LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
April 2, 2001
TO: Honorable Debra Danburg, Chair, House Committee on
Elections
FROM: John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE: HB1454 by Martinez Fischer (Relating to compensation for
services rendered at a polling place by election
officers.), As Introduced
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* Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for *
* HB1454, As Introduced: negative impact of $(2,500,441) through *
* the biennium ending August 31, 2003. *
* *
* The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal *
* basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of *
* the bill. *
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General Revenue-Related Funds, Five-Year Impact:
****************************************************
* Fiscal Year Probable Net Positive/(Negative) *
* Impact to General Revenue Related *
* Funds *
* 2002 $(2,500,441) *
* 2003 0 *
* 2004 (2,500,441) *
* 2005 0 *
* 2006 (2,500,441) *
****************************************************
All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
*****************************************************
* Fiscal Year Probable Savings/(Cost) from *
* General Revenue Fund *
* 0001 *
* 2002 $(2,500,441) *
* 2003 0 *
* 2004 (2,500,441) *
* 2005 0 *
* 2006 (2,500,441) *
*****************************************************
Technology Impact
None
Fiscal Analysis
This bill would raise the maximum compensation of election judges and
clerks to $7.50/hr. It would limit the amount paid to election
officials by entities other than the county in an amount not exceed the
compensation fixed for an election ordered by the governor or county
authority in the county in which the political subdivision is located.
The bill would states that election officials in a primary must be paid
at least the normal county rate when the primary is run by the county
under an election services contract.
Methodology
According to the Secretary of State's Office, the difference of $7.50
minus $5.15 (currently paid to primary election poll workers) equals
$2.35. The number of election day workers is 77,521. The number of hours
worked on an election day is 14. ($2.35 x 77,521 x 14 = $2,500,440.90).
Local Government Impact
The Texas Association of Election Administrators and the counties of
Bexar, Ector, Midland and Victoria were contacted regarding the local
fiscal impact of the provisions of the bill. It is anticipated that the
counties' election costs would increase from 10 percent to 26 percent
for each election, depending on the size of the county, the county's
current pay scale, and whether or not the county would raise their
judges' and clerks' compensation to the maximum level.
Source Agencies: 307 Secretary of State
LBB Staff: JK, TB, SK