H.B. 1863 78(R) BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 1863 By: Bohac Elections Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Under current law, an application for registration to vote informs voters that the furnishing of the applicant's driver's license number, personal identification card number, and social security number is optional. Although these identification numbers are not required for registration, spaces for them do appear on the registration application. If an applicant furnishes one or more of the identification numbers, the numbers can be publicly viewed on the individual's voter registration application. Some individuals request to see voter registration applications in order to obtain these numbers and perpetrate identity theft. House Bill 1863 makes the identification numbers, as provided on the registration application, confidential and excludes them from disclosure. 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 1863 amends the Election Code by providing that a social security number, Texas driver's license number, or number of a personal identification card issued by the Department of Public Safety furnished on an application for voter registration is confidential and does not constitute public information. The bill requires the voter registrar to ensure that these identification numbers are excluded from disclosure. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2003.