LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE
75th Regular Session
March 3, 1997
TO: Honorable Debra Danburg, Chair IN RE: House Bill No. 841
Committee on Elections By: Jackson
House
Austin, Texas
FROM: John Keel, Director
In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on HB841 ( Relating
to voting procedures for persons on a space flight.) this office
has detemined the following:
Biennial Net Impact to General Revenue Funds by HB841-As Introduced
Implementing the provisions of the bill would result in a net
negative impact of $(94,000) 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 by adding Chapter 105
to provide voting procedures for persons on a space flight.
The bill would apply only to a person who is eligible to vote
in Texas and is unable to vote on election day and during the
early voting period. The bill would require the Secretary of
State to prescribe procedures for voting from space on election
day by secure electronic means, which could include a deadline
by which a person must apply to vote under Chapter 105.
This
bill would take effect September 1, 1997.
Methodolgy
The Secretary of State has determined that the bill would require
that office to get hard-copy ballots from the county of residence
of the affected voters, send the ballots to the voters and receive
the ballots back, both electronically, and forward the hard-copy
ballots to the county for tallying. Transporting the ballots
to and from a voter in space would be via secure electronic
means to be developed by the Secretary of State.
The Office
of the Secretary of State estimates that the bill would require
it to enter into a contract with outside consultants for the
development of software for security and development of an electronic
voter relay system to a voter in space, using JAVA software.
The Secretary of State also estimates that the bill would require
the purchase of hardware for the electronic voting system.
The total cost for developing a secure system for voting from
space would be a one-time cost, which is estimated at $94,000.
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 ($94,000)
1998 0
2000 0
2001 0
2002 0
Net Impact on General Revenue Related Funds:
The probable fiscal implication to General Revenue related funds
during each of the first five years is estimated as follows:
Fiscal Year Probable Net Postive/(Negative)
General Revenue Related Funds
Funds
1998 ($94,000)
1999 0
2000 0
2001 0
2002 0
A county of residence of the affected voters would probably
be responsible for tallying votes for the people in space, and
a county may be required to obtain equipment necessary to receive
ballots from the Secretary of State.
Source: Agencies: 307 Secretary of State
LBB Staff: JK ,PE ,JC