BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1462

By: Bonnen, Greg

Elections

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Concerned observers note that the goal of applying election law uniformly and consistently is not well served when the location of a temporary branch polling place, and each voting station located in the polling place, is not fixed at one location during an early voting period and when hours of voting at such polling places vary according to local practice. H.B. 1462 seeks to address these issues by imposing certain specific hours of early voting by personal appearance at each temporary branch polling place and by specifying that the location of such a polling place and of each voting station in the polling place be fixed during 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

H.B. 1462 repeals Election Code provisions restricting the days and hours for early voting by personal appearance at a temporary branch polling place based on county population and amends the Election Code to revise the days and hours for early voting by personal appearance at a temporary branch polling place by requiring such voting to be conducted on the days that voting is required to be conducted at the main early voting polling place and to remain open for at least eight hours each day or for three hours each day if the city or county clerk does not serve as the early voting clerk for the territory holding the election and the territory has fewer than 1,000 registered voters. The bill clarifies that the location of a temporary branch polling place, and each voting station located in the polling place, is required to be fixed at one place for the duration of the early voting period.

H.B. 1462 repeals the following provisions of the Election Code:

· Sections 85.064(a) and (c)

· Section 85.065

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2017.