Summary

Lois Kolkhorst' bill relating to the use of direct recording electronic voting machines and providing a voter-verified permanent paper record suitable for a manual audit.

Background

There are 28 states that currently require some form of voter verified paper trail or paper ballot if Direct Recording Electronic devices are used in voting systems. This is the second legislative attempt to get VVPAB for Texas. Aaron Pena's HB166 was the first attempt in the 79th session.

Nationally Representative Rush Holt's new version of his HR 550 will mandate a VVPB as well as mandate random audits and also escrow the vendor's software nationally for more scrutiny. That bill was filed on 2/6/07. H.R. 811, the Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act of 2007 already has hundreds of co-sponsors, and is expected to pass. On the Senate side, Senator Bill Nelson of Florida, has filed a companion piece of legislation addressing the same issues. His bill is S559. Senator Diane Feinstein is also filing similar legislation.

Additional Information

The Texas House bill, HB384 is being heard in committee on February 21, 2007. The Elections Committee will meet at
2:00 PM or upon final adjourn./recess
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
PLACE: E2.028
Committee Meeting Agenda for 2/21/2007
Public testimony is allowed.

Additional Links

Voter-Verified Paper Record Legislation

Representative Rush Holt's HR 811 Federal bill.