BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center	S.B. 506
85R4973 ADM-F	By: West
	State Affairs
	4/4/2017
	As Filed

 

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

S.B. 506 addresses issues related to voting system equipment used by counties participating in the countywide polling place program.

 

Under current law, a county participating in a countywide polling place program is limited to only using a direct recording electronic (DRE) voting system that does not produce a voter verifiable paper trail. S.B. 506 will allow a county to utilize a voting system that is capable of printing all available ballot styles of that polling place and not limit the county to only using a DRE voting system.

 

S.B. 506 creates and defines new language for "precinct ballot counter," "election management system," and "central accumulator" in Chapter 121, Election Code.

 

S.B. 506 creates a new Subchapter E, Chapter 122, Election Code, related to applications for certification procedures and a new Subchapter I, Chapter 127, Election Code, related to precinct ballot counters.

 

S.B. 506 updates election procedures and codifies rules currently used by the Texas secretary of state to help ensure ballot security.

 

Texas counties will have the opportunity to implement new voting systems that make use of enhanced technologies under S.B. 506. Additionally, it provides the opportunity for more types of voting system equipment to be certified to be used in Texas which will provide more choices for Texas counties.

 

As proposed, S.B. 506 amends current law relating to voting system equipment used by counties participating in the countywide polling place program.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1. Amends Sections 43.007(c) and (d), Election Code, as follows:

 

(c) Requires the Texas secretary of state (SOS), in conducting the countywide polling place program (program), to provide for an audit of the voting system equipment, rather than direct recording electronic (DRE) voting units, before and after the election and during the election to the extent such an audit is practicable.

 

(d) Requires SOS to select to participate in the program each county that uses DRE voting machines or any other type of voting machine that is capable of processing votes for each type of ballot to be voted in the county, rather than uses DRE voting machines.

 

SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2017.