BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 3124

By: Schofield

Elections

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties note that the process for requesting a waiver from the requirement to comply with federal law regarding the availability of voting stations accessible to persons with disabilities is burdensome in the case of special or runoff elections owing to time constraints. H.B. 3124 seeks to address this problem. 

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. 3124 amends the Election Code to change the type of elections to which statutory provisions governing access to a voting station by persons with disabilities in certain political subdivisions and under certain conditions apply from an election other than an election of a political subdivision that is held jointly with another election in which a federal office appears on the ballot to an election other than an election held on the date of the general election for state and county officers or a special election to fill a vacancy in Congress. The bill changes from the 90th day before the date of an election to the 10th day after the date an election is ordered the deadline for a county or political subdivision to make a showing of undue burden by filing an application with the secretary of state that states the reasons that compliance with certain statutory requirements for access to a voting station by persons with disabilities would constitute an undue burden.

EFFECTIVE DATE

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