The purpose of this rule is to establish an e-poll book and
polling place modernization panel to review applications submitted to the state
commissioner for distribution of moneys from the revolving loan fund created by
2017 Iowa Acts, House File 516, section 37, to be codified at Iowa Code section
47.11.
(1) Definitions.
"E-poll book" is as defined in rule
721-22.1 (52).
"Vendor," for purposes of this rule, means a
person or representative of a person developing, offering, or supporting an
e-poll book.
(2) In order to
ensure that the public funds in this rule are used responsibly and efficiently,
this rule creates a panel consisting of designees of the state commissioner of
elections, the state auditor, and the director of the department of management.
Attendance by two of the three members constitutes a quorum. The panel shall
conform to the party and gender balance requirements of Iowa Code sections
69.16 and
69.16A.
(3) The state commissioner shall convene the
panel whenever necessary to review loan applications received from county
commissioners requesting moneys from the fund.
(4) The state commissioner may convene the
panel to review proposed expenditures for updating technology standards for
elections. If the state commissioner determines that there is an urgent need
that an expenditure of moneys from the fund be used to update technology
standards, the state commissioner may spend the moneys without convening the
panel. In such instance, the state commissioner shall report that expenditure
at the next meeting of the panel.
(5) The panel shall create guidelines for
loaning moneys from the fund to county commissioners for the updating of
polling place technology. The guidelines shall be published on the state
commissioner's website.
(6) Before
distributing or loaning funds, the panel shall consider the published
guidelines, but may take additional factors into consideration. The panel shall
not waive any information technology security standards, but may waive other
requirements. A majority vote of the panel members present is sufficient to
approve funding.
(7) Before any
funds from the revolving loan fund are provided for the acquisition of e-poll
books, the e-poll book system shall conform to the security requirements within
this chapter.
This rule is intended to implement 2017 Iowa Acts, House File
516, section 37.
