(1)(a) There is established within the department the Mississippi Voting Modernization Grant Program which shall be administered by the department for the purpose of reimbursing counties or disbursing funds to counties for the purchase of modern voting systems.(b) The grant program shall receive funds appropriated to the Mississippi Secretary of State therefor from the Capital Expense Fund or other available source of money.(2) By August 31, 2022, the department shall develop and promulgate rules to provide for: (a) The procedures of the grant program not specifically enumerated in this subarticle; and(b) Other eligible expenses related to the costs of conducting elections where a county has previously purchased voting systems that qualifies under the requirements of this subarticle. Other eligible expenses include, but are not limited to: (i) encumbered debt of previously purchased voting machines;(ii) additional voting machines;(iii) machine maintenance;(iv) software upgrades;(v) ballot-marking devices;(vi) central scanners,(vii) ballot-on-demand printing systems,(viii) electronic poll books;(ix) paper ballots or ballot-printing supplies; and(x) costs associated with voter roll llot-marking devices;(vi) central scanners,(vii) ballot-on-demand printing systems,(viii) electronic poll books;(ix) paper ballots or ballot-printing supplies; and(x) costs associated with voter roll maintenance, such as printing confirmation cards and postage.(3) To be eligible for purchase under this grant program, any voting machine, voting device, precinct ballot scanner, ballot marking device or vote tabulating device shall not have the capability of wireless remote connections.(4) The department shall review the application for funding submitted by each county and grant or deny the application within thirty (30) days of the receipt of the application.(5) Before awarding a grant to a county for the future purchase of a voting system, the department shall require the county to provide a verified contract and purchase order.Added by Laws, 2022, ch. 480, SB 2879,§ 3, eff. 4/19/2022.
Mississippi Legal Code