BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center

S.B. 1387

 

By: Creighton

 

State Affairs

 

5/28/2021

 

Enrolled

 

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

Ensuring that Texans trust that their elections are secure is vital to the continued functioning of our republic. By producing voting system equipment in the United States, Texans can trust that our supply chains are secure from foreign interference.

 

S.B. 1387 requires that, beginning September 1, 2021, voting system equipment must be manufactured, stored, and held in the United States and sold by a company whose headquarters, and the headquarters of their parent company, are in the United States.

 

(Original Author's/ Sponsor's Statement of Intent)

 

S.B. 1387 amends current law relating to a requirement that a voting system used in an election in this state be manufactured, stored, and held in the United States by a company headquartered in the United States.

 

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 Section 122.032, Election Code, by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1), as follows:

 

(a) Provides that, for a voting system or voting system equipment to be approved for use in elections, the voting system in which the equipment is designed to be used must meet certain criteria, including beginning September 1, 2021, be manufactured, stored, and held in the United States and sold by a company whose headquarters are located in the United States and whose parent company's headquarters, if applicable, are located in the United States.

 

(a-1) Provides that for the purposes of Subsection (a), a voting system or voting system equipment is considered to be manufactured in the United States if final assembly of the voting system or voting system equipment occurs in the United States and all firmware and software are installed and tested in the United States.

 

SECTION 2. FEASIBILITY STUDY.� (a)� Requires the secretary of state (SOS) to conduct a comprehensive study to determine the feasibility of requiring each voting system used in an election in this state to have all components of the voting system, including all software and hardware, manufactured, stored, and held in the United States.

 

(b) Requires SOS, not later than January 1, 2023, to create a detailed report summarizing the findings of the study and deliver the report to the legislature.

 

SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2021.