87R19363 ADM-D
 
  By: White, Beckley, et al. H.B. No. 1708
 
  Substitute the following for H.B. No. 1708:
 
  By:  Swanson C.S.H.B. No. 1708
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to a voting system that produces a voter-verifiable paper
  record.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Sections 43.007(c) and (d), Election Code, are
  amended to read as follows:
         (c)  In conducting the program, the secretary of state shall
  provide for an audit of the voting system equipment [direct
  recording electronic voting units] before and after the election,
  and during the election to the extent such an audit is practicable.
         (d)  The secretary of state shall select to participate in
  the program each county that:
               (1)  has held a public hearing under Subsection (b);
               (2)  has submitted documentation listing the steps
  taken to solicit input on participating in the program by
  organizations or persons who represent the interests of voters;
               (3)  has implemented a computerized voter registration
  list that allows an election officer at the polling place to verify
  that a voter has not previously voted in the election;
               (4)  uses direct recording electronic voting machines,
  ballot marking devices, or hand-marked scannable paper ballots that
  are printed and scanned at the polling place or any other type of
  voting system equipment that the secretary of state determines is
  capable of processing votes for each type of ballot to be voted in
  the county; and
               (5)  is determined by the secretary of state to have the
  appropriate technological capabilities.
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter A, Chapter 129, Election Code, is
  amended by adding Section 129.003 to read as follows:
         Sec. 129.003.  AUDITABLE VOTING SYSTEM. (a) In this
  section:
               (1)  "Auditable voting system" means a voting system
  that produces a voter-verifiable paper record.
               (2)  "Voter-verifiable paper record" means a paper
  record of an electronically generated ballot that may be:
                     (A)  reviewed and corrected by the voter at the
  time the ballot is cast; and
                     (B)  used for a recount in an election in which
  electronically generated ballots were used.
         (b)  Beginning September 1, 2021, an authority of a political
  subdivision may not purchase a voting system consisting of direct
  recording electronic voting machines that is not an auditable
  voting system.
         (c)  Beginning September 1, 2030, a voting system consisting
  of direct recording electronic voting machines may not be used in an
  election unless the system is an auditable voting system.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2021.