BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 981
By: West, Royce
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
In the 2004 presidential election, only 46 percent of the voting-age population in Texas voted. Of the 81 percent of the population registered to vote in Texas, 30 percent reported that their voting absence was due to conflicting work or school schedules. Current law allows employees two consecutive hours of paid leave outside of the voters' working hours for the purpose of going to the polls to vote. However, many employees are potentially unaware of this law and do not vote due to certain difficulties involved in voting outside of working hours.
As proposed, S.B. 981 requires employers to give 30 days notice to their employees of the rights of an employee in relation to voting under Section 276.004 (Unlawfully Prohibiting Employee from Voting), Election Code.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 276, Election Code, by adding Section 276.0041, as follows:
Sec. 276.0041. NOTICE OF EMPLOYEE RIGHTS. (a) Provides that an employer commits an offense by failing to post a notice setting forth employees' rights under Section 276.004 (Unlawfully Prohibiting Employee from Voting), Election Code, (notice) during the 30 days before each statewide election.
(b) Requires the notice to be posted conspicuously at the employees' place of work or another location where the notice can be seen as employees come or go to their place of work.
(c) Provides that an offense under this section is a Class C misdemeanor.
SECTION 2. (a) Makes application of this Act prospective.
(b) Provides that, for purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred before that date.
SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2007.