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