HBA-JEK H.B. 1639 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1639 By: Yarbrough Elections 3/13/2001 Introduced 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 has 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 removes the requirement that the name of the election clerk 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 remove the requirement that an application form for an early voting ballot be stamped with the name of the early voting clerk. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001.