BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 4251

By: Toth

Elections

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

In Texas, public libraries are designated as voter registration agencies. However, concerns have been raised regarding some of the duties required of a voter registration agency. It has been suggested that public libraries do not have the ability to fully adhere to some of these requirements, which are typically better suited for larger agencies with higher budgets. C.S.H.B. 4251 seeks to remedy this situation by exempting a public library from voter registration agency requirements relating to agency coordinators.

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. 4251 amends the Election Code to exempt a public library from requirements to do the following with respect to the library's designation as a voter registration agency:

· designate one or more persons to coordinate a voter registration program;

· conduct training for library employees in voter registration procedures with the assistance of the secretary of state; and

· submit to the secretary of state a plan to implement voter registration procedures.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2021.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 4251 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following summarizes the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

The original exempts public libraries from statutory provisions regarding voter registration agencies, subject to a rule adopted by the secretary of state, whereas the substitute narrows the exemption to provisions relating to agency coordinators.