054 ADM-F
By: Bohac H.B. No. 1594
Substitute the following for H.B. No. 1594:
By: Laubenberg C.S.H.B. No. 1594
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the territory that may be included in a single county
election precinct.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Sections 42.0051(a) and (d), Election Code, are
amended to read as follows:
(a) A [If changes in county election precinct boundaries to
give effect to a redistricting plan result in county election
precincts with a number of registered voters less than 500, a]
commissioners court for a general or special election[,] or, for a
primary election, the county executive committee of a political
party conducting a primary election, may combine county election
precincts notwithstanding Section 42.005 to avoid unreasonable
expenditures for election equipment, supplies, and personnel in:
(1) a county with a population of less than 250,000 if
the precinct has less than 500 registered voters; or
(2) a county with a population of 250,000 or more
regardless of the number of registered voters in the precinct.
(d) A combined precinct may not be established if it:
(1) results in a dilution of voting strength of a group
covered by the federal Voting Rights Act (42 U.S.C. Section 1973c et
seq.);
(2) results in a dilution of representation of a group
covered by the Voting Rights Act in any political or electoral
process or procedure; [or]
(3) results in discouraging participation by a group
covered by the Voting Rights Act in any political or electoral
process or procedure because of the location of a polling place or
other factors; or
(4) contains a county election precinct with at least
500 registered voters but less than 750 registered voters and:
(A) the location of the polling place for the
combined precinct is different from the location used for the
county election precinct in the preceding election ordered by the
same authority; and
(B) the polling place used for the county
election precinct in the preceding election ordered by the same
authority:
(i) is available to be used as a polling
place; and
(ii) complies with the accessibility
requirements established by Sections 43.034 and 61.012.
SECTION 2. Section 42.0051(b), Election Code, is repealed.
SECTION 3. 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, 2017.