| 1 | 1 | | 85R6389 ATP-D |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | By: Israel H.B. No. 2000 |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | relating to the creation of a fund to assist local governments with |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | the acquisition of voting system equipment. |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Section 18.061(d), Election Code, is amended to |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | read as follows: |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | (d) The secretary of state may contract with counties to |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | provide them with electronic data services to facilitate the |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | implementation of the statewide computerized voter registration |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | list. The secretary shall use funds collected under the contracts |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | to defray expenses incurred in implementing the statewide |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | computerized voter registration list. Any amounts collected under |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | the contracts not necessary to defray expenses incurred in |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | implementing the list shall be allocated to the voting system fund |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | established under Subchapter D, Chapter 123. |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | SECTION 2. Chapter 123, Election Code, is amended by adding |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | Subchapter D to read as follows: |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | SUBCHAPTER D. VOTING SYSTEM FUND |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | Sec. 123.091. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | (1) "Eligible equipment" means voting system |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | equipment that complies with applicable state and federal law on |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | the date it is acquired. |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | (2) "Fund" means the voting system fund. |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | Sec. 123.092. VOTING SYSTEM FUND. (a) The voting system |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | fund is an account in the general revenue fund. |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | (b) The fund consists of: |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | (1) money allocated to the fund under Section 18.061; |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | (2) money appropriated to the fund by the legislature |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | under Subsection (d); and |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | (3) money transferred to the fund at the discretion of |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | the legislature. |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | (c) Money in the fund may be appropriated only for a grant |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | under Section 123.093. |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | (d) The legislature shall transfer to the fund an amount |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | equal to two times the amount of money deposited under Subsection |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | (b)(1). |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | Sec. 123.093. GRANTS FROM FUND. (a) A county or city may |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | apply to the secretary of state for a grant under this subchapter to |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | replace voting system equipment. A county or city is eligible to |
|---|
| 45 | 45 | | receive a grant equal to not more than 50 percent of the total cost |
|---|
| 46 | 46 | | of the eligible equipment. |
|---|
| 47 | 47 | | (b) The secretary of state shall develop criteria for the |
|---|
| 48 | 48 | | fair and proportional distribution of grants that consider: |
|---|
| 49 | 49 | | (1) the number of voters likely to be served by the |
|---|
| 50 | 50 | | eligible equipment; |
|---|
| 51 | 51 | | (2) the age and condition of any equipment proposed |
|---|
| 52 | 52 | | for replacement; |
|---|
| 53 | 53 | | (3) the need for equitable distribution of grant funds |
|---|
| 54 | 54 | | to both rural and urban counties and cities; |
|---|
| 55 | 55 | | (4) whether the county or city governing body has |
|---|
| 56 | 56 | | adopted a reasonable long-term plan to address the maintenance, |
|---|
| 57 | 57 | | repair, and eventual replacement needs for the eligible equipment; |
|---|
| 58 | 58 | | and |
|---|
| 59 | 59 | | (5) any other factor considered relevant by the |
|---|
| 60 | 60 | | secretary of state. |
|---|
| 61 | 61 | | (c) If the total amount requested under qualifying grant |
|---|
| 62 | 62 | | applications exceeds the total amount available for the purpose of |
|---|
| 63 | 63 | | awarding grants, amounts shall be allocated using the criteria |
|---|
| 64 | 64 | | developed by the secretary of state under Subsection (b). |
|---|
| 65 | 65 | | Sec. 123.094. APPLICATION FOR GRANT; CERTIFICATION OF |
|---|
| 66 | 66 | | COSTS. (a) To receive a grant under Section 123.093, a county or |
|---|
| 67 | 67 | | city must submit an application to the secretary of state. The |
|---|
| 68 | 68 | | secretary of state shall prescribe a form for the application. |
|---|
| 69 | 69 | | (b) The application must describe: |
|---|
| 70 | 70 | | (1) the type or types of eligible equipment proposed |
|---|
| 71 | 71 | | for purchase or lease; |
|---|
| 72 | 72 | | (2) the expected total cost of the eligible equipment |
|---|
| 73 | 73 | | and any sources of funding that will be used for its purchase or |
|---|
| 74 | 74 | | lease in addition to the grant funding provided by this subchapter; |
|---|
| 75 | 75 | | (3) the county's or city's plan to address the |
|---|
| 76 | 76 | | long-term maintenance, repair, and eventual replacement costs for |
|---|
| 77 | 77 | | the eligible equipment; and |
|---|
| 78 | 78 | | (4) any other information required by the secretary of |
|---|
| 79 | 79 | | state. |
|---|
| 80 | 80 | | (c) The secretary of state shall establish: |
|---|
| 81 | 81 | | (1) a deadline for receipt of grant applications; |
|---|
| 82 | 82 | | (2) a procedure for awarding and distributing grants; |
|---|
| 83 | 83 | | and |
|---|
| 84 | 84 | | (3) a process for verifying the proper use of the |
|---|
| 85 | 85 | | grants after distribution. |
|---|
| 86 | 86 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |
|---|