BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1654

By: Anchia

Elections

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Under current law, principals of public or private high schools or their designees are required to serve as deputy registrars for the county in which the school is located. Principals, however, are called upon to serve in various capacities and are often unavailable to fully fulfill their role as deputy registrars.

H.B. 1654 requires high school principals to designate four people serving at the high school who are employees of the high school or employees of the district in which the high school is located to serve as deputy registrars. The bill requires that at least three of the employees designated as deputy registrars be classroom teachers or full-time counselors. The bill provides for more accessible deputy registrars and will increase voter registration among high school students eligible to vote.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 1654 amends the Election Code to require each principal of a public or private high school to designate four people who are employees of the high school or employees of the district in which the high school is located and serving at the high school to serve as deputy registrars for the county in which the school is located, rather than requiring each principal of a public or private school, or the principal's designee, to serve as a deputy registrar.  The bill requires at least three of the employees designated as deputy registrars be certified classroom teachers or full-time certified counselors. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2009.