Texas 2023 88th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1933 House Committee Report / Fiscal Note

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                    LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD     Austin, Texas       FISCAL NOTE, 88TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION   Revision 1          May 15, 2023       TO: Honorable Reggie Smith, Chair, House Committee on Elections     FROM: Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board      IN RE: SB1933 by Bettencourt (relating to certain oversight procedures of the state over county elections.), Committee Report 2nd House, Substituted     The fiscal implications of the bill cannot be determined because the number of county offices administering elections or voter registrations that would be placed under administrative oversight cannot be estimated. The bill would amend the Election Code related to oversight of the state over county elections.The bill would clarify that the current randomized election audits are only to be conducted for elections held on the unified election date.  It would permit, but not require, the Secretary of State (SOS) to conduct a fifth audit under certain circumstances.  It would provide statutory authorization for the processing of certain complaints regarding the administration of elections in a county.In certain circumstances, the bill would grant the SOS administrative oversight of a county office administering elections or voter registration, would specify the powers granted to the agency for this oversight function, and would require certain reports.According to the SOS, the modifications the bill would make to the agency's statutory requirement to conduct randomized audits would not have a material effect because many elections are conducted on the uniform election dates set out in the Election Code.  As a result, according to the SOS, the provisions of the bill related to the conducting of audits would have no significant fiscal impact on the agency and would not generate any reductions in expenditures due to establishing a lower baseline of audit activity.Because the number of counties that would be subject to administrative oversight cannot be estimated at this time, the cost to the SOS to administer these new functions cannot be determined.    Local Government ImpactNo significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated based on the assessment by the SOS that the statutorily required audits would not be materially reduced in number by the bill.  Costs to counties resulting from administrative oversight cannot be determined at this time.  Source Agencies: b > td > 307 Secretary of State  LBB Staff: b > td > JMc, MOc, GP, CMA, SMAT, LCO, NV

LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE, 88TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
Revision 1
May 15, 2023

Revision 1 

Revision 1 

  TO: Honorable Reggie Smith, Chair, House Committee on Elections     FROM: Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board      IN RE: SB1933 by Bettencourt (relating to certain oversight procedures of the state over county elections.), Committee Report 2nd House, Substituted   

TO: Honorable Reggie Smith, Chair, House Committee on Elections
FROM: Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE: SB1933 by Bettencourt (relating to certain oversight procedures of the state over county elections.), Committee Report 2nd House, Substituted

 Honorable Reggie Smith, Chair, House Committee on Elections

 Honorable Reggie Smith, Chair, House Committee on Elections

 Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board 

 Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board 

 SB1933 by Bettencourt (relating to certain oversight procedures of the state over county elections.), Committee Report 2nd House, Substituted 

 SB1933 by Bettencourt (relating to certain oversight procedures of the state over county elections.), Committee Report 2nd House, Substituted 



The fiscal implications of the bill cannot be determined because the number of county offices administering elections or voter registrations that would be placed under administrative oversight cannot be estimated.

The fiscal implications of the bill cannot be determined because the number of county offices administering elections or voter registrations that would be placed under administrative oversight cannot be estimated.

The bill would amend the Election Code related to oversight of the state over county elections.The bill would clarify that the current randomized election audits are only to be conducted for elections held on the unified election date.  It would permit, but not require, the Secretary of State (SOS) to conduct a fifth audit under certain circumstances.  It would provide statutory authorization for the processing of certain complaints regarding the administration of elections in a county.In certain circumstances, the bill would grant the SOS administrative oversight of a county office administering elections or voter registration, would specify the powers granted to the agency for this oversight function, and would require certain reports.According to the SOS, the modifications the bill would make to the agency's statutory requirement to conduct randomized audits would not have a material effect because many elections are conducted on the uniform election dates set out in the Election Code.  As a result, according to the SOS, the provisions of the bill related to the conducting of audits would have no significant fiscal impact on the agency and would not generate any reductions in expenditures due to establishing a lower baseline of audit activity.Because the number of counties that would be subject to administrative oversight cannot be estimated at this time, the cost to the SOS to administer these new functions cannot be determined.  

The bill would amend the Election Code related to oversight of the state over county elections.



The bill would clarify that the current randomized election audits are only to be conducted for elections held on the unified election date.  It would permit, but not require, the Secretary of State (SOS) to conduct a fifth audit under certain circumstances.  It would provide statutory authorization for the processing of certain complaints regarding the administration of elections in a county.



In certain circumstances, the bill would grant the SOS administrative oversight of a county office administering elections or voter registration, would specify the powers granted to the agency for this oversight function, and would require certain reports.

According to the SOS, the modifications the bill would make to the agency's statutory requirement to conduct randomized audits would not have a material effect because many elections are conducted on the uniform election dates set out in the Election Code.  As a result, according to the SOS, the provisions of the bill related to the conducting of audits would have no significant fiscal impact on the agency and would not generate any reductions in expenditures due to establishing a lower baseline of audit activity.



Because the number of counties that would be subject to administrative oversight cannot be estimated at this time, the cost to the SOS to administer these new functions cannot be determined.  

 Local Government Impact

No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated based on the assessment by the SOS that the statutorily required audits would not be materially reduced in number by the bill.  Costs to counties resulting from administrative oversight cannot be determined at this time.

Source Agencies: b > td > 307 Secretary of State

307 Secretary of State

LBB Staff: b > td > JMc, MOc, GP, CMA, SMAT, LCO, NV

JMc, MOc, GP, CMA, SMAT, LCO, NV