Honorable Jodie Laubenberg, Chair, House Committee on Elections
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB1448 by Sheets (Relating to the provision of a voter's thumbprint with a mailed ballot.), As Introduced
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB1448, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($161,808) through the biennium ending August 31, 2017.
The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.
Fiscal Year
Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2016
($161,808)
2017
$0
2018
($57,808)
2019
$0
2020
($57,808)
Fiscal Year
Probable Savings/(Cost) from General Revenue Fund 1
2016
($161,808)
2017
$0
2018
($57,808)
2019
$0
2020
($57,808)
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would amend the Election Code to require a disposable fingerprint inked strip be attached to all mailed in ballots and require the Secretary of State (SOS) to establish rules to verify that information.
The bill would take effect September 1, 2015.
Methodology
Under the provisions of the bill, the SOS indicated the fiscal impact would be $161,808 in fiscal year 2016, $57,808 in fiscal years 2018 and 2020, and $0 in fiscal years 2017 and 2019. Costs include professional services and additional costs related to primary funding. The SOS indicates they would be required to update the Texas Election Administration Management System (TEAM) in fiscal year 2016 to accommodate provisions in the bill.
The SOS states that the state primary fund paid an average of 14,452 hours per primary election year for ballot board members. It is anticipated that adding additional steps would increase the time the board works by one-half or 7,226 hours. Currently, ballot board members are paid $8.00 per hour. This would result in $57,808 in additional costs per primary year.
The Department of Public Safety indicates there would be a minimal cost associated with implementing the provisions of the bill.
Technology
There would be a technology impact related to computer hardware, software, and coding changes to the TEAM System estimated to be $104,000 in fiscal year 2016, and $0 in each susequent fiscal year.
Local Government Impact
There would be costs associated with the provisions of the bill. The costs to local governments would vary depending on a number of factors including: the number of ballots to be voted by mail in each jurisdiction, the additional training and hours to verify fingerprints by the early voting ballot board, and the resources of each local entity.
Source Agencies:
307 Secretary of State, 405 Department of Public Safety