87R9099 TSS-D
By: King of Parker H.B. No. 1848
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the date of the general primary election to be held in
2022.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 41, Election Code, is
amended by adding Section 41.0075 to read as follows:
Sec. 41.0075. POSTPONING PRIMARY ELECTION IN SPECIAL
CIRCUMSTANCE. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the
governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house may, by
written agreement, postpone the date of the general primary
election to be held in 2022 if a redistricting plan adopted by the
legislature or the Legislative Redistricting Board under Section
28, Article III, Texas Constitution, is not in effect on or before
September 1, 2021.
(b) An agreement under Subsection (a) may not be made later
than the 45th day before the filing deadline described by Section
172.023.
(c) As soon as possible after an agreement under Subsection
(a) is made, the governor shall deliver the agreement to the
secretary of state and to the state chair of each party that had a
nominee for a statewide or district office on the general election
ballot in 2020.
(d) An agreement made under Subsection (a) must include
either:
(1) the date on which the general primary election
will be held; or
(2) an agreement that the governor, lieutenant
governor, and speaker of the house will determine the date of the
general primary election at a later date.
(e) The filing period for an election postponed by agreement
under Subsection (d)(2) may not begin before the 30th day after the
date a determination is made under that subsection.
(f) The general primary election may not be postponed under
this section to a date later than July 1, 2022.
(g) If the general primary election is postponed under this
section, the secretary of state shall adjust the date for a runoff
election, the deadline for filing for candidacy, and the schedule
for canvassing election returns, declaring results, or performing
any other official act relating to the election to allow the same
interval of time in relation to the date of the election as would be
provided by application of other law.
(h) This section expires January 1, 2023.
SECTION 2. 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, 2021.