H.B. 1274 78(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


H.B. 1274
By: Geren
Elections
Committee Report (Unamended)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, a person circulating a petition for a candidate's place
on a ballot is required to point out and read  certain statements to each
person who signs the petition and requires each part of the petition to
include an affidavit verifying that this was done.  These requirements can
be difficult and time-consuming to meet and can create a seemingly
unnecessary burden on petitioners, especially on candidate's required to
submit petitions for election and reelection.  House Bill 1274 reduces the
burdens on petitioners by removing these requirements. 


RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or
institution. 


ANALYSIS

House Bill 1274 amends the Election Code by deleting the requirement that
a petitioner circulating a petition for a candidate's place on the ballot,
before permitting a person to sign the petition, point out and read to the
person each statement pertaining to the signer that appears on the
petition (statements).  The bill also deletes the requirement that each
part of the petition include an affidavit attesting that the statements
were read aloud before the petition was signed. 


EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2003.