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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a requirement that a voting system use a paper record or |
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produce a paper receipt for verification purposes. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 129, Election Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 129.003 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 129.003. PAPER AUDIT TRAIL REQUIRED. (a) In this |
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section, "auditable voting system" means a voting system that: |
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(1) uses a paper record; or |
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(2) produces a paper record by which a voter can verify |
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that the voter's ballot will be counted accurately. |
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(b) Except as provided by Subsection (e), a voting system |
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that consists of direct recording electronic voting machines may |
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not be used in an election unless the system is an auditable voting |
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system. |
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(c) Except for a recount under Title 13 or an election |
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contest under Title 14, the electronic vote is the official record |
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of the ballot. For a recount of ballots cast on a system involving |
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direct recording electronic voting machines, or in an election |
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contest, the paper record is the official record of the vote cast. |
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(d) An authority that purchased a voting system other than |
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an auditable voting system after September 1, 2016, and before |
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September 1, 2021, may use available federal funding and, if |
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federal funding is not available, available state funding to |
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retrofit the purchased voting system as an auditable voting system |
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in accordance with the following schedule: |
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(1) if the voting system was retrofitted as an |
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auditable voting system not later than the election taking place |
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November 8, 2022, the authority is eligible to have 100 percent of |
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the cost of retrofitting reimbursed under this section; and |
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(2) if the authority is not eligible for a 100 percent |
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reimbursement of cost under Subdivision (1) and the voting system |
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was retrofitted as an auditable voting system not later than the |
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election taking place November 3, 2026, the authority is eligible |
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to have 50 percent of the cost of retrofitting reimbursed under this |
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section. |
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(e) Subsections (a)-(c) do not apply to an election held |
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before September 1, 2026. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |