SENATE BILL No. 1465

September 26, 2002, Introduced by Senator BYRUM and referred to the Committee on Government

Operations.

A bill to amend 1954 PA 116, entitled

"Michigan election law,"

(MCL 168.1 to 168.992) by adding section 31a.

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

1 SEC. 31A. (1) BEFORE JULY 31, 2003, THE SECRETARY OF STATE

2 SHALL CONDUCT AN INSPECTION OF THE POLLING PLACES FOR EACH ELEC-

3 TION PRECINCT TO DETERMINE ALL OF THE FOLLOWING:

4 (A) COMPLIANCE WITH THE VOTING ACCESSIBILITY FOR THE ELDERLY

5 AND HANDICAPPED ACT, PUBLIC LAW 98-435, 42 U.S.C. 1973ee TO

6 1973ee-6.

7 (B) ACCESSIBILITY OF EACH POLLING PLACE TO INDIVIDUALS WITH

8 A TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT DISABILITY.

9 (C) DEGREE OF CONFIDENTIALITY AND UTILITY OF EXISTING VOTING

10 DEVICES AND MACHINES IN EACH POLLING PLACE FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH A

11 TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT DISABILITY.

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1 (2) THE SECRETARY OF STATE SHALL FILE A REPORT WITH THE

2 GOVERNOR, THE SENATE MAJORITY LEADER, AND THE SPEAKER OF THE

3 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ON OR BEFORE SEPTEMBER 30, 2003, CON-

4 TAINING HIS OR HER FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HOW AN ELEC-

5 TION PRECINCT CAN AID AND BETTER SERVE INDIVIDUALS WITH A

6 DISABILITY.

7 (3) "DISABILITY" MEANS 1 OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING:

8 (A) BLINDNESS AS DETERMINED BY AN OPTOMETRIST OR A

9 PHYSICIAN.

10 (B) INABILITY TO WALK MORE THAN 200 FEET WITHOUT HAVING TO

11 STOP AND REST.

12 (C) A PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTIC THAT SIGNIFICANTLY LIMITS

13 AMBULATION OR ABILITY TO USE 1 OR BOTH LEGS OR FEET AND NECESSI-

14 TATES THE USE OF A WHEELCHAIR FOR MOBILITY.

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