Bill Text: TX HB3376 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the review of ballot proposition language for certain political subdivision elections.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-03-25 - Left pending in committee [HB3376 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-HB3376-Introduced.html
By: Klick | H.B. No. 3376 |
|
||
|
||
relating to the review of ballot proposition language for certain | ||
political subdivision elections. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 52, Election Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 52.0721 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 52.0721. REVIEW OF BALLOT PROPOSITION LANGUAGE. (a) | ||
This section applies only to an election on a measure held by a | ||
political subdivision located primarily in a county with a | ||
population of more than 120,000. This section does not apply to an | ||
election for which a statute provides the ballot proposition | ||
language. | ||
(b) Not later than the 123rd day before an election, a | ||
political subdivision seeking to hold an election on a measure | ||
shall submit to the regional presiding judge of the administrative | ||
judicial region that the political subdivision is located in: | ||
(1) the ballot proposition language; and | ||
(2) a brief statement on the purpose of the | ||
proposition. | ||
(c) A political subdivision that is located in two or more | ||
administrative judicial regions may select the administrative | ||
judicial region to which the political subdivision submits the | ||
proposition language for review. | ||
(d) A regional presiding judge shall appoint three judges | ||
from the administrative judicial region to serve on a panel to | ||
review ballot proposition language. | ||
(e) Not later than the 45th day after the receipt by the | ||
presiding judge of the ballot proposition language, the panel | ||
shall: | ||
(1) approve the ballot proposition language under | ||
Subsection (f); or | ||
(2) disapprove the ballot proposition language and | ||
provide the political subdivision with rewritten ballot | ||
proposition language under Subsection (g). | ||
(f) If the panel finds the language of the proposition is | ||
clear and understandable to the average voter, the panel shall | ||
approve the language of the proposition for the ballot. | ||
(g) If the panel finds the language of the proposition is | ||
not clear and understandable to the average voter, the language is | ||
disapproved and may not be used on the ballot at the election. The | ||
panel shall provide the political subdivision with rewritten ballot | ||
proposition language that is clear and understandable to the | ||
average voter for use in the election. | ||
(h) Following disapproval under Subsection (g), the | ||
political subdivision may: | ||
(1) hold the election with the rewritten ballot | ||
proposition language provided by the panel; or | ||
(2) submit revised ballot proposition language for | ||
approval by the panel in the manner provided under Subsections (f) | ||
and (g). | ||
(i) To the extent of a conflict between this section and any | ||
provision of law requiring a political subdivision to hold an | ||
election on a measure within a certain period, this section | ||
controls. | ||
SECTION 2. (a) | ||
The change in law made by this Act applies | ||
only to an election ordered on or after the effective date of this | ||
Act. An election ordered before the effective date of this Act is | ||
governed by the law in effect when the election was ordered, and the | ||
former law is continued in effect for that purpose. | ||
(b) Not later than February 1, 2020, each regional presiding | ||
judge of an administrative judicial region shall appoint three | ||
judges from the administrative judicial region to serve on a panel | ||
to review ballot proposition language. | ||
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect January 1, 2020. |