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AN ACT
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relating to the filling of vacancies on a political party's county |
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executive committee and the conduct of certain primary elections in |
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the absence of a county executive committee. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Sections 171.024(b) and (c), Election Code, are |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(b) A [Except as provided by Subsection (c), a] majority of |
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the committee's membership must participate in filling a vacancy in |
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the office of county chair. To be elected, a person must receive a |
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favorable vote of a majority of the members voting. |
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(c) Each party shall adopt rules to determine a percentage |
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of committee membership that constitutes a quorum for purposes of |
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filling a [A] vacancy in the office of precinct chair. To be |
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elected, a person must receive a favorable vote of a majority of the |
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members voting [may be filled without participation of the majority
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of the committee membership if only one person is a candidate to
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fill the vacancy and the person:
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[(1)
was elected as a precinct chair in the most recent
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primary election in the county; and
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[(2) is eligible to serve in the vacant office]. |
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SECTION 2. Section 171.025, Election Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (e) to read as follows: |
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(e) In a county with a population of less than 5,000, a |
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vacancy in the office of county chair may be filled by appointment |
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by the state chair of a person who is not a resident of the county |
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if: |
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(1) the person resides in a county in this state with a |
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population of less than 5,000 that is adjacent to the county in |
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which the vacancy occurs; and |
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(2) the secretary of state approves the appointment of |
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the person under procedures prescribed by the secretary of state. |
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SECTION 3. Subchapter E, Chapter 172, Election Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 172.128 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 172.128. ALTERNATIVE PRIMARY PROCEDURE FOR COUNTIES |
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WITHOUT COUNTY PARTY LEADERSHIP. (a) This section applies only to |
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a primary election that is required for the nomination of a |
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political party to a statewide office. |
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(b) The state chair of a political party may contract with a |
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county clerk, county tax assessor-collector, or county elections |
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administrator, as appropriate, to hold a primary election in a |
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county in which: |
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(1) the office of county chair is vacant and there is |
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an insufficient number of members serving on the county executive |
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committee to fill a vacancy on the committee; and |
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(2) the party is unable to establish a temporary |
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executive committee under Section 171.027. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |
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______________________________ |
______________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.B. No. 630 was passed by the House on April |
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22, 2013, by the following vote: Yeas 145, Nays 0, 1 present, not |
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voting; that the House refused to concur in Senate amendments to |
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H.B. No. 630 on May 17, 2013, and requested the appointment of a |
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conference committee to consider the differences between the two |
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houses; and that the House adopted the conference committee report |
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on H.B. No. 630 on May 26, 2013, by the following vote: Yeas 134, |
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Nays 0, 1 present, not voting. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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I certify that H.B. No. 630 was passed by the Senate, with |
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amendments, on May 15, 2013, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays |
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0; at the request of the House, the Senate appointed a conference |
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committee to consider the differences between the two houses; and |
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that the Senate adopted the conference committee report on H.B. No. |
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630 on May 26, 2013, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. |
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______________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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APPROVED: __________________ |
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Date |
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__________________ |
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Governor |