SRC-TJG, VRA S.B. 196 78(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterS.B. 196
By: Staples
State Affairs
6/5/2003
Enrolled


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, when a voter challenges a voter registration that person must
file with the voter registrar a sworn statement of the grounds for the
challenge.  However, there are no requirements to include specifics about
why the challenger believes a particular voter is not qualified to be
registered nor is there a requirement to list each individual being
challenged.  S.B. 196 would add that the sworn statement currently
required to challenge a voter registration must properly identify each
challenged voter.  The bill also requires that the challenger's statement
be based upon specific knowledge of each challenged voter's specific lack
of qualifications. 

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 16.092, Election Code, to require a voter
desiring to challenge a registration to file with the registrar a sworn
statement of the grounds for the challenge that identifies the voter whose
registration is being challenged and states a specific qualification for
registration that the challenged voter has not met based on the personal
knowledge of the voter desiring to challenge the registration. 

SECTION 2.  Effective date:  September 1, 2003.