HBA-RBT H.B. 1509 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1509
By: Yarbrough
Elections
3/27/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, many counties utilize voting systems with punch card ballots.
When punch card ballots are manually counted, a vote on a ballot is not
counted unless at least two corners of the chad are detached, light is
visible through the hole, or the chad reflects a clearly ascertainable
intent of the voter to vote.  If the ballot is not punched properly it is
difficult for an election official to determine which, if any, candidate
the voter intended to choose in a particular race. H.B. 1509 deletes the
provision that allows a vote to be counted if there is a clearly
ascertainable intent of the voter to vote. 

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. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Sections 127.130(d) and (e), Election Code, to delete
language providing that any indication of a clearly ascertainable intent of
the voter to vote is to be counted in an election. This change authorizes
only ballots in which two corners of the chad are detached or if light is
visible through the hole on a punch card ballot to be counted. 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 1999.

SECTION 3.  Emergency clause.