BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center                                                                                              C.S.H.B. 1654

                                                                                                                               By: Anchia (Ellis)

                                                                                                                                       State Affairs

                                                                                                                                            5/21/2009

                                                                                                        Committee Report (Substituted)

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

Texas ranks 42nd in the nation in voter registration of 18 to 24 year olds.  According to the latest available United States census data, only 53.8 percent of Texans 18-24 years old were registered, compared to 69.5 percent of all Texans.  National data also indicates voter registration for 18 year olds (30 percent) is significantly lower than for 20 to 24 year olds.

 

Under current law, principals of public and private high schools or their designees are required to serve as deputy registrars to facilitate voter registration of eligible students.  However, principals are often unavailable to fulfill this role due to their other responsibilities or have limited interaction with students.  The purpose of the bill is to increase voter registration of high school seniors.

 

C.S.H.B. 1654 amends current law relating to the appointment of high school deputy registrars in certain counties.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 13.046, Election Code, by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1), as follows:

 

(a) Creates an exception under Subsection (a-1).

 

(a-1) Provides that this subsection applies only to a public or private high school that is located in a county with a population of 100,000 or more and that has five or more employees.  Requires each principal of a 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.

 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 2009.