BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 3082

By: Isaac

Elections

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

In many large Texas counties, some districts have taken advantage of the mobile voting opportunities during early voting for bond elections by moving a single mobile voting unit to multiple locations in one day.  Interested parties report of instances in which the locations of the mobile voting stations and the times available for use appear to be most convenient for persons likely to vote in favor of the bonds.  There is concern that this practice is construed as a means of selecting certain voters based on the provisions on the ballot.  C.S.H.B. 3082 aims to provide equal access to all voters participating in early voting for bond elections and makes changes relating to the location of certain mobile voting stations.

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

C.S.H.B. 3082 amends the Election Code to prohibit a mobile voting station used for early voting in an election that includes a bond proposition in a city or school district located in a county with a population of more than one million from changing locations during the early voting period. The bill requires such a mobile voting station to be placed within the territory covered by the election in a manner to allow all of the voters in the territory the same access to the mobile voting station during the early voting period.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2011.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 3082 omits the specification included in the original that the prohibition against a mobile voting station used for early voting in certain elections and in specified counties from changing locations during the early voting period refers to a change of location during a single day within the early voting period. 

C.S.H.B. 3082 differs from the original by requiring the mobile voting station to be placed within the territory covered by the election in a manner to allow all of the voters in the territory the same access to the mobile voting station during the early voting period, whereas the original requires the mobile voting station to move around the territory in a manner to allow such access.