COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH
OVERSIGHT DIVISION
FISCAL NOTE
L.R. No.: 1893-04
Bill No.: Perfected SS for SCS for SB 476, 427, & 62
Subject: Elections: Appropriations
Type: Original
Date: April 25, 2001
FISCAL SUMMARY
| FUND AFFECTED | FY 2002 | FY 2003 | FY 2004 |
| General Revenue | ($141,667 to $5,325,000) | ($530,665 to at least $5,710,665) | ($138,911 to $5,338,911 ) |
| Technology | $1,093,125 | $2,186,250 | $2,186,250 |
| Total Estimated
Net Effect on All State Funds |
$951,458 to ($4,231,875) | $1,655,585 to $(3,524,415) | $2,047,339 to ($3,152,661) |
| FUND AFFECTED | FY 2002 | FY 2003 | FY 2004 |
| Total Estimated
Net Effect on All Federal Funds |
$0 | $0 | $0 |
| FUND AFFECTED | FY 2002 | FY 2003 | FY 2004 |
| Local Government | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Numbers within parentheses: ( ) indicate costs or losses.
This fiscal note contains 6 pages.
ASSUMPTION
Officials of the Office of Attorney General assume no fiscal impact.
Officials of the Kansas City Board of Election Commission stated that the main fiscal impact with this proposal would be the costs of conducting early voting. Officials stated that early voting as envisioned could increase local costs in Kansas City by as much as $20,000, possibly more. Officials stated costs would be driven by staffing and overtime. Officials estimate the costs of other requirements of this proposal, regulations, new posters at polls, multilingual forms, provisional ballots, etc. at approximately $10,000.
Officials of the Office of Secretary of State assume they would need 2.0 FTE, a Grant Administrator and a Range 22 Investigator. Officials estimate costs for salary, fringe benefits, equipment and expenses which includes printing postcards, grant for election equipment, election judge pay to $7 per hour, and a grant for a youth voting program for 10 months of FY 2002 $5,242,350; for FY 2003 $5,326,484; and $5,254,730 in FY 2004. Officials estimated that to increase election judges salaries to $7 per hour would cost less than $100,000 in even numbered years, and approximately $100,000 in odd numbered years.
Oversight assumes that fees to the Technology Trust Fund have been extended from 12-31-01 to 12-31-09, therefore, Oversight will show income to the Fund beginning for 6 months of FY 2002, FY 2003, and FY 2004.
Officials of the Office of Administration assumes that Section 115.062 refers to the State's proportional costs of Sections 115.065 and 115.157. The term "proportional costs" is defined in 115.065, but the definition does not include payments made to election authorities under Section 115.157. Nor does Section 115.157 directly require payment or address the State's cost. Section 115.065.4 does require, subject to appropriation, reimbursement to election authorities "for transactions submitted pursuant to the provisions of Section 115.157". The use of seemingly contradictory phrases when describing what the election authorities should receive from the state permits interpretations that could result in a wide range of costs. Therefore, it is unknown how these costs would be calculated. Oversight will show fiscal impact as $0 to (Unknown).
Officials assume this proposal eliminates the need for funds paid, through the Office of Administration, for printing ballots in cases where only one person has filed for committeeman or committeewoman. Officials estimate that they would have had to provide $205,000 in FY 2003 to pay the cost of producing ballots for elections when only one person files for committeeman or woman.
Officials assume there would be a savings of $205,000 to the State's General Revenue Fund in FY 2003. (Section 115.617)
ASSUMPTION (continued)
Officials assume there would be costs for the State associated with early voting. Officials estimated costs based on a newspaper article in the Columbian Missourian published on February 6, 2001. Officials estimate a range of $600,000 to $3,960,000. Officials estimate costs and savings would occur in FY 2003. Early Voting funding would be subject to appropriation.
Officials of the Department of Revenue assume the Customer Assistance Bureau manages operations in the driver license and motor vehicle registration field offices. The Customer Assistance Bureau will require additional funding for postage associated with more frequent mailing of voter registration applications to local election officials. The Customer Assistance Bureau assumes that the mailing would continue to be conducted as they are today. All applications collected in each office are mailed to the county election office of the county that the office is physically located in. In order to comply with this legislation and to take into consideration the wide array of office business hours of all the field offices, the Customer
Assistance Bureau will require each license office to mail the applications twice per week. Currently, offices mail the applications once per week. Officials annual postage cost increase is estimated at $8,736 in FY 2002, 2003, and 2004. Officials estimate annual forms cost increase at $445.12. (Section 115.151)
Oversight assumes that counties would not have to initiate the program of early voting if the state does not appropriate funds to defray the costs
.
