| 1 | 1 | | By: Cook H.B. No. 70 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 5 | 5 | | AN ACT |
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| 6 | 6 | | relating to the combination of certain election precincts. |
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| 7 | 7 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 8 | 8 | | SECTION 1. Section 42.0051, Election Code, is amended to |
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| 9 | 9 | | read as follows: |
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| 10 | 10 | | Sec. 42.0051. COMBINING CERTAIN PRECINCTS. (a) If changes |
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| 11 | 11 | | in county election precinct boundaries to give effect to a |
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| 12 | 12 | | redistricting plan result in county election precincts with fewer |
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| 13 | 13 | | than 500 registered voters, a commissioners court for a general or |
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| 14 | 14 | | special election, or for a primary election the county executive |
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| 15 | 15 | | committee of a political party conducting a primary election, may |
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| 16 | 16 | | combine county election precincts notwithstanding Section 42.005 |
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| 17 | 17 | | to avoid unreasonable expenditures for election equipment, |
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| 18 | 18 | | supplies, and personnel [This section applies only to a county with |
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| 19 | 19 | | a population of less than 1.2 million that does not participate in |
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| 20 | 20 | | the countywide polling place program described by Section 43.007]. |
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| 21 | 21 | | (b) County election precincts in a county with a population |
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| 22 | 22 | | of not less than 250,000 may also be combined under Subsection (a) |
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| 23 | 23 | | if the changes result in county election precincts with not fewer |
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| 24 | 24 | | than 500 and not more than 750 registered voters. |
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| 25 | 25 | | (c) [(a-1)] In a general or special election for which use |
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| 26 | 26 | | of county election precincts is required, the commissioner's court |
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| 27 | 27 | | of a county with a population of less than 1.2 million that does not |
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| 28 | 28 | | participate in the countywide polling place program described by |
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| 29 | 29 | | Section 43.007 may, on the recommendation of the county election |
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| 30 | 30 | | board, combine county election precincts notwithstanding Section |
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| 31 | 31 | | 42.005 if: |
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| 32 | 32 | | (1) the commissioners court cannot secure a suitable |
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| 33 | 33 | | polling place location under Section 43.031; and |
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| 34 | 34 | | (2) the location of the combined polling place |
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| 35 | 35 | | adequately serves the voters of the combined precinct. |
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| 36 | 36 | | (d) A combined precinct under Subsection (a) or (b) is |
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| 37 | 37 | | subject to the maximum population prescribed for a precinct under |
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| 38 | 38 | | Section 42.006. |
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| 39 | 39 | | (e) [(c)] A combined precinct under Subsection (c) [this |
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| 40 | 40 | | section] may not contain more than 10,000 registered voters. |
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| 41 | 41 | | (f) [(d)] A combined precinct may not be established if it: |
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| 42 | 42 | | (1) results in a dilution of voting strength of a group |
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| 43 | 43 | | covered by the federal Voting Rights Act (42 U.S.C. Section 1973c et |
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| 44 | 44 | | seq.); |
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| 45 | 45 | | (2) results in a dilution of representation of a group |
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| 46 | 46 | | covered by the Voting Rights Act in any political or electoral |
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| 47 | 47 | | process or procedure; or |
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| 48 | 48 | | (3) results in discouraging participation by a group |
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| 49 | 49 | | covered by the Voting Rights Act in any political or electoral |
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| 50 | 50 | | process or procedure because of the location of a polling place or |
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| 51 | 51 | | other factors. |
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| 52 | 52 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect on the 91st day after the |
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| 53 | 53 | | last day of the legislative session. |
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