ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Fifty-fifth Legislature Second Regular Session
	House: APPROP DPA/SE 8-5-0-0

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HB 2726: severance tax; distribution; cities; towns

S/E: ballot fraud countermeasures; ink; paper

Sponsor: Representative Martinez, LD 11

Caucus & COW

Summary of the Strike-Everything Amendment to HB 2726

Overview

Prescribes the ballot fraud countermeasures that must be used.

History

Currently, ballots are required to fulfill three of the ten ballot security measures listed in statute. These security measures must be ISO 27001, ISO 17025  or ISO 9001:2015 certified and include:

1) Watermarked clearing bank specification 1 security paper; and

2) Secure holographic foil;

3) A branded overprint that personalizes the hologram with customer logo;

4) Complex background designs with banknote-level security;

5) Secure variable digital infill;

6) The use of specified inks;

7) Stealth numbering in ultraviolet, infrared or taggant ink;

8) Multicolored micro-numismatic invisible ultraviolet designs;

9) Forensic fraud detection technology that is built into security inks; and

10) Unique, scannable code that is accessible only to the voter and tracks the location of their ballot (A.R.S. § 16-504).

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is a multinational organization that specializes in international standardization. The ISO develops standards for a variety of different industries and practices. ISO certification is processed by external certification bodies but follows the ISO's standards related to the certification process (ISO).

Provisions

1. Repeals statute relating to antifraud ballot paper. (Sec. 1)

2. Requires vendors that provide fraud countermeasures in or on the paper used for ballots to be ISO 27001, ISO 17025, ISO 45001, ISO 14001, ISO 14298, or ISO 9001:2015 certified.

3. Specifies that ballot fraud countermeasures include all the following:

a) Watermarked clearing bank specification 1 security paper;

b) Distinct holographic foil with a proprietary original image that meets specific requirements and must be exclusively owned and controlled by the security printer;

c) A branded overprint that personalizes the hologram with customer logo;

d) Complex background designs with banknote-level security;

e) Secure variable digital infill;

f) The use of specified inks;

g) Stealth numbering in ultraviolet, infrared or taggant ink;

h) Specified two color rainbow print that follows the primary image's design;

i) Invisible ultraviolet microtext with an ultraviolet image;

j) Raster imaging printed on 75% of the document face in a minimum two-color invisible ultraviolet ink;

k) A document specific three color invisible ultraviolet guilloche;

l) Visibly colored ink with an embedded covert machine readable taggant, detectable by infrared wavelength, that confirm authenticity when read by a hand-held proprietary detector;

m) Molecular level forensic-covert security feature in the infrared tagged ink;

n) Microprinting;

o) Multicolor invisible florescent elements that create a rainbow effect background, created using anticounterfeit design software only available for approved printers;

p) Serialized black QR code which directs voters to web-based voter information and tracks the voter's ballot as it is processed;

q) Paper which meets measurement and weight requirements; and

r) A paper receipt on a perforated portion of the ballot that the voter may remove after completion of the ballot, containing information about their specific ballot. (Sec. 2)

4. Directs the Legislature to appropriate sufficient monies to the State Treasurer to provide counties with the prescribed ballot paper. (Sec. 2)

5. Stipulates that, if available, paper that meets the prescribed requirements must be used by the county recorder in all elections for state and federal offices. (Sec. 2)

6. Specifies that the ballot fraud countermeasures apply to the regular general election in 2022 and all elections held in 2024 and later. (Sec. 2)

7. Appropriates $6 million from the state General Fund in Fiscal Year 2023 to the State Treasurer for the purchase of antifraud ballot paper to be used by counties. (Sec. 3)

8. Stipulates that the appropriated monies are exempt from statute relating to lapsing of appropriations. (Sec. 3)

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12.                   HB 2726

13. Initials SJ  Page 0 Caucus & COW

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