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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR:	Thompson		DATE TYPED:	1/28/03		HB	18
SHORT TITLE:		County Canvassing Observers				SB
					ANALYST:		Chavez

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained

Estimated Additional Impact

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY03

FY04

FY03

FY04

NFI

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

Secretary of State (SOS)

LFC Files

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 18 creates a new section of the Election Code (Chapter 1 NMSA 1978) allowing one member of each major political party to be “observers” during the canvassing of election returns.

Significant Issues

The board of county commissioners is ex officio the county canvassing board in each county. Since the meetings of the Board of County Commissioners are public it is unclear why this proposed legislation is necessary. At the present time any member of the public may be present during the canvassing of election returns.

F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

FC/yr