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.