HBA-LCA S.B. 971 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 971
By: Shapiro
Elections
5/5/1999
Engrossed



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

The Federal Voting Assistance Department, under the Department of Defense,
selected Texas as one of five states for participation in an electronic
voting pilot program.  The program allows registered voters of Dallas
County who are in the armed forces, and either stationed overseas or in
another state, to cast votes electronically.  S.B. 971 authorizes Texas'
participation in this pilot project to cast electronic ballots. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Chapter 105, Election Code, by adding Section 105.003,
as follows: 

Sec. 105.003.  INTERNET VOTING PILOT PROJECT.  (a)  Authorizes any county
selected by the United States Department of Defense to participate in a
federal voting assistance program pilot project to allow members of the
armed forces of the United States to cast votes electronically. 

(b)  Provides that this section expires January 1, 2003.

SECTION 2.  Emergency clause.
  Effective date: upon passage.