John J. Cullerton
Filed: 2/20/2004
 
 

 




 

 		












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AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 2503 




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    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 2503  by replacing 
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everything after the enacting clause with the following:

 
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    "Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the 
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Accessible Voting Technology for the Blind Act of 2004.
 
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    Section 5. Definitions.  As used in this Act:
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    "Access" means all of the following:
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        (1) The ability to retrieve all of the information 
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    contained in the ballot.
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        (2) The ability to retrieve any instructional 
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    information necessary for the effective casting of the 
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    ballot, in the form of audible prompts, online help, 
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    recorded materials, knowledgeable officials, or other 
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    appropriate methods.
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        (3) The ability to make and verify all selections 
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    contained in the ballot, including write in selections.
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        (4) The ability to move freely through all the 
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    information contained in paragraphs (1), (2), and (3), 
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    including, but not limited to, the ability to move both 
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    forward and backward through all items and the ability to 
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    skip items.
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    "Privacy" means the same level of secrecy of the ballot and 
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voting process which is accorded to all voters, using visual 
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and nonvisual means.
 


 






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    "Nonvisual" means methods of retrieving information, such 
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as  synthesized speech, Braille, or other methods, that do not 
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require sight.

 
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    Section 10. Requirements for accessible voting technology 
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and systems.


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    (a) The State Board of Elections shall require (by 
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certification or otherwise) that the voting technology and 
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systems used by the State or any political subdivision provide 
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blind and visually impaired individuals with access and 
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privacy, which is equivalent to that provided to individuals 
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who are not blind or visually impaired, including the ability 
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for the voter to cast and verify all selections made by both 
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visual and nonvisual means.


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

 
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    Section 15. Technology and systems compliance. 
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    (a) Compliance with this Act in regard to voting technology 
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and systems purchased prior to the effective date of this Act 
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shall be achieved at the time of procurement of an upgrade or 
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replacement of the existing equipment or systems.
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    (b) Voting technology and systems purchased after the 
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effective date of this Act must meet, or exceed the standards 
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set by the Federal Elections Commission on April 30, 2002.
 
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    Section 20. Compliance with federal law; rule making 
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authority.  The State Board of Elections shall promulgate any 
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rules necessary for the implementation of this Act; provided 
 


 






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that the rules comport with the Help America Vote Act of 2002, 
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P.L. 107-252, in all relevant respects and that recommendations 
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from representatives of consumer organizations of the blind 
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shall be considered.
 

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