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