LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE, 76th Regular Session February 24, 1999 TO: Honorable Debra Danburg, Chair, House Committee on Elections 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 Introduced ************************************************************************** * No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated. * ************************************************************************** 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: LBB Staff: JK, PE, TL, SG