HBA-TBM H.B. 3229 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3229
By: Craddick
County Affairs
3/25/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, a write-in candidate for the position of director of the
Midland County Hospital District (district) must file a declaration of
candidacy with the secretary of the board of directors of the district not
later than the 30th day before election day.  The deadline may not provide
an adequate length of time for the voting public to become informed about
the candidate.  House Bill 3229 revises the write-in candidacy declaration
deadline from the 30th day before election day to the 40th day, and
provides similar deadline revisions for a write-in candidacy declaration if
a candidate whose name is to appear on the ballot dies or is declared
ineligible.   

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 3229 amends law to provide that a declaration for write-in
candidacy for director of the Midland County Hospital District must be
filed with the secretary of the board of directors not later than 5 p.m. of
the 40th rather than 30th day before the election day.  However, if a
candidate whose name is to appear on the ballot dies or is declared
ineligible after the 43rd rather than 33rd day before election day, a
declaration of write-in candidacy for the office is authorized to be filed
not later than 5 p.m. of the 37th rather than 27th day before election day.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001.