HBA-DMD C.S.H.B. 477 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.H.B. 477
By: Madden
Elections
4/16/1999
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Current law requires a candidate for the governing board of a junior
college district (board) to receive a majority of votes cast in order to be
declared elected. With the cost of education continuing to rise, colleges
are looking for ways to utilize their dollars more effectively. C.S.H.B.
477 authorizes the board to provide for the election of its members by
plurality vote without a runoff election. 

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 Section 130.082, Education Code, by adding Subsection
(k), to authorize the governing board of a junior college district (board)
to provide for the election of its members by plurality vote without a
runoff election, notwithstanding Subsection (g), which relates to the
election of members of the board. 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 1999.

SECTION  3.  Emergency clause.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

This substitute differs from the original bill in SECTION 1 (Section
130.082, Education Code), by adding Subsection (k), rather than amending
Subsection (g). As added by the substitute, Subsection (k) authorizes the
governing board of a junior college district (board) to provide for the
election of its members by plurality vote without a runoff election,
notwithstanding Subsection (g), which relates to the election of members of
the board. Subsection (g) of the original bill requires a candidate for a
governing board of a junior college district to receive the most votes,
rather than the majority of votes, in an election to win that election,
thus excluding the need for runoff elections.