LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
  
                               May 18, 2001
  
  
          TO:  Honorable James E. "Pete" Laney, Speaker of the House,
               House of Representatives
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  HB1856  by Danburg (Relating to the use of certain voting
               systems.), As Passed 2nd House
  
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*  No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.        *
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The bill would require phasing out the use of punch card ballots or
similar tabulating card systems, although such systems adopted prior to
September 1, 2001 could still be used until the phasing is complete.
The provisions of the bill also determine how tallying, tabulating, and
reporting punch-card or centrally counted optical scan ballot undervotes
and overvotes should be conducted. The Secretary of State would be
required to prescribe any necessary rules and take any appropriate
action to implement the proposed requirements and to facilitate the
orderly phasing out of the general use of punch-card ballot voting
systems.
  
Local Government Impact
  
There are 14 counties in Texas that use punch card ballot systems and
three that use lever voting systems.  The estimated cost for replacing
the punch card systems and lever voting systems in all 17 counties, with
the most current technology that is certified as meeting all state
guidelines, is estimated to be $27,440,000.  The number of precincts in
need of new voting systems is 1,960.  The Secretary of State estimates
an average of four machines per precinct would be needed, for a total of
7,850 machines at a cost of $3,500 per machine.
  
  
Source Agencies:   307   Secretary of State
LBB Staff:         JK, RB, DB