SB2503 Engrossed

LRB093 17928 JAM 43611 b






1
    AN ACT concerning voting technology.

 
2
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
 
3
represented in the General Assembly:


 
4
    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the 
5
Accessible Voting Technology for the Blind Act of 2004.
 
6
    Section 5. Definitions.  As used in this Act:
7
    "Access" means all of the following:
8
        (1) The ability to retrieve all of the information 
9
contained in the ballot.
10
        (2) The ability to retrieve any instructional 
11
information necessary for the effective casting of the 
12
ballot, in the form of audible prompts, online help, 
13
recorded materials, knowledgeable officials, or other 
14
appropriate methods.
15
        (3) The ability to make and verify all selections 
16
contained in the ballot, including write in selections.
17
        (4) The ability to move freely through all the 
18
information contained in paragraphs (1), (2), and (3), 
19
including, but not limited to, the ability to move both 
20
forward and backward through all items and the ability to 
21
skip items.
22
    "Privacy" means the same level of secrecy of the ballot and 
23
voting process which is accorded to all voters, using visual 
24
and nonvisual means.
25
    "Nonvisual" means methods of retrieving information, such 
26
as  synthesized speech, Braille, or other methods, that do not 
27
require sight.

 
28
    Section 10. Requirements for accessible voting technology 
29
and systems.


30
    (a) The State Board of Elections shall require (by 
31
certification or otherwise) that the voting technology and 
 


 






SB2503 Engrossed
- 2 -
LRB093 17928 JAM 43611 b




1
systems used by the State or any political subdivision provide 
2
blind and visually impaired individuals with access and 
3
privacy, which is equivalent to that provided to individuals 
4
who are not blind or visually impaired, including the ability 
5
for the voter to cast and verify all selections made by both 
6
visual and nonvisual means.


7
    (b) In requiring nonvisual access and determining 
8
appropriate methods and systems for providing it pursuant to 
9
subsection (a), the State Board of Elections shall obtain 
10
recommendations from representatives of blind consumer 
11
organizations, experts in accessible software and hardware 
12
design, and any other individual or organization the Board 
13
determines to be appropriate.

 
14
    Section 15. Technology and systems compliance. 
15
    (a) Compliance with this Act in regard to voting technology 
16
and systems purchased prior to the effective date of this Act 
17
shall be achieved at the time of procurement of an upgrade or 
18
replacement of the existing equipment or systems.
19
    (b) Voting technology and systems purchased after the 
20
effective date of this Act must meet or exceed the standards 
21
set by the Federal Elections Commission on April 30, 2002.
 
22
    Section 20. Compliance with federal law; rule making 
23
authority.  The State Board of Elections shall promulgate any 
24
rules necessary for the implementation of this Act, provided 
25
that the rules comport with the Help America Vote Act of 2002, 
26
P.L. 107-252, in all relevant respects and that recommendations 
27
from representatives of consumer organizations of the blind 
28
shall be considered.
 

29
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 
30
becoming law.