H.B. 1173 78(R) BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 1173 By: Madden Elections Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND 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. House Bill 1173 would facilitate the casting of military voters' ballots by authorizing the establishment of a polling place on a federal military base or facility. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS House Bill 1173 amends the Election Code by authorizing a local election administrator or county clerk to designate a federal military base or facility as a polling place, with the permission of the post or base commander, when a suitable public building is unavailable. EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary votes, September 1, 2003.