Bill Text: TX HB217 | 2021 | 87th Legislature 2nd Special Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the secretary of state posting on the secretary of state's Internet website databases containing certain information about elections.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-08-24 - Filed [HB217 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-HB217-Introduced.html
| By: Bucy | H.B. No. 217 | |
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| relating to the secretary of state posting on the secretary of | ||
| state's Internet website databases containing certain information | ||
| about elections. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Section 4.003, Election Code, is amended by | ||
| amending Subsection (e) and adding Subsection (e-1) to read as | ||
| follows: | ||
| (e) The authority responsible for giving notice of the | ||
| election shall deliver: | ||
| (1) to the secretary of state a copy of the notice of a | ||
| consolidated precinct required by Subsection (b) not later than the | ||
| date of the election; and | ||
| (2) in January of each year information for the | ||
| secretary of state's database of election information under Section | ||
| 31.017 in an electronic format as follows: | ||
| (A) if the authority is a county or political | ||
| party, as required by the secretary of state; or | ||
| (B) if the authority is a political subdivision | ||
| other than a county, to the county in which the authority is | ||
| located. | ||
| (e-1) A county receiving information under Subsection | ||
| (e)(2)(B) shall forward the information to the secretary of state. | ||
| SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 31, Election Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Sections 31.017 and 31.018 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 31.017. INTERNET DATABASE OF ELECTION INFORMATION. | ||
| (a) The secretary of state shall post on the secretary of state's | ||
| public Internet website a database containing information provided | ||
| under Sections 4.003(e) and (e-1). The database must include the | ||
| following information: | ||
| (1) the name of the authority; | ||
| (2) each office to be filled at the election; | ||
| (3) whether the office is elected at large or by | ||
| district; and | ||
| (4) the dates of the preceding and next election for | ||
| the office. | ||
| (b) The secretary of state shall adopt rules as necessary to | ||
| implement this section. | ||
| Sec. 31.018. INTERNET DATABASE FOR INCUMBENTS AND | ||
| CANDIDATES. (a) The secretary of state shall post on the secretary | ||
| of state's Internet website a database containing information about | ||
| each holder of and candidate for any partisan elected office in this | ||
| state. | ||
| (b) The database must include the following information | ||
| about a holder of a partisan elected office, the office of mayor, or | ||
| a position on the governing body of a city: | ||
| (1) name; | ||
| (2) office title, including any district, place, or | ||
| position and a notation that the person is an incumbent; | ||
| (3) if the office is elected at large or by district; | ||
| (4) date of the previous and next election for the | ||
| office; | ||
| (5) public mailing address; | ||
| (6) public telephone number, if available; and | ||
| (7) public e-mail address, if available. | ||
| (c) The database must include the following information | ||
| about a candidate for a partisan elected office, the office of | ||
| mayor, or a position on the governing body of a city: | ||
| (1) name; | ||
| (2) office sought, including any district, place, or | ||
| position; | ||
| (3) if the office is elected at large or by district; | ||
| (4) date of the election; | ||
| (5) public mailing address; | ||
| (6) public telephone number, if available; | ||
| (7) public e-mail address, if available; and | ||
| (8) if the candidate has filed as a write-in | ||
| candidate. | ||
| (d) The county with whom a declaration of candidacy is | ||
| filed, a state or county chair of a political party, or the | ||
| presiding officer of a political party's convention shall provide | ||
| information about a candidate or officeholder to the secretary of | ||
| state. A political subdivision shall provide information about a | ||
| candidate or officeholder to the county in which the political | ||
| subdivision is located and the county shall forward that | ||
| information to the secretary of state. | ||
| (e) The secretary of state shall make the name, office, and | ||
| party affiliation of the holder of a partisan elected office, the | ||
| office of mayor, or a position on the governing body of a city | ||
| available on the secretary of state's Internet website for as long | ||
| as the person holds that office. | ||
| (f) The secretary of state shall adopt rules as necessary to | ||
| implement this section. | ||
| SECTION 3. Section 141.032, Election Code, is amended by | ||
| adding Subsection (h) to read as follows: | ||
| (h) A county or political party with whom an application is | ||
| filed shall provide the secretary of state with the candidate's | ||
| information required for the secretary of state's Internet website | ||
| under Section 31.018. A political subdivision with whom an | ||
| application is filed shall provide the candidate's information to | ||
| the county in which the political subdivision is located and the | ||
| county shall forward the candidate's information to the secretary | ||
| of state. | ||
| SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives | ||
| a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as | ||
| provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this | ||
| Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this | ||
| Act takes effect on the 91st day after the last day of the | ||
| legislative session. | ||
