BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1825

By: Goldman

Elections

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties contend that a lack of oversight of movable temporary branch polling places in Texas coupled with the flexibility of local entities in selecting locations, dates, and hours for these polling places allows some entities hosting elections to unethically target locations or populations that will be most supportive of the entity's ballot initiatives. H.B. 1825 seeks to address this issue by providing transparent parameters for early voting at movable polling places in Texas.

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. 1825 amends the Election Code to require early voting by personal appearance at a movable temporary branch polling place to be conducted for at least eight hours on each day voting is conducted. The bill restricts the changing of the location of a movable polling place to a time after the polling place has been open for at least two days of voting at its current location. The bill repeals the exemption from using county precincts as the election precincts for an election held on the May uniform election date by a political subdivision that has not established a permanent or temporary branch early voting polling place or that conducts early voting by personal appearance at permanent or temporary branch polling places meeting certain requirements relating to the days and hours voting is conducted.

H.B. 1825 repeals Section 42.002(c), Election Code.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2017.