HBA-NLM H.B. 312 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 312 By: Madden Elections 3/27/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Under current law, spouses of candidates are restricted from certain election duties. In order to properly apply this provision, it is necessary to clarify references to relationships involving marriage, including common law or informal marriages. H.B. 312 specifies that a relationship involving marriage includes an informal marriage described by Section 2.401 (Proof of Informal Marriage), Family Code. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 1, Election Code, by adding Section 1.017, as follows: Sec. 1.017. RELATIONSHIP INVOLVING INFORMAL MARRIAGE. Specifies that a relationship involving marriage includes an informal marriage described by Section 2.401, Family Code (Proof of Informal Marriage), for purposes of this code and any other law of this state relating to the conduct of an election. SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1999. SECTION 3. Emergency clause.