BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 2318

By: Geren

Elections

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Election laws in Texas require an authority ordering an election in which more than one measure will be voted on to determine the order in which the propositions appear on the ballot. If more than one political subdivision's proposition is to appear on the ballot, the authority must assign a unique letter of the alphabet to each measure. However, while election law does require each political subdivision's proposition to be assigned a unique letter, situations have occurred in previous elections in which voters are confused by ballots consisting of propositions from more than one political subdivision assigned the same letter or number. H.B. 2318 seeks to eliminate confusion during certain elections by assigning unique letters of the alphabet to multiple propositions that appear on the same ballot.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 2318 amends the Election Code to require an authority ordering an election in which more than one measure is to be voted on and in which more than one political subdivision's proposition is to appear on the ballot to assign a unique letter of the alphabet to each measure.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2021.