HBA-JLV H.B. 2884 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2884 By: Gallego Judicial Affairs 4/4/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, candidates for judicial office are not able to seek the nomination for a place on the ballot with more than one political party during the same voting year. The Texas Judicial Council has recommended that a candidate for office to the supreme court, the court of criminal appeals, a court of appeals, a district court, or a statutory county court be permitted to file for the nomination of more than one party. House Bill 2884 authorizes a candidate for a judicial office to seek the nomination in the primary election or by the convention of more than one political party. 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 House Bill 2884 amends the Election Code to authorize a candidate for a judicial office to seek nomination in the primary election or by the convention of more than one political party. The bill also authorizes a candidate in the general election for state and county officers to seek election as the nominee of one or more parties. If a judicial candidate's name appears on the ballot more than once for the same office, the bill requires that the votes received in each position be added together to determine the total number of votes received by the candidate for that office. The bill requires the secretary of state to prescribe any additional procedures necessary to implement these provisions. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001.