Revision: May 5, 2025, 9:53 a.m.
HB 67-FN-A - AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE
10Apr2025... 0781h
2025 SESSION
25-0051
07/08
HOUSE BILL 67-FN-A
AN ACT relative to agreements with the secretary of state for the use of accessible voting systems.
SPONSORS: Rep. M. Paige, Rock. 11; Rep. Wherry, Hills. 13
COMMITTEE: Election Law
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ANALYSIS
This bill directs cities and towns to enable access to voting for individuals with disabilities during elections.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
10Apr2025... 0781h 25-0051
07/08
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Five
AN ACT relative to agreements with the secretary of state for the use of accessible voting systems.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Accessible Voting Systems. Amend RSA 659:20-b to read as follows:
659:20-b Accessible Voting Systems.
I. Every city, every town, and every school district which has adopted an official ballot system shall:
(a) Ensure that each polling place has at least one accessible voting system.
(b) Enter into [a pilot] an agreement with the secretary of state for the use of accessible voting systems in local elections.
(c) Bear the cost of programming for the city, town, or school district election with the vendor chosen and contracted with by the secretary of state, including any transfer of the system to and from the vendor.
(d) Store and maintain the accessible voting system or systems in a secure manner following election security guidance issued by the secretary of state.
II. The secretary of state shall:
(a) Enter into [a pilot program] an agreement with cities and towns and provide accessible voting systems for use in city, town, and school elections.
(b) Provide guidance for programming the local ballots onto the accessible voting systems.
(c) Provide security guidance for the local storage and maintenance of the accessible voting system or systems used for city, town, and school district elections.
2 Change to Effective Date. Amend 2024, 123:5, I to read as follows:
I. Section 4 of this act shall take effect [June 30] December 31, 2025.
I. Section 2 of this act shall take effect June 29, 2025.
II. The remainder of this act shall take effect December 31, 2025.
25-0051
5/5/25
HB 67-FN-A- FISCAL NOTE
AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE (AMENDMENT #2025-0781h)
AN ACT relative to agreements with the secretary of state for the use of accessible voting systems.
FISCAL IMPACT: This bill does not provide funding, nor does it authorize new positions.
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Estimated State Impact | ||||||
| FY 2025 | FY 2026 | FY 2027 | FY 2028 | ||
Revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
Revenue Fund(s) | None | |||||
Expenditures* | $0 | $1,000,000 to $1,500,000 | $75,000 to $250,000 | $75,000 to $250,000 | ||
Funding Source(s) | Election Fund | |||||
Appropriations* | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
Funding Source(s) | None | |||||
*Expenditure = Cost of bill *Appropriation = Authorized funding to cover cost of bill | ||||||
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Estimated Political Subdivision Impact | ||||||
| FY 2025 | FY 2026 | FY 2027 | FY 2028 | ||
Local Revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
Local Expenditures | $0 | $600 to $2,400 | $600 to $2,400 | $600 to $2,400 | ||
METHODOLOGY:
The Secretary of State indicates this bill would make permanent the sharing of the State’s accessible voting systems (AVS) for use in town, city, or school district elections. RSA 659:20-b requires that any city, town, or school district which has adopted an official ballot system to use an AVS in local elections. The statute includes a pilot program for the State to share AVS with cities, towns, and school districts. This pilot program of sharing AVS is set to expire on June 30, 2025. This bill would change the pilot program end date to December 31, 2025 and make the AVS sharing program permanent thereafter.
The Secretary of State indicates the current AVS system is 10 years old, is difficult to program, and some parts are hard find replacements for. The Department is currently in the process of drafting a Request for Proposals to replace the existing AVS. The new AVS will be easier to program and easier for the voter to use. The Secretary of State estimates the replacement cost will be between $1.2 million and $1.5 million. It is anticipated that the vendor to charge annual maintenance fees and programming fees for state and federal elections. These annual costs are estimated to be $75,000-$250,000.
The Department expects the vendor will charge local election programming fees that the town, city, or school district will pay. In the March 2025 elections, the current AVS vendor charged $600-$800 per ballot design based on the number of pages. If a town had one town election and 2 school elections, the fee would be $600-$800 to the town and another $600-$800 to each school districts for a total local cost of $1800-$2400.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Secretary of State