_____________ bill NO. _____________

INTRODUCED BY _________________________________________________

By Request of the ****

A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: "AN ACT CREATING AN ELECTION SECURITY TEAM; PROVIDING for MEMBERSHIP AND DUTIES; PROVIDING AN APPROPRIATION; and PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE and A TERMINATION DATE."

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

NEW SECTION. Section 1. Short title. [Sections 1 through 3] may be cited as the "Election Security Act".

NEW SECTION. Section 2. Election security team -- membership. There is an election security team. The membership consists of:

(1)        one person appointed by the governor;

(2)        one person appointed by the state auditor;

(3)        one person appointed by the secretary of state;

(4)        one person appointed by the supreme court;

(5)        one person appointed by the house of representatives majority leader;

(6)        one person appointed by the house of representatives minority leader;

(7)        one person appointed by the senate majority leader; and

(8)        one person appointed by the senate minority leader.

NEW SECTION. Section 3. Election security team -- powers and duties. After each general election the team shall:

(1)        ensure that an independent, full hand count of all ballots cast in all precincts in the state be conducted within a year of the election;

(2)        hire and oversee a team to conduct the full hand count;

(3)        report the results of the full hand count to the county election administrators and the secretary of state's office; and

(4)        evaluate the implementation and execution of the security measures adopted in subsection (1) to determine whether the measures were properly followed by county election administrators.

NEW SECTION. Section 4. Appropriation. There is appropriated $100,000 from the general fund to the secretary of state for each year of the biennia beginning July 1, 2023, and July 1, 2025, to fund the election security team.

NEW SECTION. Section 5. Codification instruction. [Sections 1 through 3] are intended to be codified as a new part in Title 13, chapter 17, and the provisions of Title 13, chapter 17, apply to [sections 1 through 3].

NEW SECTION. Section 6. Effective date. [This act] is effective July 1, 2023.

NEW SECTION. Section 7. Termination. [Sections 1 through 3] terminate June 30, 2027.