HBA-TBM C.S.H.B. 2922 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.H.B. 2922
By: Jones, Jesse
Elections
4/1/2001
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

The rights of the average voter are held sacred in our democratic society.
However, the election process may confer power on specific persons and
groups of people.  As such, the state should ensure that the rights of
voters are protected.  C.S.H.B. 2922 establishes a hotline for the
reporting of an existing or potential abuse of voter rights.   

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

C.S.H.B. 2922 amends the Election Code to require the secretary of state to
establish a toll-free telephone number to allow a person to report an
existing or potential abuse of voting rights.  A notice informing voters of
the telephone number and the purpose for the number is required to be
continuously posted in a prominent location at each polling place during
the early voting period and on election day for each election held on a
uniform election date.  The bill requires the secretary of state to
prescribe the form for the notice.  
The secretary of state is required to establish a toll-free telephone
number and prescribe the form for the notice informing voters about the
number on or before November 1, 2001.   

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.  

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 2922 differs from the original by specifying that the required
notice of the voting rights hotline is required to be posted on election
day only for each election held on a uniform election date.