103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
SB0282

 

Introduced 2/2/2023, by Sen. Julie A. Morrison

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
10 ILCS 5/19-2.6

    Amends the Election Code. Provides that the State Board of Elections shall provide a certified remote accessible vote by mail system through which a vote by mail ballot can be delivered through electronic transmission to voters with a print disability and through which voters with a print disability can mark, verify, and return a vote by mail ballot electronically. Provides that the State Board of Elections shall establish a method that allows voters with a print disability to electronically authenticate a vote by mail ballot without assistance and election authorities shall use that method of authentication. Provides that all electronic documents and web pages that must be used as part of the certified remote accessible vote by mail system provided by the State Board of Elections or election authorities shall be compliant with specified web content guidelines. Changes the definition of "certified remote accessible vote by mail system". Makes other changes. Effective January 1, 2024.


LRB103 25683 BMS 52032 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB0282LRB103 25683 BMS 52032 b

1    AN ACT concerning elections.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Election Code is amended by changing
5Section 19-2.6 as follows:
 
6    (10 ILCS 5/19-2.6)
7    Sec. 19-2.6. Vote by mail; voters with a print disability.
8    (a) Definitions. As used in this Section, unless the
9context otherwise requires:
10    "Assistive technology" means any equipment, software, or
11product used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional
12capabilities of individuals with disabilities, including, but
13not limited to, screen reading and magnification software,
14refreshable Braille displays, and speech recognition programs.
15    "Certified remote accessible vote by mail system" means,
16for elections that occur before the 2024 primary election, a
17process approved by the State Board of Elections through which
18an election authority provides for the electronic transmission
19of a vote by mail ballot to a voter with a print disability and
20through which the voter with a print disability marks and
21verifies the voter's ballot using assistive technology.
22"Certified remote accessible vote by mail system" means, for
23the 2024 primary election and all subsequent elections, a

 

 

SB0282- 2 -LRB103 25683 BMS 52032 b

1process approved by the State Board of Elections through which
2an election authority provides for the electronic transmission
3of a vote by mail ballot to a voter with a print disability and
4through which the voter with a print disability marks,
5verifies, and returns the voter's ballot electronically using
6assistive technology.
7    "Electronic transmission" means the transfer of data or
8information through an authorized electronic data interchange
9system.
10    "Voter with a print disability" means a person having a
11temporary or permanent physical or mental impairment, such as
12blindness, low vision, physical dexterity limitations, or
13learning or cognitive disabilities, that prevents the person
14from effective reading, writing, or use of printed material.
15    (b) The State Board of Elections shall provide a certified
16remote accessible vote by mail system for the General Election
17of November 8, 2022 and all subsequent elections that occur
18before the 2024 primary election, through which a vote by mail
19ballot can be delivered by electronic transmission to voters
20with print disabilities and through which voters with print
21disabilities are able to mark and verify their ballots using
22assistive technology.
23    (c) For the November 8, 2022 general election and all
24subsequent elections that occur before the 2024 primary
25election, election Election authorities shall permit voters
26with a print disability to receive and mark their vote by mail

 

 

SB0282- 3 -LRB103 25683 BMS 52032 b

1ballots (i) through the certified remote accessible vote by
2mail system provided by the State Board of Elections pursuant
3to subsection (b) of this Section or (ii) through a certified
4remote accessible vote by mail system provided by the election
5authority.
6    (d) If a vote by mail ballot application from a voter with
7a print disability arrives after the jurisdiction begins
8transmitting vote by mail ballots and instructions to voters,
9the election authority shall electronically transmit the
10ballot, instructions, and balloting materials to the voter
11within two business days after receipt of the application.
12    (e) Ballots received and marked pursuant to subsections
13(b) and (c) of this Section must be printed by the voter and
14returned to the election authority as provided in Section
1519-6.
16    (f) For the 2024 primary election and all subsequent
17elections, the State Board of Elections shall provide a
18certified remote accessible vote by mail system through which
19a vote by mail ballot can be delivered through electronic
20transmission to voters with a print disability and through
21which voters with a print disability can mark, verify, and
22return a vote by mail ballot electronically.
23    (g) To ensure that voters with a print disability are able
24to complete all aspects of the vote by mail process privately
25and independently, the State Board of Elections shall
26establish a method that allows voters with a print disability

 

 

SB0282- 4 -LRB103 25683 BMS 52032 b

1to electronically authenticate a vote by mail ballot without
2assistance and election authorities shall use that method of
3authentication.
4    (h) All electronic documents and web pages that must be
5used as part of the certified remote accessible vote by mail
6system provided by the State Board of Elections or election
7authorities shall be compliant with the Web Content
8Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 Level AA standards and updated as
9necessary to comply with any subsequent Web Content
10Accessibility Guidelines standards.
11    (i) (f) The State Board of Elections shall adopt rules,
12including emergency rules, necessary for the implementation of
13this Section. The State Board of Elections' adopted rules
14shall include certification standards for a remote accessible
15vote by mail system and a method subject to the provisions in
16Sections 19-2 and 19-3 of this Article by which a voter with a
17print disability may request to use a certified remote
18accessible vote by mail system and apply for an accessible
19vote by mail ballot.
20(Source: P.A. 102-819, eff. 5-13-22.)
 
21    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect January
221, 2024.