HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 362        FILED ON: 1/10/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 649

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Shawn Dooley

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act to decrease waiting times at polling places.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Shawn Dooley

9th Norfolk

1/10/2019

Michael J. Soter

8th Worcester

1/27/2019

David F. DeCoste

5th Plymouth

1/31/2019


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 362        FILED ON: 1/10/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 649

By Mr. Dooley of Norfolk, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 649) of Shawn Dooley, Michael J. Soter and David F. DeCoste that the State Secretary provide for a program to allow cities and towns to implement a voter “speed pass” system.  Election Laws.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 359 OF 2017-2018.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)

_______________

 

An Act to decrease waiting times at polling places.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Chapter 54 of the General Laws, is hereby amended by adding the following section:-

Section 144. (a) The state secretary shall provide for a program to allow cities and towns to implement a voter “speed pass” system in addition to the manual system currently used by cities and towns. The purpose of the program shall be to reduce wait times for voters at polling places. The program shall allow voter information to be electronically scanned in order to check-in and check-out of the polling location. 

(b) The program shall use software approved by the state secretary. The software shall meet the highest security ratings available. The program shall utilize an electronic poll book, if available to the city or town, to verify voter information.  The verification shall be directly uploaded back into the commonwealth’s voter registration information system, in addition to the manual system that is currently in place.

(c) At no time shall this device be able to be accessed via a wireless device or a remote facility. The only transfer of data that shall be done will be securely done at the City or Town Clerk’s office with a device approved by the Secretary of the Commonwealth. The Clerk shall follow all security protocols as set forth by the Secretary of the Commonwealth.