This bill mandates that cities, towns, and school districts with official ballot systems ensure accessibility for individuals with disabilities during elections. It repeals and reenacts RSA 659:20-b, which now requires each polling place to have at least one accessible voting system. The bill stipulates that local governments must bear the costs associated with programming these systems and follow guidance from the secretary of state for their setup and testing. Additionally, clerks are required to enter into agreements with the secretary of state for the use of these systems, maintain them securely, and share them with school clerks for school district elections.

The bill also includes provisions for the secretary of state to enter into agreements with local clerks to provide accessible voting systems and offer guidance on their use and maintenance. It specifies that the secretary of state will cover programming costs for state and federal elections. Furthermore, the effective date of a related provision has been changed from June 30, 2025, to December 31, 2025, while other sections of the act will take effect on June 29, 2025, and January 1, 2026, respectively.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 659:20-b
As Amended by the House: 659:20-b