HBA-CBW S.B. 1199 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 1199
By: Barrientos
Judicial Affairs
5/7/2001
Committee Report (Amended)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, a prospective primary election candidate for certain judicial
offices in a county with 850,000 or fewer residents is only required to
complete an application and pay a filing fee by a certain deadline.
However, in counties with a population of more than 850,000, candidates are
required to submit a  petition signed  by 250 supporters in addition to an
application and a  filing fee.  Without such a petition,  candidates who
are not seriously seeking a particular office may easily get on the ballot,
resulting in extra expenditures for candidates who are seriously seeking
office.  Reducing the population requirement for candidates who must submit
a petition may decrease the additional expenditures that result from the
candidacy of such persons.  Senate Bill 1199 requires a candidate for
certain judicial offices in a county with a  population of more than
725,000, rather than more than 850,000,  to submit a  petition signed by
supporters in addition to an application and a filing fee. 

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

Senate Bill 1199 amends the Election Code to provide that a candidate for
chief justice or justice of a court of appeals, district or criminal
district judge,  judge of a statutory county court, or justice of the peace
in a county with a population of more than 725,000, rather than more than
850,000, who chooses to pay the filing fee must also accompany the
application with a petition that complies with the requirements prescribed
for the petition.   

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.

EXPLANATION OF AMENDMENTS

Committee Amendment No. 1 reduces the population requirement of a county
from 725,000 to 300,000 to which the provisions of the bill apply.