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.