HBA-MSH H.B. 2799 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2799 By: Hodge Elections 4/16/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Current law authorizes military personnel and citizens living abroad to apply with a single federal postcard application for a ballot for multiple elections conducted by the same early voting clerk and allows extra time after the polls close on election day for the ballots to arrive by mail. The conveniences are not allowed for those voting by mail for reason of age or disability. Also, confusion arises when conflicting addresses are on record for a single voter. An address confirmation form would alleviate this confusion and ensure that a ballot is mailed to the correct address. House Bill 2799 allows the elderly and disabled to apply for ballots for multiple elections, provides for an address confirmation form, and changes the dates for accepting and counting ballots received by mail. 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 2799 amends the Election Code to authorize an applicant for a ballot to be voted by mail on the ground of age or disability to apply on the same application for ballots for each election in which the applicant may be eligible to vote in the calendar year. If the applicable address specified in a voter's application to vote by mail is an address other than the address at which the voter is registered to vote or another permitted address but is in the voter's county of residence, the bill requires that a form for a statement of residence be provided to the voter. The bill requires a marked ballot voted by mail to be counted if the carrier envelope was placed for delivery before the time the polls are required to close on election day and the ballot arrives at the address on the carrier envelope not later than the fifth day after the date of the general election for state and county officers or the second day after the date of any other election. The bill sets forth provisions relating to the convening of the early voting board in regard to these dates. The bill deletes provisions relating to the timeliness of envelopes sent from an address outside the United States, and those not bearing a cancellation mark or receipt mark. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001.