On May 20, the Texas legislature passed SB 817. This bill had been requested by Texas Libertarians. It allows parties that nominate by convention to nominate someone, even though that person also holds party office. Also, it moves the state convention for such parties from the second Saturday in June, to the second Saturday in April. The party felt that its nominees will be advantaged if they are nominated earlier in the year. The major party primaries are in March.

A somewhat better approach would have been to let convention parties decide for themselves when to hold the state convention, but Texas has a strong tradition of regulating party activities and such an idea probably would not have passed.