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.