LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 80TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

Revision 1

April 16, 2007

TO:	Honorable Leo Berman, Chair, House Committee on Elections
FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB218 by Brown, Betty (Relating to requiring a voter to present proof of identification.), As Introduced

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB218, As Introduced: an impact of $0 through the biennium ending August 31, 2009.

General Revenue-Related Funds, Five-Year Impact:

Fiscal Year	Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2008	$0
2009	$0
2010	$0
2011	$0
2012	$0

All Funds, Five-Year Impact:

Fiscal Year	Probable Revenue Gain/(Loss) from TEXAS MOBILITY FUND 365
2008	($177,060)
2009	($177,060)
2010	($177,060)
2011	($177,060)
2012	($177,060)

Fiscal Analysis

The bill would amend Chapter 63 of the Election Code to require a voter to present qualifying identification, as described in the bill, in addition to a voter's registration certificate.

Qualifying identification would be one form of photo identification or two forms of proof of identification. Among the items that would constitute acceptable photo identification would be: a driver's license or personal identification card issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) that had not expired, or expired no earlier than two years before the date presented.

The bill would amend Chapter 521 of the Transportation Code to prohibit DPS from collecting a fee for a personal identification certificate issued to a person who executed an affidavit stating that the person was financially unable to pay the required fee, and the person was a registered voter in the state or would be eligible for registration and would submit a registration application to DPS.

 

The changes in law made by this bill relating to additional requirements for a registration application would apply only to an application for voter registration submitted on or after the effective date of the bill.  This bill would take effect September 1, 2007.

The Department of Public Safety estimates that the provision of the bill that would exempt certain applicants from payment for an identification card would result in an annual revenue loss of $177,060 each fiscal year out of the General Revenue Fund.  Additional costs to implement the provisions of the bill are expected to be minimal and could be absorbed within current resources.  

Methodology

The revenue loss is determined by applying the percentage of the population below poverty level (16.2%) to the estimated number of persons that would register to vote (72,864), the estimated number of persons eligible to execute the affidavit that they are financially unable to pay the fee for an identification card would be 11,804 (72,864  X 16.2% = 11,804).  If the fee were waived for these persons, the estimated revenue loss for the Texas Mobility Fund would be $177,060 for each fiscal year (11,804 x $15 = $177,060).

Technology

No significant impact to technology is anticipated.

Local Government Impact

No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Source Agencies:

405 Department of Public Safety, 307 Secretary of State, 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts

LBB Staff:

JOB, MN, MS