LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                          Austin, Texas

                           FISCAL NOTE
                       74th Regular Session

                          March 15, 1995



 TO:     Honorable Debra Danburg, Chair         IN RE:  House Bill No. 1859
         Committee on Elections                         By: Danburg
         House of Representatives
         Austin, Texas







FROM: John Keel, Director

In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on House Bill No.
1859 (relating to the form of the ballot and related procedures
in connection with certain voters voting on an affidavit;
providing criminal penalties) this office has determined the
following:

The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal
basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions
of the bill.   

The bill would set up new procedures for voting by "challenge
affidavit."  The current procedure allows persons who are
challenged about their voter eligibility to vote after executing
an affidavit certifying that they are eligible to vote.  The bill
would require that the ballot of such a voter include a
detachable stub which the voter would sign and deposit in a
separate ballot stub box at the polling place.  The Secretary of
State would be responsible for determining the number of ballots
with stubs to be provided to polling places.  Local governments
would be required to print separate stub ballots for challenged
voters and would be required to purchase additional ballot boxes
for the deposit of challenged ballots.

During primary election years, the additional cost to the State
for the stub challenge ballots would be approximately $169,995. 
This cost is based on an assumption that placing a stub on the
ballot would be a ballot format change which would cost about $15
per precinct for each of the state's 11,333 voting precincts.    




The probable fiscal implication of implementing the provisions of 
the bill during each of the first  five years following passage
is estimated as follows:



            Fiscal  Probable Cost Out 
             Year      of  General    
                         Revenue      
                         Fund 001     
                                      
          1996                $169,995
          1997                       0
                                      
          1998                 169,995
                                      
          1999                       0
          2000                 169,995
                                      
                                      
                                      

       Similar annual fiscal implications would continue as long as the
provisions of the bill are in effect.

The fiscal implication to  units of local government cannot be
determined.


Source:   Secretary of State
          LBB Staff: JK, JC, RR