SRC-JBJ S.B. 1529 77(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 1529
77R9311 PAM-DBy: Shapiro
State Affairs
3/26/2001
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, information is compiled on a monthly basis for the purposes of
determining which persons are eligible to vote in a national, state, or
local election.  This monthly process can lead to some incomplete and
incorrect voter registration rolls.  As proposed, S.B. 1529 requires, on a
weekly basis, the Department of Public Safety (department) to supply the
secretary of state with information relating to any Texas resident of
voting age that has been convicted of a felony; the secretary of state to
notify county registrars of the change in voting status of any resident in
that county; county registrars to supply information to the secretary of
state identifying any registered voter improperly on the master file due to
death, duplication, or other reason; and the department to provide the
secretary of state with the name and information of anyone submitting a
voter registration application. 

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 16.003, Election Code, to require the Department
of Public Safety (department) to prepare each week an abstract of each
final judgment received by the department convicting a person 18 years of
age or older who is a resident of the state of a felony.  Deletes existing
text pertaining to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ)
preparing such a document. Requires the department to file each abstract
with the secretary of state not later than one week following the week in
which the abstract is prepared.  Requires the secretary of state to file
each abstract received under this subsection with the voter registrar of
the person's county of residence not later than one week following the week
in which the abstract is received under this subsection.  Deletes existing
text pertaining to TDCJ filing such a document. 

SECTION 2.  Amends Sections 18.063(a), (c), and (d), Election Code, to
require each registrar of a county that has not contracted with the
secretary of state for electronic data services to facilitate the
implementation of the registration service program to deliver to the
secretary of state a list containing each new registration, canceled
registration, and change in registration information that has occurred in
the county since the delivery of the previous list under this subsection or
Subsection (b), as applicable, once each week, rather than on or after the
first day but before the 16th day of January, March, June, September, and
December of each year.  Requires the secretary to use the information to
update the state master file and to identify any voters in the master file
that may be duplicated, deceased, or ineligible because of a felony
conviction.  Requires the secretary to notify the registrar of the
appropriate county of any voter included in the master file that may be
duplicated, deceased, or ineligible because of a felony conviction.
Requires the secretary to prescribe the form for the lists required by this
section and prescribe procedures as necessary to implement this section. 

SECTION 3.  Amends Section 19.004, Election Code, to authorize state funds
disbursed under this chapter to be used only to defray expenses of the
registrar's office in connection with voter registration, including
additional expenses related to implementation of the National Voter
Registration Act of 1993  (42 U.S.C. Section 1973gg et seq.), and complying
with the weekly updating requirements prescribed by Section 18.063.
Requires the secretary of state to specify the procedures that result in
additional expenses and that are required under this section, rather than
to implement that federal law. 

SECTION 4.  Amends Section 20.065, Election Code, to require the
department, once each week, to electronically transfer to the secretary of
state the name of each person who completes a voter registration
application submitted to the department.  Requires the secretary to
prescribe procedures necessary to implement this subsection.  Requires the
secretary of state, not later than the seventh day after the date the
secretary of state receives information under Subsection (b), to inform the
appropriate voter registrar of the name of each person who completes a
voter registration application submitted to the department.  Authorizes the
registrar to verify that the registrar has received each application as
indicated by the information provided by the secretary under this
subsection. 

SECTION 5. Effective date:  January 1, 2002.