1-1 By: Madla S.B. No. 1343 1-2 (In the Senate - Filed March 13, 1997; March 18, 1997, read 1-3 first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs; 1-4 April 29, 1997, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 10, 1-5 Nays 0; April 29, 1997, sent to printer.) 1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-7 AN ACT 1-8 relating to allowing the use of certain computerized voting 1-9 systems. 1-10 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-11 SECTION 1. Title 8, Election Code, is amended by adding 1-12 Chapter 128 to read as follows: 1-13 CHAPTER 128. COMPUTERIZED VOTING SYSTEMS 1-14 Sec. 128.001. COMPUTERIZED VOTING SYSTEM STANDARDS. 1-15 (a) The secretary of state shall prescribe procedures to allow for 1-16 the use of a computerized voting system. The procedures must 1-17 provide for the use of a computerized voting system with: 1-18 (1) multiple voting terminals for the input of vote 1-19 selections on the ballot presented by a main computer; and 1-20 (2) a main computer to coordinate ballot presentation, 1-21 vote selection, ballot image storage, and result tabulation. 1-22 (b) Notwithstanding Chapter 66, a system under this section 1-23 may allow for the storage of processed ballot materials in an 1-24 electronic form on the main computer. 1-25 (c) The secretary of state may modify existing procedures as 1-26 necessary to allow the use of a system authorized by this chapter. 1-27 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997. 1-28 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 1-29 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-30 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-31 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 1-32 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended. 1-33 * * * * *