BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 2465

By: Farias

Elections

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Under current procedures, a voter can be placed on the voter suspense list for reasons such as failure to respond to a registrar confirmation notice, return of the voter's renewal certificate to the registrar as undeliverable, or circumstances related to residency. A voter on the suspense list is still eligible to vote and can be reinstated if the voter completes a residence statement at the polls or at the election office. However, if the voter is on the suspense list for two federal election cycles without voting, there is concern that a voter's registration may be canceled and reinstated only by completing a new voter registration application.

Interested parties assert that a voter who is on the suspense list should have every opportunity to easily determine that status and reinstate the voter's registration before it is purged without the voter's knowledge. H.B. 2465 seeks to require the secretary of state to provide such an opportunity through the Internet.

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. 2465 amends the Election Code to require any Internet website maintained by the secretary of state that permits a person to determine the person's voter registration status to indicate, to the extent possible, if the person is or may be on the suspense list.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2013.