Texas Representative Rafael Anchia (D-North Oak Cliff) has introduced HB 2506. It establishes a top-two primary. This is the second bill introduced this year in Texas for a top-two system; the other is HB 1842.
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On March 14, U.S. Supreme Court Justices Anthony Kennedy and Stephen Breyer were testifying before the House Appropriations Committees on the U.S. Supreme Court budget. A committee member, Congressman Jose Serrano, was born in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, but he came to New York city at the age of seven. He represents a district in the Bronx. For some reason the justices joked with Serrano about whether he would be eligible to be President, given that he was born in Puerto Rico. See this story. The justices also joked about whether Serrano is old enough. Actually he is age 69. Thanks to HowAppealing for the link.
Matt Munson has this article about the two California bills that would increase the number of one-candidate elections for Congress and state office, SB 712 and AB 141. The article appears in The Orange Juice Blog, a well-read politics blog in Orange County, California’s second most populous county.
The Montana Senate State Administration Committee will hear HB 120 on Monday, March 18. It eases the petition deadline for non-presidential independents from March to May, and also permits independent presidential and vice-presidential candidates to get on the November ballot even if they had had some involvement with a political party during the preceding year.
The California Senate Elections Committee will hear SB 213 on Tuesday, March 19. It repeals all California residency requirements for petitioners.
The California Independent Voter Network has kindly carried my article that advocates that California’s Proposition 14 (top-two open primary) system be converted into a blanket primary. Here is the link.