House Bill 2267

    Florida House of Representatives - 2000                HB 2267

        By Representative Edwards






  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to the Voting System Technology

  3         Task Force; creating a Voting System Technology

  4         Task Force; providing for membership, officers,

  5         organization, per diem, and staffing; providing

  6         duties; providing for a report and termination

  7         of the task force upon submission of the

  8         report; providing an effective date.

  9

10  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

11

12         Section 1.  (1)  The Voting System Technology Task

13  Force is created within the Department of State to study the

14  issues and costs of developing and implementing an Internet or

15  on-line voting system for use in this state. The task force

16  shall be composed of 20 members, as follows:

17         (a)  The Secretary of State, or the secretary's

18  designee, who shall serve as chair of the task force;

19         (b)  The President of the Senate shall appoint one

20  member of the Senate;

21         (c)  The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall

22  appoint one member of the House of Representatives;

23         (d)  The minority leader of the Senate shall appoint

24  one member of the Senate;

25         (e)  The minority leader of the House of

26  Representatives shall appoint one member of the House of

27  Representatives;

28         (f)  The Governor shall appoint one member;

29         (g)  The Presidents of Florida Agricultural and

30  Mechanical University and Florida International University

31

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida House of Representatives - 2000                HB 2267

    519-172-00






  1  shall each appoint one member who is a technical expert from

  2  their respective faculties; and

  3         (h)  The Secretary of State shall appoint members as

  4  follows: four supervisors of elections, two from urban

  5  counties and two from rural counties; two public or private

  6  technical experts; one member of the Florida State Conference

  7  of Branches of the National Association for the Advancement of

  8  Colored People, upon recommendation of the state conference

  9  president; one member of the League of United Latin American

10  Citizens, upon recommendation of the state director; two other

11  interested persons of diverse age, race, gender, or other

12  relevant demographic characteristics; and two other persons

13  whom the Secretary of State deems qualified or who have

14  expertise in the field of computers, the Internet, or

15  associated technologies.

16         (2)  Members of the task force shall serve without

17  compensation, but are entitled to reimbursement for per diem

18  and travel expenses pursuant to section 112.061, Florida

19  Statutes, while engaged in their official duties.

20         (3)  The task force shall consider an Internet or

21  on-line voting system that will allow voters to cast secure

22  electronic ballots from sites not under the control of

23  elections officials and a system that will allow voters to

24  cast secure electronic ballots from sites under the control of

25  elections officials. The study must address the following

26  issues:

27         (a)  Security and voter fraud;

28         (b)  Public accessibility to the voting system,

29  including demographic factors that limit access;

30         (c)  Voter acceptance and support for the voting

31  system;

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2000                HB 2267

    519-172-00






  1         (d)  Cost estimates for developing and implementing

  2  pilot projects; and

  3         (e)  Estimated costs and savings to be realized in

  4  continuing development, full implementation, maintenance, and

  5  operation of the system over time.

  6         (4)  The Secretary of State shall submit to the

  7  Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the

  8  House of Representatives, by July 1, 2001, a report giving the

  9  task force's recommendation on whether the state should pursue

10  the development and implementation of a widespread Internet or

11  on-line voting system and containing all relevant findings. If

12  the task force recommends Internet or on-line voting

13  favorably, the report must recommend steps for developing and

14  implementing such a system. Upon submission of the secretary's

15  report, the task force shall expire.

16         (5)  The Division of Elections of the Department of

17  State shall provide support staff for the task force. The

18  State Technology Office of the Department of Management

19  Services and the State University System shall assist the task

20  force, upon request.

21         (6)  Effective July 1, 2000, the sum of $200,000 is

22  appropriated from the General Revenue Fund to the Department

23  of State, and two positions are created within the department,

24  to implement this act.

25         Section 2.  This act shall take effect upon becoming

26  law.

27

28            *****************************************

29                          SENATE SUMMARY

30    Creates the Voting System Technology Task Force and
      provides for membership, officers, organization, per diem
31    expenses, and staffing. Provides duties of the task
      force, requires a report, and terminates the task force.
                                  3