BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 3736

By: Guerra

Elections

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Each county maintains its own database of voting record information and decides how to synchronize that database with the database maintained by the secretary of state. Due to this, voters have noticed a discrepancy in their voting records and believe that the transfer of data between county databases and the secretary's database may be responsible for the absence of records. H.B. 3736 seeks to address this issue by requiring the secretary of state to conduct a study regarding the accuracy of the statewide computerized voter registration list and any related database.

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. 3736 amends the Election Code to require the secretary of state to conduct a study regarding the accuracy of the statewide computerized voter registration list and any related database. The study must include the following:

· an examination of the processes by which each voter registrar and general custodian of election records provides voter registration information and voter participation information, respectively, to the secretary of state;

· a comparison of the voter information contained in the voter information database maintained by the secretary of state to the voter information contained in the database maintained by each county; and

· any other recommendations for legislative or other action to ensure that the statewide voter information contained in the database maintained by the secretary is synchronized with the information contained in the databases maintained by each county.

The bill requires the secretary of state to prepare and submit, not later than September 1, 2024, a report on the study's findings to the standing committees of each house of the legislature that have jurisdiction over elections. The bill's provisions expire September 1, 2025.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2023.