Amends TCA Title 2, Chapter 13.

OFFICE FOR WHICH CANDIDATES ARE CHOSEN IN PRIMARY ELECTIONS<br /> <br /> Present law requires statewide political parties to nominate their candidates by vote of the members of the party in primary elections at the regular August election for the offices of governor, members of the general assembly, United States senator, and members of the United States house of representatives. This bill deletes United States senator from this provision.<br /> <br /> UNITED STATES SENATORS<br /> <br /> This bill requires candidates for the United States senate to be nominated as follows, and to be placed upon the appropriate general election November ballot, upon the expiration of the term of office for which a candidate for the United States senate was elected:<br /> <br /> (1) The house of representatives and senate members of the majority party must by joint caucus, in an open meeting, nominate a person to run as that party's candidate in the general election in the manner prescribed by rules adopted by the joint caucus. The rules must establish a mechanism for citizens desiring to be considered as a candidate for the seat to have their names placed in nomination;<br /> <br /> (2) The house of representatives and senate members of the minority party must by joint caucus, in an open meeting, nominate a person to run as that party's candidate in the general election in the manner prescribed by rules adopted by the joint caucus. The rules must establish a mechanism for citizens desiring to be considered as a candidate for the seat to have their names placed in nomination; and<br /> <br /> (3) A recognized minor party may nominate persons for the United States senate by any method authorized under the rules of the party or by primary election under the law relevant to elections.<br /> <br /> This bill prohibits a person nominated at a joint caucus who does not win the nomination as candidate for the majority party or the minority party from qualifying as an independent candidate or write-in candidate in the general election for United States senator.<br /> <br /> This bill becomes operable as follows:<br /> <br /> (1) For the incumbent United States senator elected from this state in 2018 and each six years thereafter, when the senator determines not to run for re-election, loses a re-election bid, or the senator's seat becomes vacant, this bill, the law regarding offices for which candidates are chosen in primary elections, and the law regarding methods of nomination for other offices will apply for purposes of nomination to fill that seat at the next subsequent election and each election for that seat thereafter. Unless (2) below becomes operable prior to the operation of this provision, the incumbent United States senator elected from this state in 2020 must continue to be nominated in accordance with existing law as of June 30, 2024, for as long as such senator seeks re-election and remains in office; and<br /> <br /> (2) For the incumbent United States senator elected from this state in 2020 and each six years thereafter, when the senator determines not to run for re-election, loses a re-election bid, or the senator's seat becomes vacant, this bill, the law regarding offices for which candidates are chosen in primary elections, and the law regarding methods of nomination for other offices will apply for purposes of nomination to fill that seat at the next subsequent election and each election for that seat thereafter. Unless (1) above becomes operable prior to the operation of this provision, the incumbent United States senator elected from this state in 2018 must continue to be nominated in accordance with existing law as of June 30, 2024, for as long as such senator seeks re-election and remains in office.<br /> <br /> This bill provides that when provisions (1) and (2) above have both become operable, then this bill, the law regarding offices for which candidates are chosen in primary elections, and the law regarding methods of nomination for other offices apply with respect to all nominations for candidates to the United States senate on and after such date.<br />