Bill Text: NH HB67 | 2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relative to agreements with the secretary of state for the use of accessible voting systems.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced) 2025-01-09 - Executive Session: 01/21/2025 11:45 am Legislative Office Building 306-308 [HB67 Detail]
Download: New_Hampshire-2025-HB67-Introduced.html
HB 67-FN-A - AS INTRODUCED
2025 SESSION
25-0051
07/08
HOUSE BILL 67-FN-A
AN ACT relative to agreements with the secretary of state for the use of accessible voting systems.
SPONSORS: Rep. M. Paige, Rock. 11; Rep. Wherry, Hills. 13
COMMITTEE: Election Law
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ANALYSIS
This bill directs cities and towns to enable access to voting for individuals with disabilities during elections.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
25-0051
07/08
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Five
AN ACT relative to agreements with the secretary of state for the use of accessible voting systems.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Accessible Voting Systems. Amend RSA 659:20-b to read as follows:
659:20-b Accessible Voting Systems.
I. Every city, every town, and every school district which has adopted an official ballot system shall:
(a) Ensure that each polling place has at least one accessible voting system.
(b) ?Enter into [a pilot] an agreement with the secretary of state for the use of accessible voting systems in local elections.
(c) Bear the cost of programming for the city, town, or school district election with the vendor chosen and contracted with by the secretary of state, including any transfer of the system to and from the vendor.
(d) ? Store and maintain the accessible voting system or systems in a secure manner following election security guidance issued by the secretary of state.
II. ?The secretary of state shall:
(a) ?Enter into [a pilot program] an agreement with cities and towns and provide accessible voting systems for use in city, town, and school elections.
(b) ?Provide guidance for programming the local ballots onto the accessible voting systems.
(c) ?Provide security guidance for the local storage and maintenance of the accessible voting system or systems used for city, town, and school district elections.
2 Repeal. 2024, 123:4, relative to a pilot agreement providing accessible voting systems for use in elections, is repealed.
3 Appropriation; Secretary of State. There is hereby appropriated to the secretary of state the sum of $100,000 to be deposited into the election fund established in RSA 5:6-d for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 for the purpose of funding accessible voting systems pursuant to RSA 659:20-b. The secretary shall expend any available federal funds prior to the use of this sum for the purchase of tablets and other equipment necessary for compliance with this act. The governor is authorized to draw a warrant for said sum out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.
4 Effective Date. This act shall take effect June 30, 2025.
25-0051
12/4/24
HB 67-FN-A- FISCAL NOTE
AS INTRODUCED
AN ACT relative to agreements with the secretary of state for the use of accessible voting systems.
FISCAL IMPACT: This bill does not provide funding.
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Estimated State Impact | ||||||
| FY 2025 | FY 2026 | FY 2027 | FY 2028 | ||
Revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
Revenue Fund(s) | None | |||||
Expenditures* | $0 | $1,240,000 to $2,170,000 | $110,000 to $450,000 | $110,000 to $450,000 | ||
Funding Source(s) | Election Fund and General Fund | |||||
Appropriations* | $100,000 | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
Funding Source(s) | General Fund | |||||
*Expenditure = Cost of bill *Appropriation = Authorized funding to cover cost of bill | ||||||
| ||||||
Estimated Political Subdivision Impact | ||||||
| FY 2025 | FY 2026 | FY 2027 | FY 2028 | ||
County Revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
County Expenditures | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
Local Revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
Local Expenditures | $0 | $248,000 to $744,000+ | $248,000 to $744,000+ | $248,000 to $744,000+ | ||
METHODOLOGY:
This bill requires cities and towns to enter into an agreement versus a pilot agreement with the Secretary of State for the use of accessible voting systems in local elections. Additionally, the bill appropriates $100,000 from the General Fund to the Election Fund for the fiscal year ending June, 30, 2025 to help fund the accessible voting systems with the exception that the Secretary of State will expend any available Federal Funds prior to the use of the $100,000 appropriation for the purchase of tablets and other equipment necessary for compliance with this act.
The Secretary of State indicates this bill will give Accessible Voting Systems (AVSs) to cities and towns for their use in local elections. The city or town will securely store the AVSs, and they will no longer be stored or programmed by the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State will cover the costs for programming state and federal elections.
The Secretary of State estimates the State and local fiscal impact below with the assumption the replacement AVS would cost between $4,000 to $7,000 per a town/city ward.
| FY 2026 | FY 2027 | FY 2028 |
Replacement AVSs | $1,240,000 to $2,170,000 | $0 | $0 |
Annual License Fees | $0 | $60,000 to $100,000 | $60,000 to $100,000 |
Onsite Annual Support | $0 | $50,000 to $200,000 | $50,000 to $200,000 |
State and Federal Election Programming Fees | $0 | $0 to $150,000 | $0 to $150,000 |
TOTAL | $1,240,000 to $2,170,000 | $110,000 to $450,000 | $110,000 to $450,000 |
The programming fees for Local Elections is approximately $800 per ballot for each town/city ward ($800 x 310 = $248,000). This is cost per ballot. If a town has a town ballot and two school ballots this cost multiples by three ($248,000 x 3 = $744,000). These costs do not included any additional expenses municipalities may have for securely storing the AVSs.
Lastly, the Secretary of State notes this bill prohibits the use of the $100,000 General Fund appropriation deposited into the Election Fund until all available Federal Funds are fully expended. However, RSA 5:6-d prevents the complete depletion of the Election Fund, which effectively restricts the use of the $100,000 appropriation. Furthermore, depending on the balance of the Election Fund at the time of purchasing the new AVSs, General Funds may be required to cover any expenses that exceed the remaining Election Fund resources.
It is assumed any fiscal impact for expenditures would occur after FY 2025.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Secretary of State
