By: Hall	S.B. No. 1613
	(In the Senate - Filed March 6, 2019; March 14, 2019, read
	first time and referred to Committee on Property Tax; May 6, 2019,
	reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the
	following vote:  Yeas 4, Nays 1; May 6, 2019, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
	COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1613	By:  Paxton

	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
	AN ACT
	relating to turnout requirements for certain elections authorizing
	the issuance of bonds or an increase in taxes by a political
	subdivision.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  The heading to Chapter 2, Election Code, is
	amended to read as follows:
	CHAPTER 2.  VOTE REQUIRED FOR ELECTION [TO OFFICE]
	SECTION 2.  Chapter 2, Election Code, is amended by adding
	Subchapter E to read as follows:
	SUBCHAPTER E. TURNOUT REQUIREMENTS
	Sec. 2.101.  APPLICABILITY. This subchapter does not apply
	to an election held on the November uniform election date of an
	even-numbered year.
	Sec. 2.102.  POLITICAL SUBDIVISION BOND OR TAX ELECTION. An
	election held by a political subdivision to authorize the issuance
	of bonds or a tax increase has no effect regarding the issuance of
	the bonds or the tax increase unless more than 15 percent of the
	registered voters of the political subdivision in which the
	election is held whose registrations are effective on the date of
	the election vote in the election in which the bond or tax
	proposition is on the ballot.
	SECTION 3.  The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
	bonds authorized to be issued or a tax increase authorized on or
	after the effective date of this Act. Bonds or a tax increase
	authorized before the effective date of this Act are governed by the
	law in effect when the bonds were authorized, and the former law is
	continued in effect for that purpose.
	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 September 1, 2019.
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