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

SPONSOR Durán

DATE TYPED 3/07/05

HB

SHORT TITLE Allow Formation of Certain Precinct Boards

SB 784

ANALYST Medina

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained Estimated Additional Impact Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY05

FY06

FY05

FY06

NFI

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Relates to School Election Law

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Secretary of State

Public Education Department

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 784 amends the School Election Law as it relates to the duties of the precinct board

to make discretionary rather than mandatory the involvement of the county clerk on the precinct

board. The provision applies when only one candidate for each position to be filled at the elec-

tion has filed, there are no write-in candidates and not bond issues or questions on the ballot.

Significant Issues

According to the Public Education Department, this bill in effect provides that the precinct board

always perform school election duties at each polling place, and that the county clerk would not

be involved.

Senate Bill 784 -- Page 2

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The Public Education Department asserts that the fiscal impact to school districts is difficult to

determine. The section of statute amended by this bill already requires school districts to assume

the costs of school elections and it is reasonable to assume that the county clerk be at all precinct

polling places in each school district during an election. Therefore, according to PED, it should

be assumed that precinct boards already perform duties at polling stations during school elections

and that any fiscal implication under this bill is likely to be minimal.

WHAT WILL BE THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ENACTING THIS BILL.

Statute would continue to require the county clerk be involved in school elections performing the

duties of the precinct board.

DXM/sb