Texas 2023 88th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB742 Introduced / Bill

Filed 02/07/2023

                    88R949 MLH-D
 By: Middleton S.B. No. 742


 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 AN ACT
 relating to a requirement for certain entities to enter into a
 contract for election services.
 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 SECTION 1.  The heading to Section 31.092, Election Code, is
 amended to read as follows:
 Sec. 31.092.  CONTRACT FOR ELECTION SERVICES [AUTHORIZED].
 SECTION 2.  Section 31.092(a), Election Code, is amended to
 read as follows:
 (a)  The county election officer shall [may] contract with
 the governing body of a political subdivision situated wholly or
 partly in the county served by the officer to perform election
 services, as provided by this subchapter, in any election [one or
 more elections] ordered by an authority of the political
 subdivision.
 SECTION 3.  Section 31.093(a), Election Code, is amended to
 read as follows:
 (a)  The [Subject to Section 41.001(d), if requested to do so
 by a political subdivision, the] county elections administrator
 shall enter into an election services [a] contract [to furnish the
 election services requested,] in accordance with a cost schedule
 agreed on by the contracting parties.
 SECTION 4.  Section 42.0621(c), Election Code, is amended to
 read as follows:
 (c)  This section does not require a political subdivision to
 [contract with a county under Section 31.092 or] hold a joint
 election with a county under Chapter 271.
 SECTION 5.  Section 173.0341(c), Election Code, is amended
 to read as follows:
 (c)  If the state chair acts as the fiscal agent for a county
 party in accordance with an agreement under this section:
 (1)  the state chair shall deliver the completed
 agreement to the secretary of state;
 (2)  any filing fee received by the county party under
 Subchapter C must be made payable to the state party for deposit in
 the state primary fund not later than five days after receipt of the
 filing fee;
 (3)  the county chair or county executive committee
 shall [make a request in accordance with Section 31.093 to] enter
 into a contract with the county elections administrator to conduct
 primary elections in the county; and
 (4)  Section 173.031 does not apply to the county
 party.
 SECTION 6.  The following provisions of the Election Code
 are repealed:
 (1)  Section 31.0925; and
 (2)  Section 41.001(d).
 SECTION 7.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.