LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 81ST LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

April 7, 2009

TO:	Honorable Todd Smith, Chair, House Committee on Elections
FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB2513 by Hopson (Relating to the procedures for registering to vote and accepting a voter at a polling place; providing a criminal penalty.), As Introduced

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would require every voter registration application form and certificate issued to contain a photograph of the applicant if one has been obtained under Section 31.012, Election Code.  The Secretary of State (SOS) would be required to establish methods to obtain photographs.  SOS would be allowed to enter into agreements with the Department of Public Safety (DPS), other state agencies, and governmental entities for assistance with assigning photographs to the appropriate registration certificate.  The bill would also make perjury committed in the execution of an affidavit for the purposes of being accepted to vote an aggravated perjury.  The bill would also allow for provisional voting under certain circumstances and would require SOS to prescribe procedures for this.  The bill would also repeal Sections 63.008, 63.009(b), and 63.010 of the Election Code.  It is assumed that costs associated with this bill could be absorbed within existing agencies' resources.  The bill would be effective September 1, 2009.

Local Government Impact

The bill would amend the Election Code requiring every voter registration application form and certificate issued to contain a photograph of the applicant if one has been obtained under Section 31.012, Election Code. Local governmental entities could enter into an agreement with the Secretary of State to provide assistance with assigning photographs to a voter’s registration certificate. Counties would be required to issue voter registration certificates with a voter’s photograph, resulting in counties purchasing new equipment in order to issue the certificates, or contracting with a vendor to outsource the printing and issue the certificates.

A voter who meets the voter identification requirements specified by the provisions of the bill would be permitted to vote either as a regular voter or on a provisional basis depending on the criteria met when offering to vote. A provisional voter must present proof of identification to a voter registrar for examination no later than the 10th business day after an election.

The fiscal impact to a county government to comply with the provisions of the bill could be very significant for photo and certificate printing, laminating, and mailing costs depending on the number of registered voters in a county.

Source Agencies:

307 Secretary of State, 405 Department of Public Safety

LBB Staff:

JOB, TP, MS, BTA