Senate Bill sb0174
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2001 SB 174
By Senator Saunders
25-213-01
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act providing for the study of elections
3 procedures; creating the Elections Task Force
4 within the Department of State; providing for
5 its membership and duties; providing for per
6 diem and travel expenses of its members;
7 requiring a report; providing for abolition of
8 the commission; providing an appropriation;
9 providing an effective date.
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11 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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13 Section 1. (1) The Elections Task Force is created
14 within the Department of State to study election procedures
15 used in this state. The task force shall consist of 15 members
16 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) One person designated by the state executive
20 committee of each of the major political parties of the state;
21 (c) Four supervisors of elections, designated by the
22 President of the Florida Association of Supervisors of
23 Elections, two from each major political party, representing
24 urban and rural counties and, to the extent possible, counties
25 using different types of voting systems;
26 (d) Two county court judges, both of whom served on a
27 county canvassing board during the 2000 general election, and
28 at least one of whom was involved in a manual recount,
29 appointed by the Chief Justice of the Florida Supreme Court;
30 (e) Two county commissioners, one from each major
31 political party, both of whom served on a county canvassing
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Florida Senate - 2001 SB 174
25-213-01
1 board during the 2000 general election, and at least one of
2 whom was involved in a manual recount, appointed by the
3 President of the Florida State Association of County
4 Commissioners.
5 (f) Four interested voters of the state appointed by
6 the Secretary of State.
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8 The supervisors of elections, the county court judges, and the
9 county commissioners must each be from a different county in
10 the state. Vacancies on the task force shall be filled by the
11 appointing official using the criteria for the original
12 appointment.
13 (2) Members of the task force shall serve without
14 compensation, but are entitled to reimbursement for per diem
15 and travel expenses pursuant to section 112.061, Florida
16 Statutes, while engaged in their official duties.
17 (3) The task force shall consider the elections
18 process in this state, including, but not limited to, the
19 following issues:
20 (a) Certification of voting systems, including whether
21 systems should be recertified at set intervals;
22 (b) Whether there should be a uniform voting system
23 used in the state, and, if so, which system should be chosen
24 and how it should be funded;
25 (c) Composition of canvassing boards;
26 (d) Uniform standards for county canvassing boards
27 throughout the state;
28 (e) Procedures for automatic and hand recounts of
29 elections, including standards to be used for such recounts;
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Florida Senate - 2001 SB 174
25-213-01
1 (f) Deadlines for the county canvassing boards to
2 certify the results of the elections, particularly if a
3 recount is in process.
4 (4) The Secretary of State shall submit to the
5 Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the
6 House of Representatives, by December 1, 2001, a report giving
7 the task force's recommendations. Upon submission of the
8 secretary's report, the task force is abolished.
9 (5) The Division of Elections of the Department of
10 State shall provide support staff for the task force.
11 Section 2. The sum of $100,000 is appropriated from
12 the General Revenue Fund to the Department of State to
13 implement this act.
14 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2001.
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17 SENATE SUMMARY
18 Creates the Election Task Force within the Department of
State to study election procedures used in this state.
19 Provides for its membership, staffing, and duties.
Appropriates $100,000 to fund the study.
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