BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 3566

By: Cortez

Elections

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Concerns have been raised regarding the potential inaccessibility of precinct chairs due to a lack of available contact information. State law does not explicitly require the application for a place on the general primary election ballot as a candidate for precinct chair to include a phone number or a public email address at which campaign correspondence may be received. If voters cannot reach their precinct chair due to a lack of provided contact information, then these voters are not being adequately represented by their precinct chair. H.B. 3566 seeks to address this issue by revising ballot application requirements for the election of a precinct chair.

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. 3566 amends the Election Code to require an application for a place on the ballot as a candidate for precinct chair to include the following information in addition to complying with general application requirements:

· an email address at which the candidate receives correspondence relating to the candidate's campaign;

· a telephone number at which the candidate can be reached; or

· both the email address and telephone number.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2021.