BILL ANALYSIS
By: Solomons
Committee Report (Substituted)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Individuals who are registering to vote must provide certain personal information, including date of birth, on the registration application. Under current law, voter registrars are specifically prohibited from disclosing social security numbers, Texas driver's license numbers, and DPS-issued personal identification card numbers that are furnished on registration applications. With the increased problems of identity theft and the widespread availability of personal information on the internet, further protection is needed. C.S.H.B. 345 prohibits certain personal information provided on a voter registration application from being posted on a website.
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
C.S.H.B. 345 amends the Election Code to prohibit the voter registrar, or any other county official who has access to information furnished on a voter registration application, from posting on a website: telephone number; social security number; driver's license or personal identification card number; or date of birth.
EFFECTIVE DATE
Upon passage, or if the Act does not receive a vote of two-thirds of the members elected to each house, September 1, 2005.
COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE
C.S.H.B. 345 modifies the original by prohibiting individuals with access to voter registration applications from posting certain personal information, including date of birth, on a website,
rather than adding date of birth to the information that is considered confidential and is excluded from disclosure.