SRC-AMY H.B. 1173 78(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center H.B. 1173 78R5514 JRJ-DBy: Madden (Madla) Veteran Affairs & Military Installations 5/10/2003 Engrossed DIGEST AND PURPOSE Under current law, polling places are required to be located in public buildings when practicable. Federal military bases are not expressly authorized to be polling place locations. Most polling places are located in or near a voter's neighborhood. Those voters who live on military bases, however, may be required to go off the military base in order to cast a ballot. Many individuals feel that these voters should be able to cast a ballot at the military base or facility where they serve. H.B. 1173 authorizes a building on a federal military base or facility, with the permission of the post or base commander, to be a polling place. 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 43.031(d), Election Code, include a building on a federal military base or facility with the permission of the post or base commander as an authorized location for a polling place. SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2003.