HBA-RBT H.B. 1546 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1546
By: Danburg
Elections
2/22/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

The Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
require the election process to be accessible to voters with disabilities.
H.B. 1546 requires the secretary of state to prescribe rules to enable a
visually impaired voter to cast a secret ballot. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that rulemaking
authority is expressly delegated to the secretary of state in SECTION 1
(Section 52.096, Election Code) of this bill. 
 
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Subchapter D, Chapter 52, Election Code, by adding
Section 52.096, as follows: 

Sec.  52.096.  ACCOMMODATION FOR VOTERS WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS. Requires
the secretary of state to prescribe procedures to allow for the rotation of
the order of parties, names, and propositions on the ballot to enable a
voter with a visual impairment to cast a secret ballot. 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 1999.

SECTION 3.  Emergency clause.