TITLE: Relating to procedures for the determination of the validity of certain petitions filed in connection with an election.

SUMMARY: Relating to procedures for the determination of the validity of certain petitions filed in connection with an election.

FULL TEXT:
AN ACT relating to procedures for the determination of the validity of certain petitions filed in connection with an election. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Chapter 277, Election Code, is amended by adding Sections 277.005 and 277.006 to read as follows: Sec. 277.005. PETITION FORM. (a) The secretary of state may adopt a petition form that may be used for a petition authorized or required to be filed by a law outside this code. (b) The authority to which a petition using the form adopted under Subsection (a) is submitted may not invalidate a petition because the petition did not contain information required by Section 277.002(a)(1) that the petition form failed to provide or to require to be provided. Sec. 277.006. CERTIFICATION OF VOTERS BY SECRETARY OF STATE. (a) The authority to which a petition is submitted shall provide the petition to the secretary of state for certification under Subsection (b). (b) The secretary of state shall certify whether the signers of a petition provided to the secretary under Subsection (a) are registered voters of the applicable territory and shall deliver the results of the certification to the authority. (c) An authority may not invalidate a petition signature based on the signer's ineligibility to sign the petition if the secretary of state certified the signer under this section. SECTION 2. Section 277.006, Election Code, as added by this Act, applies only to a petition submitted on or after the effective date of this Act. SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.