LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
 
FISCAL NOTE, 79TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
 
May 17, 2005

TO:
Honorable Robert Duncan, Chair, Senate Committee on State Affairs
 
FROM:
John S. O'Brien, Deputy Director, Legislative Budget Board
 
IN RE:
HB178 by Denny (Relating to the use of electronically readable information from a driver's license or personal identification card in an election.), As Engrossed

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would amend the Election Code by allowing elections officials to access electronically readable information on a driver's license or personal identification card for proof of identification when determining whether a voter shall be accepted for voting. The secretary of state would be responsible for prescribing any necessary procedures to implement the provisions of the bill, for which no significant costs are anticipated.

Local Government Impact

If a local elections administration already has equipment that is able to read cards with electromagnetic information strips, the fiscal impact, which would include some reprogramming costs, would be minimal. Bexar, Fort Bend, and Midland counties reported that the impact to their offices would not be significant to their budgets.
 
Local entities without this equipment would incur moderate to significant costs to purchase equipment and supplies and to train employees in the use of the equipment. Tom Green County (population 104,000, elections budget $128,000) reported total start-up costs of $5,720 in fiscal year 2006. Victoria County (population 84,000, elections budget $200,000) reported that the capital outlay would cost $66,000 in the first year; programming and distribution would be $2,500 in fiscal years 2006 and 2007, rising to $4,000 in 2008; and the estimated cost of new staff would be $20,000 in fiscal years 2006 and 2007, climbing to $20,000 in fiscal years 2008, 2009, and 2010.


Source Agencies:
307 Secretary of State
LBB Staff:
JOB, SR, LB, MS, NR, KJG