| TO: | Honorable Mary Denny, Chair, House Committee on Elections |
| FROM: | John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | HB402 by Madden (Relating to a pilot program involving the use of an electronic registration system.), As Introduced |
The bill would amend Chapter 63, Election Code, to require the Secretary of State to implement a pilot program to evaluate the use of an electronic registration system on election day and during the period for early voting. The pilot program would be limited to a single county that has a population of approximately 500,000 residents and that chooses to participate. The program would allow for the use of a card with a magnetic stripe instead of the current paper registration certificate to confirm the voter's registration. The test period would include one or more countywide elections. The Secretary of State would be required to submit a report to the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house regarding the pilot program and the agency's recommendations not later than December 31, 2006.
The amendment to the Election Code would expire on January 1, 2007. The bill would take effect immediately if it receives two-thirds vote in each house; otherwise, it would take effect September 1, 2003.
The Secretary of State indicates that the cost of the pilot project would represent an insignificant portion of the agency's budget.
The Secretary of State would bare the costs of the pilot program. Collin County, population 491,675, most closely fits the population limitation of approximately 500,000 stated in the bill for a county that could participate in the pilot project.
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
| Source Agencies: | 307 Secretary Of State
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| LBB Staff: | JK, GO, DLBa
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