Bill Text: TX SB323 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Introduced
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Relating to the review of ballot proposition language for certain political subdivision elections.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2019-05-15 - Committee report sent to Calendars [SB323 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-SB323-Introduced.html
Bill Title: Relating to the review of ballot proposition language for certain political subdivision elections.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2019-05-15 - Committee report sent to Calendars [SB323 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-SB323-Introduced.html
| 86R4278 SRS-D | ||
| By: Huffman | S.B. No. 323 | |
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| 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 109th 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 judge receiving a submission under Subsection (b) | ||
| shall appoint three judges from the administrative judicial region | ||
| to serve on a panel to review the ballot proposition language before | ||
| the election may be held. | ||
| (e) 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. | ||
| (f) If the panel finds the language of the proposition is | ||
| not clear and understandable to the average voter or does not make a | ||
| finding on the proposition language before the 31st day after the | ||
| date the panel is appointed, the language is disapproved and may not | ||
| be used on the ballot at the election. The panel may provide the | ||
| political subdivision with rewritten ballot proposition language | ||
| that is clear and understandable to the average voter for use in the | ||
| election. | ||
| (g) Following disapproval under Subsection (f), 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 (e) | ||
| and (f). | ||
| (h) 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. 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. | ||
| SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. | ||
