LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE
75th Regular Session
May 5, 1997
TO: Honorable Kenneth Armbrister, Chair IN RE: House Bill No. 330, As Engrossed
Committee on State Affairs By: Danburg
Senate
Austin, Texas
FROM: John Keel, Director
In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on HB330 ( 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 detemined the following:
Biennial Net Impact to General Revenue Funds by HB330-As Engrossed
Implementing the provisions of the bill would result in a net
negative impact of $(307,949) to General Revenue Related Funds
through the biennium ending August 31, 1999.
The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal
basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions
of the bill.
Fiscal Analysis
This bill would amend the Election Code to provide new procedures
for voting by "challenge affidavit." In addition to completing
the affidavit, each challenged voter would have to sign a ballot
stub, detach the stub, and place the signed stub in a sealed
envelope before depositing the ballot in the box.
The procedure
would not require examination of the stub later; however, a
ballot with an unsigned stub would not be counted. This could
add time to the examination procedure for ballots before counting
by an electronic voting system and counting in a paper ballot
system.
Methodolgy
The Secretary of State estimates that each of the 20,394 polling
places in Texas as of the November 1996 primaries would need
an average of ten challenge ballots and envelopes, and that
placing a stub on a ballot would be a ballot format change costing
$15 per precinct. This bill would also require an extra envelope
per precinct, estimated at $.10 per envelope. Total cost would
be $15.10 x 20,394 precincts = $307,949.40.
The probable fiscal implications of implementing the provisions
of the bill during each of the first five years following passage
is estimated as follows:
Five Year Impact:
Fiscal Year Probable
Savings/(Cost)
from General
Revenue Fund
0001
1998 ($307,949)
1998 0
2000 (307,949)
2001 0
2002 (307,949)
Net Impact on General Revenue Related Funds:
Fiscal Year Probable Net Postive/(Negative)
General Revenue Related Funds
Funds
1998 ($307,949)
1999 0
2000 (307,949)
2001 0
2002 (307,949)
Similar annual fiscal implications would continue as long as
the provisions of the bill are in effect.
Local governments would be required to print separate ballots
with stubs for challenged voters and to purchase additional
ballot boxes for the deposit of challenged ballots.
Source: Agencies: 307 Secretary of State
LBB Staff: JK ,JD ,PE ,JC