CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT

SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1222

Chapter 110, Laws of 2003

58th Legislature
2003 Regular Session



VOTER ACCESSIBILITY



EFFECTIVE DATE: 7/27/03

Passed by the House March 11, 2003
  Yeas 93   Nays 0

FRANK CHOPP
________________________________________    
Speaker of the House of Representatives


Passed by the Senate April 15, 2003
  Yeas 46   Nays 0


BRAD OWEN
________________________________________    
President of the Senate		 
CERTIFICATE

I, Cynthia Zehnder, Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1222 as passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on the dates hereon set forth.


CYNTHIA ZEHNDER
________________________________________    
Chief Clerk
Approved May 7, 2003.








GARY LOCKE
________________________________________    
Governor of the State of Washington		 
FILED
May 7, 2003 - 2:24 p.m.







Secretary of State
State of Washington


_____________________________________________ 

SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1222
_____________________________________________

Passed Legislature - 2003 Regular Session
State of Washington58th Legislature2003 Regular Session

By House Committee on State Government (originally sponsored by Representatives Dickerson, Ruderman, Lovick, Romero, Schual-Berke, Hunt, Nixon, Wood, Conway, Simpson, Chase and Haigh)

READ FIRST TIME 02/25/03.   



     AN ACT Relating to voter accessibility; and adding a new section to chapter 29.33 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 29.33 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The secretary of state shall adopt rules and establish standards for voting technology and systems used by the state or any political subdivision to be accessible for individuals with disabilities, including nonvisual accessibility for the blind and visually impaired, in a manner that provides the same opportunity for access and participation, including privacy and independence, as other voters.
     (2) At each polling location, at least one voting unit certified by the secretary of state shall provide access to individuals who are blind or visually impaired.
     (3) Compliance with this provision in regard to voting technology and systems purchased prior to the effective date of this section shall be achieved at the time of procurement of an upgrade of technology compatible with nonvisual voting methods or replacement of existing voting equipment or systems.
     (4) Compliance with subsections (2) and (3) of this section is contingent on available funds to implement this provision.
     (5) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
     (a) "Accessible" includes receiving, using, selecting, and manipulating voter data and controls.
     (b) "Nonvisual" includes synthesized speech, Braille, and other output methods.
     (c) "Blind and visually impaired" excludes persons who are both deaf and blind.
     (6) This section does not apply to voting by absentee ballot.


         Passed by the House March 11, 2003.
         Passed by the Senate April 15, 2003.
         Approved by the Governor May 7, 2003.
         Filed in Office of Secretary of State May 7, 2003.