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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to preparation for the conduct of a primary election. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 52.002, Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 52.002. AUTHORITY PREPARING BALLOT. Except as |
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otherwise provided by law, the following authority shall have the |
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official ballot prepared: |
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(1) for an election ordered by the governor or a county |
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authority or for a primary election, the county clerk; |
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(2) [for a primary election, the county chair of the
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political party holding the primary;
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[(3)] for an election ordered by a city authority, the |
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city secretary; and |
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(3) [(4)] for an election ordered by an authority of a |
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political subdivision other than a county or city, the secretary of |
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the subdivision's governing body or, if the governing body has no |
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secretary, the governing body's presiding officer. |
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SECTION 2. Section 123.033, Election Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsections (g) and (h) to read |
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as follows: |
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(c) If the county executive committee desires to lease |
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equipment owned by the county served by the committee, the county |
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shall lease the equipment to the committee under the terms agreed to |
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by the parties, which must provide for the county to conduct any |
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programming, testing, and validation of voting system equipment on |
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behalf of the county executive committee. The county chair may be |
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present during testing and validation of voting system equipment. |
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The [except that the] county's duty to lease the equipment under |
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this subsection is subject to reasonable restrictions and |
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conditions imposed by the commissioners court to: |
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(1) ensure availability of the equipment in elections |
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for which the commissioners court adopted the voting system; and |
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(2) protect the equipment from misuse or damage. |
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(g) Notwithstanding any other law, reimbursement to a |
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county for expenses incurred as described by Subsection (f)(2) |
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shall be reimbursed by the secretary of state directly to the |
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county. |
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(h) The secretary of state may adopt rules to implement this |
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section. |
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SECTION 3. Section 172.029(e), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(e) The secretary of state shall: |
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(1) archive and keep available for inspection a list |
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of all candidates for whom information has been submitted under |
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this section; and |
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(2) prescribe rules for: |
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(A) submitting the list electronically; and |
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(B) the maintenance and accessibility of |
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information provided under this section to enable a county clerk to |
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use the list to create and print the ballot for a primary election |
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[methodology for distribution to each county clerk and state
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chair]. |
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SECTION 4. Section 172.083, Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 172.083. REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF BALLOT BY COUNTY OR |
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STATE CHAIR [PRIMARY COMMITTEE]. Before having the official |
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ballots for a general primary election printed, the county clerk |
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[chair] shall submit the format for the official ballot [to the
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primary committee] for [its] review and approval to the county |
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chair or the county chair's designee. If the county chair or |
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designee fails to approve or disapprove the format within a |
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reasonable time, the clerk may submit the format for the official |
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ballot to the state chair or the state chair's designee for review |
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and approval. |
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SECTION 5. Section 173.003, Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 173.003. EXPENSES INCURRED BY COUNTY. (a) Except as |
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otherwise provided by law, the county shall pay all the expenses |
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incurred in connection with early voting in a primary election, |
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except expenses relating to the printing of early voting ballots, |
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and any other expenses incurred by a county authority in connection |
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with a primary election. |
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(b) The secretary of state shall adopt rules for the |
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reimbursement of expenses relating to the printing of ballots for a |
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primary election. The rules shall designate whether expenses may |
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be reimbursed to the county or directly to the vendor providing |
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services to the county. |
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SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |