BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1831

By: Zedler

Elections

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties assert that a voter registrar's responsibility to report incidents in which an unregistered voter has voted in an election and the authority of voters to present allegations of criminal misconduct in an election to the attorney general only applies in an election that covers territory in more than one county. The parties contend that there are many other instances of such activity that should also be investigated by the attorney general. H.B. 1831 seeks to address these issues.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

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. 1831 amends the Election Code to remove conditions restricting the application of the following provisions regarding the attorney general's investigation of election-related offenses to an election that covers territory in more than one county: the requirement for a voter registrar, if the registrar determines that a person who is not a registered voter voted in an election, to deliver an affidavit stating the relevant facts to the attorney general; the authorization for voters to present affidavits alleging criminal conduct in connection with an election to the attorney general; and the requirement for the attorney general to investigate allegations of criminal conduct in connection with an election if presented with affidavits alleging such conduct from two or more registered voters of the territory covered by the election.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2015.