Bill Text: TX HB3698 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to voting system ballots.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-03-22 - Referred to Elections [HB3698 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-HB3698-Introduced.html
| 87R11754 MLH-F | ||
| By: Parker | H.B. No. 3698 | |
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| relating to voting system ballots. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Section 124.062, Election Code, is amended by | ||
| adding Subsection (d) to read as follows: | ||
| (d) Each electronic system ballot must contain a serial | ||
| number that must be printed before insertion in a ballot marking | ||
| device, if any. The secretary of state may not waive this | ||
| requirement. | ||
| SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 124, Election Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 124.067 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 124.067. APPROVAL OF BALLOT PRINTERS FOR ELECTRONIC | ||
| VOTING SYSTEM BALLOTS. (a) The secretary of state shall approve | ||
| printers of paper ballots for use with specific electronic voting | ||
| systems. | ||
| (b) In addition to the requirements of Section 51.013, each | ||
| person who prints ballots for use with electronic voting systems | ||
| shall submit satisfactory evidence to the secretary of state that | ||
| ballots printed by them are accurately read and tabulated by all | ||
| electronic voting systems for which approval is sought under | ||
| Subsection (a). | ||
| (c) The secretary of state may revoke approval for a printer | ||
| of paper ballots for use with a specific electronic voting system on | ||
| sufficient evidence of that printer's inability to produce paper | ||
| ballots that are consistently read accurately by the specific | ||
| electronic voting system. | ||
| (d) An authority responsible for procuring election | ||
| supplies may not use a printer and electronic voting system | ||
| combination that is not approved by the secretary of state. | ||
| (e) The attorney general may obtain injunctive relief to | ||
| enforce this section. | ||
| SECTION 3. Section 125.004, Election Code, is amended by | ||
| adding Subsection (c) to read as follows: | ||
| (c) After installation of the voting system equipment at the | ||
| polling place, a report shall be run on each voting machine to | ||
| demonstrate that no votes are recorded on the equipment. The | ||
| secretary of state may not waive this requirement after September | ||
| 1, 2022. | ||
| SECTION 4. Subchapter C, Chapter 125, Election Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 125.0621 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 125.0621. LOGS OF ISSUED AND SPOILED BALLOTS. If an | ||
| electronic voting system uses paper media for recording votes cast, | ||
| the election officer shall maintain a record of the serial numbers | ||
| of all ballots issued at that polling place and the serial numbers | ||
| of any spoiled ballots, if any. | ||
| SECTION 5. Section 125.063, Election Code, is amended to | ||
| read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 125.063. SECURING EQUIPMENT ON CLOSE OF VOTING. (a) | ||
| On the close of voting at each polling place at which electronic | ||
| voting system equipment is used, an election officer shall secure | ||
| or inactivate the equipment as prescribed by the secretary of state | ||
| so that its unauthorized operation is prevented. | ||
| (b) An election officer must generate a paper record of the | ||
| number of votes cast for each candidate or measure when using | ||
| electronic voting system equipment that does not generate a | ||
| voter-verified paper ballot record, except during early voting. | ||
| The secretary of state may not waive this requirement after | ||
| September 1, 2022. | ||
| SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. | ||
