Bill Text: TX HB1205 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the creation of a fund to assist local governments with the acquisition of voting system equipment.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-02-26 - Referred to Elections [HB1205 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-HB1205-Introduced.html
| 86R4744 ATP-D | ||
| By: Anchia | H.B. No. 1205 | |
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| relating to the creation of a fund to assist local governments with | ||
| the acquisition of voting system equipment. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Chapter 123, Election Code, is amended by adding | ||
| Subchapter D to read as follows: | ||
| SUBCHAPTER D. VOTING SYSTEM FUND | ||
| Sec. 123.091. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: | ||
| (1) "Eligible equipment" means voting system | ||
| equipment that complies with applicable state and federal law on | ||
| the date it is acquired. | ||
| (2) "Fund" means the voting system fund. | ||
| Sec. 123.092. VOTING SYSTEM FUND. (a) The voting system | ||
| fund is an account in the general revenue fund. | ||
| (b) The fund consists of money transferred from the economic | ||
| stabilization fund to the voting system fund. | ||
| (c) Money in the fund may be appropriated only for a grant | ||
| under Section 123.093. | ||
| (d) The fund is exempt from the application of Section | ||
| 403.095, Government Code. | ||
| Sec. 123.093. GRANTS FROM FUND. (a) A county or city may | ||
| apply to the secretary of state for a grant under this subchapter to | ||
| replace voting system equipment. A county or city is eligible to | ||
| receive a grant equal to not more than 50 percent of the total cost | ||
| of the eligible equipment. | ||
| (b) The secretary of state shall develop criteria for the | ||
| fair and proportional distribution of grants that consider: | ||
| (1) the number of voters likely to be served by the | ||
| eligible equipment; | ||
| (2) the age and condition of any equipment proposed | ||
| for replacement; | ||
| (3) the need for equitable distribution of grant funds | ||
| to both rural and urban counties and cities; | ||
| (4) whether the county or city governing body has | ||
| adopted a reasonable long-term plan to address the maintenance, | ||
| repair, and eventual replacement needs for the eligible equipment; | ||
| and | ||
| (5) any other factor considered relevant by the | ||
| secretary of state. | ||
| (c) If the total amount requested under qualifying grant | ||
| applications exceeds the total amount available for the purpose of | ||
| awarding grants, amounts shall be allocated using the criteria | ||
| developed by the secretary of state under Subsection (b). | ||
| Sec. 123.094. APPLICATION FOR GRANT; CERTIFICATION OF | ||
| COSTS. (a) To receive a grant under Section 123.093, a county or | ||
| city must submit an application to the secretary of state. The | ||
| secretary of state shall prescribe a form for the application. | ||
| (b) The application must describe: | ||
| (1) the type or types of eligible equipment proposed | ||
| for purchase or lease; | ||
| (2) the expected total cost of the eligible equipment | ||
| and any sources of funding that will be used for its purchase or | ||
| lease in addition to the grant funding provided by this subchapter; | ||
| (3) the county's or city's plan to address the | ||
| long-term maintenance, repair, and eventual replacement costs for | ||
| the eligible equipment; and | ||
| (4) any other information required by the secretary of | ||
| state. | ||
| (c) The secretary of state shall establish: | ||
| (1) a deadline for receipt of grant applications; | ||
| (2) a procedure for awarding and distributing grants; | ||
| and | ||
| (3) a process for verifying the proper use of the | ||
| grants after distribution. | ||
| SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. | ||
