Bill Text: TX SB1234 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Engrossed
Bill Title: Relating to a requirement that a voting system use a paper record or produce a paper receipt for verification purposes.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2021-04-15 - Referred to Elections [SB1234 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-SB1234-Engrossed.html
By: Hughes, Creighton | S.B. No. 1234 |
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relating to a requirement that a voting system use a paper record or | ||
produce a paper receipt for verification purposes. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 129, Election Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 129.003 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 129.003. PAPER AUDIT TRAIL REQUIRED. (a) In this | ||
section, "auditable voting system" means a voting system that: | ||
(1) uses a paper record; or | ||
(2) produces a paper record by which a voter can verify | ||
that the voter's ballot will be counted accurately. | ||
(b) Except as provided by Subsection (e), a voting system | ||
that consists of direct recording electronic voting machines may | ||
not be used in an election unless the system is an auditable voting | ||
system. | ||
(c) Except for a recount under Title 13 or an election | ||
contest under Title 14, the electronic vote is the official record | ||
of the ballot. For a recount of ballots cast on a system involving | ||
direct recording electronic voting machines, or in an election | ||
contest, the paper record is the official record of the vote cast. | ||
(d) An authority that purchased a voting system other than | ||
an auditable voting system after September 1, 2016, and before | ||
September 1, 2021, may use available federal funding and, if | ||
federal funding is not available, available state funding to | ||
retrofit the purchased voting system as an auditable voting system | ||
in accordance with the following schedule: | ||
(1) if the voting system was retrofitted as an | ||
auditable voting system not later than the election taking place | ||
November 8, 2022, the authority is eligible to have 100 percent of | ||
the cost of retrofitting reimbursed under this section; and | ||
(2) if the authority is not eligible for a 100 percent | ||
reimbursement of cost under Subdivision (1) and the voting system | ||
was retrofitted as an auditable voting system not later than the | ||
election taking place November 3, 2026, the authority is eligible | ||
to have 50 percent of the cost of retrofitting reimbursed under this | ||
section. | ||
(e) Subsections (a)-(c) do not apply to an election held | ||
before September 1, 2026. | ||
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |