LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 81ST LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

March 15, 2009

TO:	Honorable Todd Smith, Chair, House Committee on Elections
FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB513 by Vo (Relating to allowing a person who will be 18 years of age on the date of the general election for state and county officers to vote in the preceding primary elections.), As Introduced

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB513, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($282,000) through the biennium ending August 31, 2011.

The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.

The bill would allow a person who will be 18 year of age or older on the date of the next general election to register as a voter in the primary election. The secretary of state would be required to develop procedures to implement the provisions of the bill.

 

The bill would take effect only if the constitutional amendment proposed by the Eighty-first Legislature, relating to allowing persons under the age of 18 to vote in a primary election, is authorized by voters.

Appropriations:

Fiscal Year	Appropriation out of General Revenue Fund 1
2010
2011

General Revenue-Related Funds, Two-Year Impact:

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

General Revenue-Related Funds, Five-Year Impact:

Fiscal Year	Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2010	($282,000)
2011	$0
2012	$0
2013	$0
2014	$0

All Funds, Five-Year Impact:

Fiscal Year	Probable Savings/(Cost) from General Revenue Fund 1	Change in Number of State Employees from FY 2009
2010	($282,000)	0.0
2011
2012
2013
2014

Fiscal Analysis

The bill would allow a person who will be 18 year of age or older on the date of the next general election to register as a voter in the primary election. The secretary of state would be required to develop procedures to implement the provisions of the bill.

 

The bill would take effect only if the constitutional amendment proposed by the Eighty-first Legislature, relating to allowing persons under the age of 18 to vote in a primary election, is authorized by voters.

Methodology

The Secretary of State reports that the logic within the TEAM system would have to be modified
to accommodate the changes in voter eligibility. It is estimated that this will require approximately 1,880 hours of programmer time. IT will contract for additional programmer resources to accomplish this task. The cost of contract programmers is estimated at $150.00 per hour. This results in a cost for programming services of approximately $282,000.00.

Technology

The statewide voter registration system would have to be modified extensively to handle the statutory change in voting age.

Local Government Impact

The bill would allow a person who will be 18 years of age on the date of a general election to be eligible to register as a voter if the person meets the requirements as defined by Section 13.001 of the Election Code.

Based on a random sampling of counties, most reported the costs associated with implementing the provisions of the bill would be insignificant; however, Comal County reported they would need an additional election worker at each polling location during a primary election to assist with voter eligibility requirements at an estimated total cost of $200 for salary and other cost. The fiscal impact to counties would vary depending on the size of the county and the staffing needs to implement the provisions of the bill. The bill would require an election to be enacted.

Source Agencies:

307 Secretary of State

LBB Staff:

JOB, TP, MS, BTA