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                                  * * * * *