BILL ANALYSIS
By: Madden
Committee Report (Substituted)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Federal postcard applications (FPCAs) allow a voter living overseas to request a ballot and register for a specific election. Under current law, procedures relating to FPCAs ensure that this voter will also receive ballots for each federal election that occurs up to 4 years following the submission of the FPCA. There is no provision in current law, however, that provides for a period of continuous registration for other elections, such as those for cities or school districts. C.S.H.B. 2059 remedies this by providing that FPCAs serve as a ballot application for non-federal elections during the extended period, as well as for federal elections.
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
CSHB 2059 amends the Election Code by providing that a valid federal postcard application (FPCA) constitutes voter registration for the election for which the ballot is requested and for each election that occurs on or before the second general election for state and county officers that occurs after the date the application is submitted, rather than only for federal elections that occur during this period.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2005.
COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE
The substitute modifies the original by providing that FPCAs are valid for all elections that occur within the time period already specified for federal elections, rather than creating a separate extended period for the validity of the postcards for non-federal elections.