LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 76th Regular Session
  
                                May 4, 1999
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Florence Shapiro, Chair, Senate Committee on
               State Affairs
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  HB1053  by Yarbrough (Relating to requiring a voting
               system to be accessible by persons with physical
               disabilities.), As Engrossed
  
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*  No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.                    *
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Local Government Impact
  
Local governments currently using procedures which allow all voters to
cast secret ballots would not be expected to incur significant costs.

A local government which currently is not equipped to allow all voters to
cast secret ballots could incur costs associated with the acquisition of
new equipment. The cost would depend on the number of polling sites
which would require new equipment. The cost of equipment that allows,
for instance, for visually impaired voters to cast unassisted secret
ballots is estimated by Montgomery County at approximately $10,000 per
unit.
  
  
Source Agencies:   307   Secretary of State
LBB Staff:         JK, SD, PE, TL, SG