§ La. R.S. 18:1362.1(untitled)

Voting System Commission; creation and organization; duties and responsibilities
A.(1) The Voting System Commission is created and established within the Department of State for
the purpose of evaluating and recommending the type of voting system that shall be procured to replace the
voting system in use as necessary.
(2) The purpose of this commission is to further the preservation of democracy by strengthening the
state's commitment to maintaining the faith, integrity, and trust in election, voting, and ballot-counting
processes, to provide the highest level of election security and functionality, and to provide greater clarity,
public transparency, and objectivity with respect to the selection of voting equipment.
B. The Voting System Commission shall be comprised of the following members:
(1) The commissioner of elections, or his designee.
(2) Two members of the House of Representatives, appointed by the speaker of the House of
Representatives, one of whom shall be a member affiliated with the Republican Party and one of whom shall
be a member affiliated with the Democratic Party.
(3) Two members of the Senate, appointed by the president of the Senate, one of whom shall be a
member affiliated with the Republican Party and one of whom shall be a member affiliated with the
Democratic Party.
(4) Two Louisiana registered voters appointed by the governor, one of whom shall represent the
disabled community.
(5) The secretary of state, or his designee.
(6) Two Louisiana registered voters appointed by the attorney general.
(7) The executive director of the Cyber Innovation Center, or his designee.
(8) The president of the Louisiana Clerks of Court Association, or his designee.
(9) The president of the Louisiana Registrars of Voters Association, or his designee.
C. The chair of the commission shall be elected by a majority vote of the members and shall set the
date, time, and place for all meetings. The secretary of state shall convene the initial meeting of the
commission not later than September 1, 2021, and shall serve as the initial chair until a chairman is elected.
D. A majority of the members serving on the commission shall constitute a quorum to conduct
official business. All actions of the commission shall require a majority vote of the quorum. A majority of
the meetings of the commission shall be held at the state capitol, and all meetings held at the state capitol
shall be streamed live on the internet.
E. Members of the commission shall serve terms concurrent with the governor. Members shall serve
without compensation; however, legislative members of the commission shall receive the per diem and
expenses as provided for legislators during attendance at legislative committees and from the same source.
F. The Department of State and office of state procurement shall provide administrative staff and
resources to the commission upon request.
House of Representatives Database
Louisiana Election Code – 263
R.S. 18:1362.2
G. The commission may request from the secretary of state or any other source any information it
considers necessary to assist in making a recommendation regarding voting systems.
H. The commission shall consider only a voting system that utilizes a voter-verified paper record
to replace the state's inventory of direct recording equipment. For the replacement of subsequent voting
systems, the commission shall conduct a preliminary analysis of available voting systems and select up to
three options for discussion during each public hearing held for the evaluation of which voting systems are
most advantageous to the state based on functionality.
I.(1) After complying with the provisions of Subsection H of this Section, the commission shall
determine the type of voting system to recommend to the secretary of state to submit for procurement in
accordance with the provisions of the Louisiana Procurement Code.
(2) The recommendation of the Voting System Commission pursuant to this Subsection shall not
be a valid basis for a protest pursuant to Part VI of the Louisiana Procurement Code relative to a procurement
of voting systems. Any protest asserting that the recommendation of the Voting System Commission was
erroneous shall be null and disregarded.
J. The commission shall submit a report of its findings and conclusions to the governor, the president
of the Senate, the speaker of the House of Representatives, the Senate Committee on Senate and
Governmental Affairs, the House Committee on House and Governmental Affairs, the secretary of state, and
the division of administration no later than January 31, 2022, and annually thereafter.
K. Upon receipt of the report, the secretary of state, working in conjunction with the office of state
procurement, shall develop the best method of procurement taking into consideration the commission's
recommendations. No later than thirty days prior to the issuance of the request for proposals or the issuance
of an invitation to negotiate, the secretary shall promulgate certification standards for the type of voting
system to be procured in accordance with the provisions of R.S. 18:1353.
L. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the secretary of state shall award no
contract for voting systems unless the awarded proposer has provided a sworn affidavit stating that the
proposer is not subject to significant ownership or control by a foreign power, and that the proposer is aware
that a false statement will be subject to the provisions of R.S. 39:1678 and 1679. For purposes of this
Subsection, "significant ownership or control by a foreign power" means ownership, equity, or control which
equals or exceeds twenty-five percent of the total outstanding ownership, equity, or control of the proposer,
and which is exercised directly or indirectly by, or for the express benefit of, the government of a foreign
nation, state, or principality, or any instrumentality or subsidiary thereof. The sworn affidavit required
pursuant to this Subsection, and all related information, shall be a public record.