Skip to main content Skip to office menu Skip to footer
Capital IconMinnesota Legislature

SF 3528

as introduced - 89th Legislature (2015 - 2016) Posted on 04/15/2016 08:52am

KEY: stricken = removed, old language.
underscored = added, new language.

Current Version - as introduced

Line numbers 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6
1.7 1.8 1.9 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 1.24 1.25 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 2.18 2.19 2.20 2.21 2.22 2.23 2.24 2.25 2.26 2.27 2.28
2.29 2.30 2.31 2.32

A bill for an act
relating to elections; establishing a voting equipment grant account; providing
for grants to counties and municipalities for the acquisition of certain authorized
voting equipment; appropriating money; proposing coding for new law in
Minnesota Statutes, chapter 206.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

new text begin [206.95] VOTING EQUIPMENT GRANT ACCOUNT.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Voting equipment grant account. new text end

new text begin A voting equipment grant
account is established in the special revenue fund. Funds in the account are appropriated
to the secretary of state to provide grants to counties and municipalities as authorized by
this section. Funds in the account are available until expended.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Authorized equipment. new text end

new text begin (a) A county or municipal government may apply
to receive a grant under this section for the purchase or lease of the following:
new text end

new text begin (1) an electronic voting system, or any individual components of an electronic
voting system as provided in section 206.56, subdivision 8;
new text end

new text begin (2) assistive voting technology;
new text end

new text begin (3) an electronic roster system meeting the technology requirements of section
201.225, subdivision 2; and
new text end

new text begin (4) any other equipment or technology approved by the secretary of state for use in
conducting a state or local election in Minnesota consistent with the requirements of law.
new text end

new text begin (b) A purchase or lease of equipment is eligible for a grant under this section if the
purchase is made, or lease entered, on or after July 1, 2016.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Amount of grant. new text end

new text begin A county or municipal government is eligible to receive
a grant equal to no more than 75 percent of the total cost of the eligible equipment. If the
total amount of qualifying grant applications from all counties and municipalities exceeds
the total amount appropriated for the purpose of awarding grants, the secretary of state
must develop criteria for the fair, proportional distribution of grants that considers, at a
minimum, the following factors:
new text end

new text begin (1) the number of voters likely to be served by the equipment;
new text end

new text begin (2) the age and condition of any equipment proposed for replacement;
new text end

new text begin (3) the need for equitable distribution of grant funds to both rural and urban counties
and municipalities; and
new text end

new text begin (4) whether the county or municipal governing body has adopted a reasonable
long-term plan to address the maintenance, repair, and eventual replacement needs for
the equipment.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Application for grant; certification of costs. new text end

new text begin (a) To receive a grant, a
county or municipality must submit an application to the secretary of state. The secretary of
state shall prescribe a form for this purpose. At a minimum, the application must describe:
new text end

new text begin (1) the type or types of equipment proposed for purchase or lease;
new text end

new text begin (2) the expected total cost of the equipment, and sources of funding that will be used
for the purchase or lease in addition to the grant funding provided by this section;
new text end

new text begin (3) the county's or municipality's plan to address the long-term maintenance, repair,
and eventual replacement costs for the equipment; and
new text end

new text begin (4) any other information required by the secretary of state.
new text end

new text begin (b) The secretary of state must establish a deadline for receipt of grant applications,
a procedure for awarding and distributing grants, and a process for verifying the proper
use of the grants after distribution.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Report to legislature. new text end

new text begin No later than January 15, 2017, and annually
thereafter until the appropriations provided for grants under this section have been
exhausted, the secretary of state must submit a report to the legislative committees with
jurisdiction over elections policy on grants awarded by this section. The report must detail
each grant awarded, including the jurisdiction, the amount of the grant, and the type
of equipment purchased.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin VOTING EQUIPMENT GRANT ACCOUNT; APPROPRIATION.
new text end

new text begin $15,000,000 in fiscal year 2017 is appropriated from the general fund to the
commissioner of management and budget for transfer into the voting equipment grant
account established by section 206.95, subdivision 1.
new text end