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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR:	J.G. Taylor		DATE TYPED:	2/20/03		HB	669
SHORT TITLE:		Constitutional Amendments Special Election				SB
					ANALYST:		Collard

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained		Estimated Additional Impact		Recurring or Non-Rec	Fund Affected
FY03	FY04	FY03	FY04
	$900.0		See Narrative	Recurring	General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Related to HB 310\a and SB 579

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

Responses Received From

Secretary of State

State Department of Education

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 669 appropriates $900,000 from the general fund to the Secretary of State for the purpose of holding a special election for constitutional amendments on the fourth Tuesday of September 2003, unless otherwise stated in the amendment. This bill contains an emergency clause.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $900.0 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY04 shall revert to the general fund.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

The Secretary of State anticipates severe administrative implications with this bill. The Bureau of Elections will be preparing candidate guides, nominating petitions, election calendar and other documents necessary for the beginning of the 2004 Presidential Election cycle from July through October 1, 2003 (the date upon which nominating petitions may be circulated). In addition, the department notes the impact of the implementation of the Help America Vote Act is already placing stress on available resources. The department’s ability to properly serve the public, candidates and elected officials will be severely compromised and the possibility of failure to meet statutory deadlines increased. The legislature should consider the fact that it has been many years since any new FTE’s have been assigned to the Bureau of Elections. During that time there have been numerous incremental increases of duties assigned to the bureau, an increase in registered voters to nearly one million, as well as compliance with new federal laws.

RELATIONSHIP

House Bill 669 is related to the amended version of House Bill 310 in that HB 310/a proposes to submit amendments related to the public school system to the voters at a special election to be held on the first Tuesday of November 2003, makes an appropriation of $900.0 and declares an emergency.

House Bill 669 is related to Senate Bill 579 in that Senate Bill 579 proposes to submit constitutional amendments related to the public school system to the voters at a special election to be held on the fourth Tuesday of September 2003, makes an appropriation of $900.0 and declares an emergency.

TECHNICAL ISSUES

The State Department of Education notes on page 2, line 2, the phrase “provided for” is repeated.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

The Secretary of State assumes House Bill 216 will pass to make all constitutional amendments mail ballot elections, and indicates the $900.0 is the best estimate the department could establish for a mail ballot election, as it has never been done before. A conventional election costs approximately $1,200.0. If the special election is held as a conventional election, an additional $300.0 will be needed to help pay for legal advertising, compliance with the federal Voting Rights Act and publication of the voter guide.

KBC/njw