Honorable Geanie Morrison, Chair, House Committee On Elections
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB986 by Elkins (Relating to the language in which a ballot to be voted by mail is printed.), As Introduced
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would amend the Election Code to require the Secretary of State to prescribe procedures for the officially prescribed application form for an early voting ballot for an election in which ballots to be voted by mail are required to be printed in two or more languages other than English. The bill would allow the applicant to indicate the printed language the applicant desires for the ballot, and require the early voting clerk to provide the applicant a ballot in that language if it is required to be used for ballots in the election. An applicant shall be provided an English language ballot if no language preference is indicated.
The Secretary of State indicates the provisions of the bill could be implemented within existing resources.
This bill would take effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of each house; if not, it will take effect on September 1, 2013.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.