BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1306

By: Sheffield

Elections

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

A volunteer deputy voter registrar is given the task of accepting voter registration applications and address changes for qualified voters. In the past, voter fraud has occurred most frequently through voter registration applications accepted by a volunteer deputy registrar.

H.B. 1306 seeks to ensure that only the most qualified and trustworthy candidates are eligible for appointment as a volunteer deputy voter registrar by requiring a candidate to be a registered voter and not to have been finally convicted of an offense relating to identity theft.

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. 1306 amends the Election Code to require, as a condition of eligibility for appointment as a volunteer deputy voter registrar, that a person be a registered voter and not have been finally convicted of an offense relating to the fraudulent use or possession of identifying information. The bill removes as an eligibility requirement for such an appointment that the person be at least 18 years of age. The bill includes as grounds for terminating such an appointment the final conviction of a volunteer deputy voter registrar for an offense relating to the fraudulent use or possession of identifying information.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2011.