Regional Presidential Primaries and Caucuses Act of 1989

Regional Presidential Primaries and Caucuses Act of 1989 - Prohibits any State from conducting a presidential primary election except in accordance with the provisions of this Act.

Establishes seven regional primaries to be held in each presidential election year. Sets the dates for such primaries. Requires the Federal Election Commission to determine the order by lot.

Provides that the first region to hold a primary may not be first in the next primary.

Authorizes the Attorney General to bring a civil suit in U.S. district court when there is reason to believe that a State is holding a primary in violation of this Act.

Authorizes appropriations.

 
B37 3-14-89 [OC's]
HR 1371 IH
101st CONGRESS
1st Session
 H. R. 1371
To establish a series of seven Presidential primaries at which the public
may express its preference for the nomination of an individual for election
to the office of President of the United States.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 13, 1989
Mr. ANDREWS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee
on House Administration
A BILL
To establish a series of seven Presidential primaries at which the public
may express its preference for the nomination of an individual for election
to the office of President of the United States.
  Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
  States of America in Congress assembled, That this Act may be cited as the
  `Regional Presidential Primaries and Caucuses Act of 1989'.
  SEC. 2. The Congress finds that--
  (1) the numerous elections and caucuses held by States for the expression
  of a preference for the nomination of individuals for election to the
  office of the President of the United States are conducted without any
  semblance of order;
  (2) the conventions held by national political parties for the purpose
  of nominating candidates for election to the offices of the President and
  Vice President are vital to the process of selecting such candidates for
  national office; and
  (3) in order to preserve the effectiveness of the Presidential process
  and to provide for the public welfare of the Nation, the Congress must
  regulate certain parts of the process for selecting candidates to the
  office of the President.
  SEC. 3. (a) No State shall conduct a Presidential primary, as defined in
  this Act, except in accordance with the provisions of this Act.
  (b)(1) Seven regional Presidential primaries shall be held during each
  Presidential election year. The first regional primary shall be held on
  the second Tuesday in March of such year, and the remaining six regional
  primaries shall be held every third Tuesday thereafter.
  (2) On the July 4 prior to the date of the first regional primary, the
  Commission shall determine by lot the order in which each primary is to be
  held. A State may not hold a Presidential primary on a date other than the
  date assigned by the Commission to the region in which such State is located.
  (3) A region which is chosen pursuant to paragraph (2) to be the first
  region to hold a primary may not be the first region to hold a primary
  in the immediately following Presidential election year. In the event
  a region which held the first primary in the Presidential election year
  immediately preceding the Presidential election year in which the order
  of regional primaries is being determined is chosen first, the marker
  representing that region shall be placed back with the other markers and
  another drawing shall be conducted. This procedure shall be repeated until
  that region is not the first region chosen.
  (c) Whenever the Attorney General has reason to believe that a State is
  holding a Presidential primary in violation of the provisions of this
  section, he may bring a civil action in any appropriate United States
  district court for such relief as may be appropriate, including injunctive
  relief.
  SEC. 4. For the purposes of this Act, the term--
  (1) `Commission' means the Federal Election Commission;
  (2) `Presidential primary' means a primary, first tier caucus, convention,
  or other means of expressing a preference for the nomination of individuals
  for election to the office of President of the United States or for the
  selection of delegates to a national nominating convention of a political
  party, except that such term does not include a national nominating
  convention of a political party;
  (3) `region' means any of the following seven regions:
  (A) The Northeast Region, comprising Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire,
  Vermont, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey, and the
  Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
  (B) The Mid-Atlantic Region, comprising Pennsylvania, West Virginia,
  Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and the
  District of Columbia.
  (C) The Great Lakes Region, comprising Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, and Illinois.
  (D) The Southeast Region, comprising Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi,
  Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and the Virgin Islands.
  (E) The Southwest Region, comprising Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas,
  New Mexico, and Arizona.
  (F) The Great Plains/Rocky Mountain Region, comprising Minnesota, Iowa,
  Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Montana, Wyoming,
  Colorado, Idaho, Utah, and Nevada.
  (G) The Pacific Region, comprising Washington, Oregon, California, Alaska,
  Hawaii, American Samoa, and Guam.
  (4) `State' means each of the 50 States of the United States, the District
  of Columbia, the Territories of American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of
  Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
  SEC. 5. There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be
  necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act.