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BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

 

C.S.H.B. 2160

By: Paul

Elections

Committee Report (Substituted)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

Interested parties report that the authorities responsible for conducting elections find it difficult to recruit volunteer county election judges and clerks because these potential volunteers are concerned that their own personal information may be considered public information. C.S.H.B. 2160 seeks to address this concern.   

 

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

 

C.S.H.B. 2160 amends the Election Code to establish that an e-mail address or personal phone number of an election judge or clerk collected or maintained by the authority conducting the election is confidential and does not constitute public information for purposes of state public information law, except that the e-mail address or phone number is required to be made available on request to any entity eligible to submit lists of election judges or clerks for that election or the state executive committee of a political party with a county chair eligible to submit lists of election judges or clerks for that election.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

September 1, 2015.

 

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

 

While C.S.H.B. 2160 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following comparison is organized and formatted in a manner that indicates the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

 

INTRODUCED

HOUSE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE

SECTION 1.  Subchapter D, Chapter 32, Election Code, is amended by adding Section 32.076 to read as follows:

Sec. 32.076.  CONFIDENTIALITY OF E-MAIL ADDRESS AND PHONE NUMBER. 

 

An e-mail address or personal phone number of an election judge or clerk collected or maintained by the authority conducting the election is confidential and does not constitute public information for purposes of Chapter 552, Government Code.

 

SECTION 1.  Subchapter D, Chapter 32, Election Code, is amended by adding Section 32.076 to read as follows:

Sec. 32.076.  DISCLOSURE OF E-MAIL ADDRESS AND PHONE NUMBER RESTRICTED.  (a)  Except as provided by Subsection (b), an e-mail address or personal phone number of an election judge or clerk collected or maintained by the authority conducting the election is confidential and does not constitute public information for purposes of Chapter 552, Government Code.

(b)  An e-mail address or phone number described by Subsection (a) shall be made available on request to:

(1)  any entity eligible to submit lists of election judges or clerks for that election; or

(2)  the state executive committee of a political party with a county chair eligible to submit lists of election judges or clerks for that election.

SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.

 

SECTION 2. Same as introduced version.