PWC S.B. 292 75(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


ELECTIONS
S.B. 292
By: Carona (Galloway, Carolyn)
4-1-97
Committee Report (Unamended)



BACKGROUND 

Texas law currently requires early voting by personal appearance to begin
twenty days prior to election day and end four days before election day.
This bill shortens the time period for early voting by having it begin
seventeen days prior to election day. 

The first three days of early voting historically attract the fewest
number of voters.  The cost to the state and to political subdivisions of
the state is quite high on a per voter basis.  By reducing the time period
of early voting by three days, the public would still have ample time to
vote early while significantly lowering the cost to taxpayers. 


PURPOSE

The bill as engrossed would provide that early voting by personal
appearance begin on the seventeenth day before an election rather than on
the twentieth day before an election. 


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. 


SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Election Code Section 85.001(a) to provide that the
period for early voting by personal appearance begins on the 17th day
before election day, rather than the 20th day before election day, and
continues through the fourth day before election day, except as otherwise
provided by this section.  Amends Election Code Section 85.001(c) to
provide that if the date required by Subsection (a) or (b) for beginning
early voting is a Saturday, Sunday, or legal state holiday, the period
begins on the next regular business day or on that Saturday or Sunday if
early voting is ordered to be conducted on that day under Election Code
Section 85.006. 

SECTION 2.  Establishes the effective date as September 1, 1997.

SECTION 3.  Emergency clause.