LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 79TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

April 22, 2005

TO:	Honorable Mary Denny, Chair, House Committee on Elections
FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Deputy Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB1994 by Talton (Relating to the offense of assisting multiple voters who cast a ballot by mail.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted

No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would create as a Class B misdemeanor the act of, in the same election, assisting more than one voter casting a ballot by mail unless the person providing assistance is an early voting clerk, deputy early voting clerk acting in that capacity, or is a person related to each additional assisted voter as a parent, grandparent, spouse, child, or sibling. Other exceptions are for a person who provides assistance at a facility as defined in Section 250.001, Health and Safety Code, and in the presence of a volunteer deputy registrar.

The bill would take effect September 1, 2005.

Local Government Impact

No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated from enforcement, prosecution, or punishment for the offense.

Source Agencies:

LBB Staff:

JOB, DLBa