DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part of the
legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute part of the law
or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 285 Engrossed 2021 Regular Session James
Abstract: Changes the amount of time a voter may remain in the voting machine from no more than
three minutes to no more than six minutes and authorizes election officials to allocate additional time
in an equitable manner if the ballot is lengthy or complex.
Present law provides that during early voting and on election day, a voter shall not remain in a voting
machine longer than three minutes. Provides that if a voter fails to leave a voting machine promptly
after being notified by the appropriate election official that three minutes have elapsed, the
commissioner, if on election day, shall order the voter to complete voting and leave the voting
machine, and if during early voting, the registrar or deputy registrar shall have the voter removed
from the voting machine.
Proposed law provides instead that a voter shall not remain in a voting machine for longer than six
minutes. Proposed law further provides that if the ballot is lengthy or if it contains complex
propositions or constitutional amendments, the appropriate election officials may allocate additional
time in an equitable manner. Proposed law otherwise retains present law.
Present law specially allows a voter receiving assistance in voting or a voter using the audio ballot
to remain in a voting machine for up to 20 minutes. Proposed law retains present law.
Effective Jan. 1, 2022.
(Amends R.S. 18:563(C)(1) and 1309(E)(4)(a))
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on House and Governmental
Affairs to the original bill:
1. Remove proposed "unreasonable amount of time" limit standard for a voter to vote and
remove provision that at least five minutes constituted a "reasonable amount of time".
2. Change the amount of time a voter may remain in the voting machines to no longer than six minutes, with an authorization for election officials to allocate additional time if the
ballot is lengthy or contains complex propositions or constitutional amendments.
3. Change effective date from signature of the governor to Jan. 1, 2022.