HBA-JEK H.B. 1639 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1639 By: Yarbrough Elections 7/2/2001 Enrolled BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE In an attempt to ensure that applications for early voting are returned to the appropriate election official, the 76th Legislature passed legislation to require an application form for early voting to be printed or stamped with the name of the early voting clerk. However, it proved problematic for the secretary of state to print early voting applications with the individual name of each election clerk because of the large number of clerks in the state. House Bill 1639 modifies this requirement such that the name or office or official title of the election clerk must be printed or stamped on an application for early voting. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS House Bill 1639 amends the Election Code to authorize an applicant to apply for an early voting ballot only with an application form that has been printed or stamped with the name or office or official title of the early voting clerk. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001.