BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 3379

By: Fallon

Elections

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties contend that a two-week early voting period is too long and that resources are wasted keeping locations open for so many days when voters do not show up. To address this issue, C.S.H.B. 3379 seeks to shorten the early voting period.

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. 3379 amends the Election Code to change the start date for the period of early voting by personal appearance from the 17th day before election day to the 10th day before election day and repeals provisions establishing a different start date for the early voting period in certain runoff elections and in an election held on the uniform election date in May. The bill removes the option for early voting by personal appearance in an election ordered by a city to be held for at least 12 hours on one weekday or on two weekdays depending on the number of weekdays in the period and instead requires early voting by personal appearance in such an election to be conducted for at least 12 hours on one weekday.  

C.S.H.B. 3379 repeals Sections 85.001(b) and (e), Election Code.

EFFECTIVE DATE

January 1, 2017.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 3379 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.  Sections 85.001(a) and (c), Election Code, are amended.	SECTION 1. Same as introduced version.
SECTION 2.  Section 85.005(d), Election Code, is amended.	SECTION 2. Same as introduced version.
SECTION 3.  Sections 85.006(a), (d), and (e), Election Code, are amended.	SECTION 3. Same as introduced version.
SECTION 4.  Sections 85.001(b) and (e), Election Code, are repealed.	SECTION 4. Same as introduced version.
SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2015.	SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect January 1, 2017.