Adopted

AMENDMENT NO 1 PROPOSED TO

Cmte Sub for Senate Bill No. 2857

BY: Senator(s) Ross, Chamberlin

     AMEND by inserting the following after line 1303 and by renumbering subsequent sections accordingly:

     SECTION *.  (1)  There is created a task force to study voting systems that comply with the Help America Vote Act of 2002 and their suitability for use in elections in Mississippi.  The task force shall make a report of its findings and recommendations to the Legislature during the 2005 Regular Session, including any recommended legislation.

     (2)  The task force shall be composed of the following members:

          (a)  The Secretary of State, or his designee;

          (b)  The Chairman of the Elections Committee of the Senate;

          (c)  The Chairman of the Apportionment and Elections Committee of the House of Representatives;

          (d)  A circuit clerk appointed by the President of the Mississippi Association of Circuit Clerks;

          (e)  A member of the general public who is not an elected official or state employee, appointed by the Governor;

          (f)  A member of the general public who is not an elected official or state employee, appointed by the Lieutenant Governor; and

          (g)  A member of the general public who is not an elected official or state employee, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. 

     (3)  Appointments shall be made within thirty (30) days after the effective date of this act, and, within fifteen (15) days thereafter on a day to be designated jointly by the Speaker of the House and the Lieutenant Governor, the task force shall meet and organize by selecting from its membership a chairman and a vice chairman.  The vice chairman shall also serve as secretary and shall be responsible for keeping all records of the task force.  A majority of the members of the task force shall constitute a quorum.  In the selection of its officers and the adoption of rules, resolutions and reports, an affirmative vote of a majority of the task force shall be required.  All members shall be notified in writing of all meetings, such notices to be mailed at least fifteen (15) days before the date on which a meeting is to be held.

     (4)  The task force shall study voting systems that comply with the Help America Vote Act of 2002 and make recommendations regarding the types of voting systems that are suitable for use in Mississippi.

     (5)  Members of the task force who are not legislators, state officials or state employees shall be compensated at the per diem rate authorized by Section 25-3-69 and shall be reimbursed in accordance with Section 25-3-41 for mileage and actual expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.  Legislative members of the task force shall be paid from the contingent expense funds of their respective houses in the same manner as provided for committee meetings when the Legislature is not in session.  However, no per diem or expense for attending meetings of the task force will be paid to legislative members of the task force while the Legislature is in session.  No task force member may incur per diem, travel or other expenses unless previously authorized by vote, at a meeting of the task force, which action shall be recorded in the official minutes of the meeting.  Nonlegislative members shall be paid from any funds made available to the task force for that purpose.

     (6)  The task force shall use clerical and legal staff already employed by the Legislature and any other staff assistance made available to it.  To effectuate the purposes of this section, any department, division, board, bureau, commission or agency of the state or of any political subdivision thereof shall, at the request of the chairman of the task force, provide to the task force such facilities, assistance and data as will enable the task force to properly carry out its task.

     (7)  Upon presentation of its report to the Legislature at the 2005 Regular Session, the task force shall be dissolved.

     FURTHER, AMEND line 60 of the title by inserting the following after the semicolon:

TO CREATE A TASK FORCE TO STUDY VOTING SYSTEMS THAT COMPLY WITH THE HELP AMERICA VOTE ACT OF 2002 AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE LEGISLATURE REGARDING THE TYPES OF VOTING SYSTEMS THAT ARE SUITABLE FOR USE IN MISSISSIPPI;