By Madla                                        S.B. No. 1343

      75R7349 DRH-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to allowing the use of certain computerized voting

 1-3     systems.

 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Title 8, Election Code, is amended by adding

 1-6     Chapter 128 to read as follows:

 1-7                  CHAPTER 128.  COMPUTERIZED VOTING SYSTEMS

 1-8           Sec. 128.001.  COMPUTERIZED VOTING SYSTEM STANDARDS.  (a)

 1-9     The secretary of state shall prescribe procedures to allow for the

1-10     use  of a computerized voting system.  The procedures must provide

1-11     for the use of a computerized voting system with:

1-12                 (1)  multiple voting terminals for the input of vote

1-13     selections on the ballot presented by a main computer; and

1-14                 (2)  a main computer to coordinate ballot presentation,

1-15     vote selection, ballot image storage, and result tabulation.

1-16           (b)  Notwithstanding Chapter 66, a system under this section

1-17     may allow for the storage of processed ballot materials in an

1-18     electronic form on the main computer.

1-19           (c)  The secretary of state may modify existing procedures as

1-20     necessary to allow the use of a system authorized by this chapter.

1-21           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-22           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-23     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-24     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 2-1     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

 2-2     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.