| TO: | Honorable Todd Smith, Chair, House Committee on Elections |
| FROM: | John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | HB1457 by Hochberg (Relating to procedures concerning voter registration.), As Introduced |
The bill would require the Secretary of State (SOS) to adopt rules establishing standards for the verification of information on a voter registration application submitted by a registrar under Election Code, Section 13.072(a)(2)(A). If SOS cannot verify certain information or certain information is not a perfect match, the bill would require SOS to provide the registrar with the name and date of birth of the applicant. The bill would also require a voter registrar to correct records returned by the SOS if the registrar determines that a governmental clerical error was made on an application, and then return the corrected application to the SOS. If an application is rejected for failure to verify, the bill would require the registrar to deliver written notice of the reason why. SOS and the Department of Public Safety indicate that they are already doing the majority of the items the bill would require and could absorb additional costs associated with this bill within existing resources. The bill would be effective immediately if it receives two-thirds vote or on September 1, 2009.
| Source Agencies: | 307 Secretary of State, 405 Department of Public Safety
|
| LBB Staff: | JOB, TP, MS, BTA, LG
|