Bill Text: IL HB3063 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amends the Election Code. Provides that a vote center location established by the election authority shall be compliant with the federal Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act of 1984. Provides that any voter with a temporary or permanent disability who, because of structural features of the building in which the polling place is located, is unable to access or enter the polling place shall be informed of the nearest accessible vote center. Removes provisions concerning an exception to the requirement that all polling places shall be accessible to voters with disabilities and elderly voters and each polling place shall include at least one voting booth that is wheelchair accessible. In provisions concerning vote centers, changes the repeal date from July 1, 2023 to July 1, 2024. Effective immediately.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2023-03-10 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee [HB3063 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-HB3063-Introduced.html

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103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 HB3063 Introduced , by Rep. Kevin John Olickal SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
10 ILCS 5/11-4.2 from Ch. 46, par. 11-4.2
10 ILCS 5/11-8
10 ILCS 5/17-13 from Ch. 46, par. 17-13
Amends the Election Code. Provides that a vote center location established by the election authority shall be compliant with the federal Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act of 1984. Provides that any voter with a temporary or permanent disability who, because of structural features of the building in which the polling place is located, is unable to access or enter the polling place shall be informed of the nearest accessible vote center. Removes provisions concerning an exception to the requirement that all polling places shall be accessible to voters with disabilities and elderly voters and each polling place shall include at least one voting booth that is wheelchair accessible. In provisions concerning vote centers, changes the repeal date from July 1, 2023 to July 1, 2024. Effective immediately.
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A BILL FOR
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AN ACT concerning elections.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Election Code is amended by changing
Sections 11-4.2, 11-8, and 17-13 as follows:
(10 ILCS 5/11-4.2) (from Ch. 46, par. 11-4.2)
Sec. 11-4.2. (a) Except as otherwise provided in
subsection (b) all polling places shall be accessible to
voters with disabilities and elderly voters, as determined by
rule of the State Board of Elections, and each polling place
shall include at least one voting booth that is wheelchair
accessible.
(b) Subsection (a) of this Section shall not apply to a
polling place (1) in the case of an emergency, as determined by
the State Board of Elections; or (2) if the State Board of
Elections (A) determines that all potential polling places
have been surveyed and no such accessible place is available,
nor is the election authority able to make one accessible; and
(B) assures that any voter with a disability or elderly voter
assigned to an inaccessible polling place, upon advance
request of such voter (pursuant to procedures established by
rule of the State Board of Elections) will be provided with an
alternative means for casting a ballot on the day of the

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election or will be assigned to an accessible polling place.
(c) No later than December 31 of each even numbered year,
the State Board of Elections shall report to the General
Assembly and the Federal Election Commission the number of
accessible and inaccessible polling places in the State on the
date of the next preceding general election, and the reasons
for any instance of inaccessibility.
(Source: P.A. 102-668, eff. 11-15-21.)
(10 ILCS 5/11-8)
(Section scheduled to be repealed on July 1, 2023)
Sec. 11-8. Vote centers.
(a) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, election
authorities shall establish at least one location to be
located at an office of the election authority or in the
largest municipality within its jurisdiction where all voters
in its jurisdiction are allowed to vote on election day during
polling place hours, regardless of the precinct in which they
are registered. An election authority establishing such a
location under this Section shall identify the location and
any health and safety requirements by the 40th day preceding
the 2022 general primary election and the 2022 general
election and certify such to the State Board of Elections.
(b) A vote center location established by the election
authority shall be compliant with the federal Voting
Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act of 1984.

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(c) (b) This Section is repealed on July 1, 2024 2023.
(Source: P.A. 102-15, eff. 6-17-21; 102-668, eff. 11-15-21;
102-1109, eff. 12-21-22.)
(10 ILCS 5/17-13) (from Ch. 46, par. 17-13)
Sec. 17-13. (a) In the case of an emergency, as determined
by the State Board of Elections, or if the Board determines
that all potential polling places have been surveyed by the
election authority and that no accessible polling place, as
defined by rule of the State Board of Elections, is available
within a precinct nor is the election authority able to make a
polling place within the precinct temporarily accessible, the
Board, upon written application by the election authority, is
authorized to grant an exemption from the accessibility
requirements of the Federal Voting Accessibility for the
Elderly and Handicapped Act (Public Law 98-435). Such
exemption shall be valid for a period of 2 years.
(b) Any voter with a temporary or permanent disability
who, because of structural features of the building in which
the polling place is located, is unable to access or enter the
polling place shall be informed of the nearest accessible vote
center as established in Section 11-8. The voter , may request
that 2 judges of election of opposite party affiliation
deliver a ballot to him or her at the point where he or she is
unable to continue forward motion toward the polling place;
but, in no case, shall a ballot be delivered to the voter

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beyond 50 feet of the entrance to the building in which the
polling place is located. Such request shall be made to the
election authority not later than the close of business at the
election authority's office on the day before the election and
on a form prescribed by the State Board of Elections. The
election authority shall notify the judges of election for the
appropriate precinct polling places of such requests.
Weather permitting, 2 judges of election shall deliver to
the voter with a disability the ballot which he or she is
entitled to vote, a portable voting booth or other enclosure
that will allow such voter to mark his or her ballot in
secrecy, and a marking device.
(c) The voter must complete the entire voting process,
including the application for ballot from which the judges of
election shall compare the voter's signature with the
signature on his or her registration record card in the
precinct binder.
(d) After the voter has marked his or her ballot and placed
it in the ballot envelope (or folded it in the manner
prescribed for paper ballots), the 2 judges of election shall
return the ballot to the polling place and give it to the judge
in charge of the ballot box who shall deposit it therein.
Pollwatchers as provided in Sections 7-34 and 17-23 of
this Code shall be permitted to accompany the judges and
observe the above procedure.
No assistance may be given to such voter in marking his or

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her ballot, unless the voter requests assistance and completes
the affidavit required by Section 17-14 of this Code.
(Source: P.A. 102-1, eff. 4-2-21; 102-15, eff. 6-17-21.)
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.