HBA-JEK C.S.H.B. 1820 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.H.B. 1820
By: Madden
Elections
4/8/2001
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Election polling places require equipment and personnel that can be very
costly for a county to supply for an election precinct of small or no
population.  However, current law sets forth no method for a county to
eliminate such election precincts.  C.S.H.B. 1820 sets forth provisions
regarding a recommendation to eliminate a county election precinct with a
substantially small or no population. 

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. 

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 1820 amends the Election Code to authorize the commissioners court
of a county to submit recommendations to the governing body of a city with
a population of 10,000 or more after the redistricting of a ward of the
city to allow the county to eliminate county election precincts with no
population or a substantially small population.  The bill requires the
commissioners court to consider changes to the territorial units of a
commissioners or justice precinct after the redistricting to allow the
county to eliminate county election precincts with no population or a
substantially small population. 

C.S.H.B. 1820 authorizes the commissioners court after the redistricting of
a congressional, state legislative, or State Board of Education district to
submit recommendations  to the secretary of state on changes to the
territorial units that would allow the county to eliminate county election
precincts with no population or a substantially small population.   The
bill requires the secretary of state to evaluate all timely recommendations
submitted in the manner prescribed by the secretary, and to report this
information to the governor, lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the
house of representatives by the first day of the regular legislative
session following the redistricting of the territorial unit. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 1820 differs from the original bill by defining a precinct with a
substantially small population as a precinct with a population of not more
than 10 persons or not more than 6 registered voters according to the most
recent federal census or list of registered voters on the date of
redistricting.