BILL ANALYSIS
By: Bohac
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Under current law, precinct election records from non-federal races are only required to be preserved for 60 days after election day. Precinct records for elections involving a federal office, however, are kept for 22 months. In an effort to protect the general public's right to inspect election records and to keep the preservation period for all records consistent, House Bill 1580 requires all precinct election records to be kept for 22 months.
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 1580 amends the Election Code to require all precinct election records to be kept for at least 22 months after election day, rather than 60 days after election day for non-federal elections and 22 months after election day for federal elections.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2005.