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

SPONSOR Cervantes

DATE TYPED 02/28/05 HB 902

SHORT TITLE Election Registration Certificates

SB

ANALYST Ford

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained Estimated Additional Impact Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY05

FY06

FY05

FY06

NFI

See Narrative

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Relates to HB 329, HB 361, HB 1063, SB 678, SB 718

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Attorney General (AGO)

Secretary of State (SOS)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 902 defines a registration agent as “a state or federal employee who provides voter

registration at a state agency or any other individual who assists another person in completion of

a voter registration application.” The bill specifies that a qualified elector may apply to a regis-

tration agent for registration in addition to a registration officer. The bill allows an agent or

qualified elector, in addition to the registration officer as allowed under current law, to fill out

the registration. Finally, the bill requires that a voter be given a duplicate of the original, which

shall contain the name of the agent, if any, who assisted the applicant.

Significant Issues

According to the AGO, this bill further memorializes into law that non-governmental workers

can assist a person in registering to vote. Further, the bill requires the registrant to receive a copy

of the registration form. There were reports in the 2004 General Election of new registrations

House Bill 902 -- Page 2

not being on the voter roster and not having documentation that they had registered.

The SOS indicates that it provides the voter registration forms and plans to revise the form to

include a detachable receipt.

Section 2 requires that the “voter” shall be given a duplicate of the registration. This should read

“qualified elector” since the individuals has not yet registered and is therefore not yet a voter.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

This bill allows that the copy of the registration provided to the qualified elector can be a carbon

copy, so it is not necessary for the SOS to reprint its voter registration forms. However, the SOS

indicates that it is already planning to revise its forms to include a detachable receipt.

CONFLICT, DUPLICATION, COMPANIONSHIP, RELATIONSHIP

House Bill 329 and senate Bill 718 define registration agent and require a qualified elector to re-

ceive a copy of the registration certificate. House Bills 361 and 1063 and Senate Bill 678 define

registration agents and require them to register with the SOS.

TECHNICAL ISSUES

On page 2, line 8, the word “voter” should be replaced with “qualified elector.”

EF/yr