LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE 75th Regular Session February 13, 1997 TO: Honorable Eddie Lucio, Jr., Chair IN RE: Senate Bill No. 236 Committee on Intergovernmental Relations By: Lindsay Senate Austin, Texas FROM: John Keel, Director In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on SB236 ( Relating to the right of voters in a municipality to participate in municipal elections.) this office has detemined the following: Biennial Net Impact to General Revenue Funds by SB236-As Introduced No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated. This bill would require that any newly annexed area be allowed to vote in any election held after the date of annexation. If the qualified voters in the annexed area are not allowed to vote in such an election, the results of the election would be void. No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated, except in rare instances. If a municipal election is held immediately after an annexation, and there has not been sufficient time (usually 90 days) for the municipality to receive authorization from the US Department of Justice to allow voters in the newly annexed area to participate in municipal elections, the municipality will hold a previously scheduled election without the participation of the newly annexed voters. In these rare instances, this bill would require the municipality to void the results of the initial election and hold another election with the participation of the newly annexed voters. The median cost of such a local election at the county level has been calculated at $0.40 per resident, based on a survey of eight counties conducted by the Texas Association of Counties. The City of Houston reports that such an election costs that city approximately $1.25 million, or about $0.76 per resident. Source: Agencies: 307 Secretary of State LBB Staff: JK ,TL