LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
 
FISCAL NOTE, 79TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
 
February 21, 2005

TO:
Honorable Mary Denny, Chair, House Committee on Elections
 
FROM:
John S. O'Brien, Deputy Director, Legislative Budget Board
 
IN RE:
HB652 by Bohac (Relating to the submission of proposed charter amendments to the voters in a home-rule municipality.), As Introduced

No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would amend the Local Government Code by removing the option as to when an election would be required to be held for the voters in a home-rule municipality to consider proposed charter amendments. The bill would take effect September 1, 2005.

Under current statute, an election regarding proposed charter amendments could be held on either the first authorized uniform election date prescribed by the Election Code or on the earlier of the date of the next municipal general election or presidential general election, as long as sufficient time is allowed to comply with other legal requirements and that the election is held on or after the 30th day after the ordinance requiring an election is passed. The proposed change in statute would require the election to be held on the first authorized uniform election date; the timeframe requirment would not be changed.

The state would not incur expenses beyond the usual costs associated with an election if the first authorized uniform election date were to be a general election. The state would not incur any expenses if the first authorized uniform election date on which to consider the issue were to be other than a general election date.


Local Government Impact

Based on costs reported to the Secretary of State (SOS) in the summer of 2004 by a sampling of counties, municipalities, and special districts, the average cost incurred by a local government entity for an election is $1.29 per registered voter. According to March 2004 data from the SOS, there are nearly 12.3 million registered voters in Texas.

The election cost per local government would vary depending on the number of voters registered in each. If the first authorized uniform election were to be a general election date, the local government would experience an increase in costs that would not likely be significant (because the state pays the majority of the costs). If the first authorized uniform election were to be a uniform election date other than a general election date, the local government would incur the full costs associated with conducting the election (pay to workers, fee for use of polling locations, publishing notice in newspapers, printing of ballots).


Source Agencies:
LBB Staff:
JOB, DLBa