BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 2800
	By: Paul; Morales, Eddie (Paxton)
	State Affairs
	5/12/2023
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Having county election board meetings in person and open to the public will increase transparency about how elections are operated. H.B. 2800 seeks to impose this requirement and also requires notice of each meeting to be posted online 48 hours before each meeting if the county maintains a website.

H.B. 2800 amends the Election Code to require a meeting of a county election board to be held in person and open to the public. The bill requires the county clerk of a county that maintains a website to post on that website notice of a meeting of the county election board not later than 48 hours before each meeting.

H.B. 2800 amends current law relating to meetings of a county election board.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

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SECTION 1. Amends Section 51.002, Election Code, by adding Subsections (d) and (e), as follows:

(d) Requires that a meeting of the county election board be:

(1) held in person or virtually through the Internet; and

(2) open to the public.

(e) Requires the county clerk, not later than 48 hours before each meeting of the county election board, to post notice of the meeting on the county's Internet website, if the county maintains a website.

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2023.