BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 2721

By: Blanco

Elections

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties note that early voting standards, locations, and times differ across counties in Texas. Additionally, some counties do not maintain websites, which prevents locations and times for early voting from being readily available to voters. The parties contend that posting these locations on the secretary of state's website will make voting information more accessible to the voting public. H.B. 2721 seeks to address this issue.

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. 2721 amends the Election Code to require any required public notice of the time for voting during an early voting period to also be posted on the website of the authority ordering the election if the authority maintains a website and, for a primary election or general election, by the secretary of state on the secretary's website. The bill requires the authority ordering an election to forward its election notice to the secretary of state in a manner that affords the secretary of state sufficient time to post notice of the time for voting during an early voting period on the secretary of state's website, if applicable.

EFFECTIVE DATE

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