HBA-JEK H.B. 1639 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1639
By: Yarbrough
Elections
4/1/2001
Committee Report (Amended)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

In an attempt to ensure that applications for early voting are returned to
the appropriate election official, the 76th Legislature passed legislation
to require an application form for early voting to be printed or stamped
with the name of the early voting clerk.  However, it has proved
problematic for the secretary of state to print early voting applications
with the individual name of each election clerk because of the large number
of clerks in the state.  House Bill 1639 removes the requirement that the
name of the election clerk be printed or stamped on an application for
early voting. 

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. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 1639 amends the Election Code to authorize an applicant to apply
for an early voting ballot with an application form that has not been
printed or stamped with the name of the early voting clerk. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.

EXPLANATION OF AMENDMENTS

Committee Amendment No. 1 modifies the original bill by requiring an
application for an early voting ballot to be printed or stamped with the
name, office, or official title of the early voting clerk, rather than only
the official title of the clerk.