1-1 By: Jones of Dallas, Madden, Chavez H.B. No. 1419 1-2 (Senate Sponsor - Whitmire) 1-3 (In the Senate - Received from the House April 23, 2001; 1-4 April 24, 2001, read first time and referred to Committee on State 1-5 Affairs; May 7, 2001, reported favorably by the following vote: 1-6 Yeas 7, Nays 0; May 7, 2001, sent to printer.) 1-7 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-8 AN ACT 1-9 relating to requiring the secretary of state to study voting 1-10 systems, technologies, and strategies. 1-11 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-12 SECTION 1. (a) In this section, "voting system" has the 1-13 meaning assigned by Section 121.003, Election Code. 1-14 (b) The secretary of state shall: 1-15 (1) reexamine the voting system of each county as 1-16 provided by Section 122.091, Election Code, to determine whether 1-17 the voting system complies with applicable standards prescribed by 1-18 law; 1-19 (2) study innovative, available voting technologies 1-20 and evaluate the potential for implementing the use of those 1-21 technologies in this state; 1-22 (3) study the effectiveness of adopting a uniform 1-23 voting system to be used by counties statewide; and 1-24 (4) study innovative approaches to voting, including: 1-25 (A) changing the location of and techniques for 1-26 voting; and 1-27 (B) evaluating new voting strategies. 1-28 (c) Not later than December 1, 2002, the secretary of state 1-29 shall issue a report summarizing: 1-30 (1) the conclusions and recommendations resulting from 1-31 the reexamination and studies conducted under Subsection (b) of 1-32 this section; 1-33 (2) any legislation proposed by the secretary of state 1-34 resulting from the reexamination and studies; and 1-35 (3) any other relevant findings or recommendations. 1-36 (d) The secretary of state shall promptly deliver copies of 1-37 the report to the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the 1-38 speaker of the house of representatives. 1-39 (e) The secretary of state may adopt rules necessary to 1-40 implement this section. 1-41 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001. 1-42 * * * * *