_____________ bill NO. _____________

INTRODUCED BY _________________________________________________

By Request of the Secretary of State

A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: "AN ACT REQUIRING THE SECRETARY OF STATE to ADOPT RULES DEFINING AND GOVERNING ELECTION SECURITY; REQUIRING ELECTION SECURITY ASSESSMENTs by the secretary of state and county election administrations; establishing that security assessments are confidential information; ESTABLISHING REPORTING REQUIREMENTS; providing rulemaking authority; and PROVIDING AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE."

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

NEW SECTION. Section 1. Statewide elections infrastructure -- rulemaking. (1) (a) On or before July 1, 2022, the secretary of state shall adopt rules defining and governing election security using federal election best practices as recommended by the United States elections assistance commission and the national institute of standards and technology of the United States department of commerce.

(b) The secretary of state and county election administrators shall annually assess their compliance with election security rules established in accordance with subsection (1)(a). County election administrators shall provide the results of the assessments to the secretary of state in January of each year to ensure that all aspects of elections in the state are secure. Security assessments are considered confidential information as defined in 2-6-1002(1).

(2) Beginning January 1, 2023, and each year after, the secretary of state shall provide an annual summary report on statewide election security. The report must be provided to the state administration and veterans' affairs interim committee in accordance with 5-11-210.

NEW SECTION. Section 2. Codification instruction. [Section 1] is intended to be codified as an integral part of Title 13, chapter 1, part 2, and the provisions of Title 13, chapter 1, part 2, apply to [section 1].

NEW SECTION. Section 3. Effective date. [This act] is effective on passage and approval.