SRC-SEW S.B. 1491 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterS.B. 1491
By: Shapleigh
State Affairs
6/14/2001
Enrolled


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Current law stipulates that a roster be maintained and updated daily that
lists each person who votes an "early voting" ballot by personal appearance
in order to facilitate public disclosure and higher levels of voter
participation.   However, there is a concern that the immediate posting of
this roster may conflict with open records laws which allow for a delay of
up to 10 days before requested records are released.  Such a delay in
posting of the roster would defeat a major purpose of this election law.
S.B. 1491 eliminates statutory ambiguity by specifying that personal
appearance early voting rosters be made available for public inspection not
later than the beginning of business hours on the day following the day the
information is entered on the roster.  

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a
state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 87.121, Election Code, by adding Subsection (g),
to require information on the roster for a person who votes an early voting
ballot by personal appearance to be made available for public inspection by
a certain date. 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 2001.