(10 Mo.) *Subject to Appropriation
FISCAL IMPACT - State Government
FY 2002
FY 2003
FY 2004
GENERAL REVENUE FUND
Cost to Secretary of State
for:
Personal Service (2.0 FTE )
($64,114)
($78,860)
($80,831) Fringe Benefits
($21,369)
($26,284)
($26,941) Equipment
($15,200)
($740)
($740) Expense:
Printing postcards
($16,667)
($20,600)
($21,218) Election Judges Compensation $7 per
hr.* (Section 115.101) *
$0 to($100,000)
$0 to ($100,000)
$0 to($100,000) Grant/Election Equip (Section115.074) *
$0 to
($5,000,000)
$0 to
($5,000,000)
$0 to
($5,000,000) Grant/Youth Voting (Section 115.074) *
$0 to ($100,000)
$0 to (100,000)
$0 to ($100,000) Total costs to SOS *
($134,017 to
$5,317,350)
($126,484 to
$5,326,484)
($129,730 to
$5,329,730) * Subject to Appropriation
Savings to Office of Administration
(Section 115.617)
$0
$205,000
$0 Cost to Office of Administration
(Section 115.126.3) "Early Voting"*
$0
($600,000 to
$3,960,000)
$0 Cost to Office of Administration
(Section 115.062) "Proportional
Election"*
$0
$0 to
(Unknown)
$0 Total cost to Office of Administration
$0
($395,000 to
$3,755,000 to
Unknown)
$0
Cost to Department of Revenue
Voter registration turnover
Postage
($7,280)
($8,736)
($8,736) Forms
($370)
($445)
($445) Total costs to DOR
($7,650)
($9,181)
($9,181)
ESTIMATED NET EFFECT TO
GENERAL REVENUE FUND
($141,667 to
$5,325,000)
($530,665 to at
least
$5,710,665)
($138,911 to
$5,338,911)
TECHNOLOGY TRUST FUND
( 6 Mo. )
Income to Technology Trust Fund
Extension of sunset date to 12-31-09
$1,093,125
$2,186,250
$2,186,250
| FISCAL IMPACT - Local Government | FY 2002
(10 Mo.) |
FY 2003 | FY 2004 |
| Estimated Net Effect to Local Government | $0 | $0 | $0 |
FISCAL IMPACT - Small Business
Small businesses who would employee a person that would be an election judge would be affected as a result of this proposal.
DESCRIPTION
This act makes numerous changes to existing election law. With respect to voting, election authorities shall establish an advance voting period. Sole caretakers of the ill or disabled may vote absentee. Persons in federal service in remote areas may fax their absentee ballots. Polling places must have large posters of voting instructions. The Secretary of State may develop multi-lingual voting instructions and sample ballots. Butterfly ballots are prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Secretary of State. This act authorizes the use of computerized voting systems.
Election judges may take time off from work without penalty. Election judges may be from any political party or have no party affiliation. Also, each established political party may have a
non-voting representative to boards of election authorities.
This act directs the Secretary of State to set statewide uniform counting standards. This act deletes the provision giving election judges discretion to count ballots where a voter's intent seems clear. This act also deletes the provision stating that ballots will not be rejected for containing fewer marks than required by law.
This act authorizes the Secretary of State to request appropriations from the General Assembly for election services and equipment and, subject to appropriations, to administer matching grant programs for improving voting processes or equipment, for youth voting programs, and for increasing pay for election judges. This act permits election authorities to receive federal grants for improving the election process in federal elections.
Regarding enforcement of election laws, this act grants the Secretary of State powers to investigate allegations of election law violations. Two school districts, Columbia 93 and Lee's Summit R-VII, may keep three-year school board terms despite these districts' new status as "urban school districts", which normally have six-year school board terms.
This legislation is not federally mandated, would not duplicate any other program and would not require additional capital improvements or rental space.
SOURCES OF INFORMATION
Department of Revenue
Office of Administration
Secretary of State
Office of Attorney General
Kansas City Board of Election Commissioners
Jeanne Jarrett, CPA
Director
April 25, 2001