This bill amends Louisiana's election law to enhance the procurement process for voting systems and their components. It replaces the term "solicitation of bids" with "procurement and use" and introduces new procurement methods, including "competitive sealed proposals" and "invitations to negotiate." The legislation establishes the Voting System Commission and the Voting System Proposal Evaluation Committee, detailing their roles in the procurement process. Additionally, it mandates that all voting systems must be certified according to standards set by the United States Election Assistance Commission, thereby aiming to improve the integrity and efficiency of the voting system procurement.

The bill also revises the appeals process for decisions made by the state chief procurement officer, introducing a finality clause for certain decisions that can only be contested under specific conditions. It establishes the Nineteenth Judicial District Court as the exclusive jurisdiction for various contract-related actions and sets strict timelines for filing appeals and resolving disputes. Notably, the provisions of this Subpart will expire after June 30, 2027, and the Louisiana Law Institute is tasked with reclassifying certain statutes as part of this legislative update.

Statutes affected:
HB577 Original: 18:1361(A), 18:1362(A)(1), 18:1(I)(1), 18:2(A)
HB577 Engrossed: 18:1361(A), 18:1362(A)(1), 18:1(I)(1), 18:2(A)
HB577 Enrolled: 18:1361(A), 18:1362(A)(1), 18:1(I)(1), 18:2(A)
HB577 Act : 18:1361(A), 18:1362(A)(1), 18:1(I)(1), 18:2(A)