Committee hears public testimony on election-security bill expanding preapproval, cybersecurity rules

The State Government & Tribal Relations Committee held a public hearing on engrossed substitute Senate Bill 5,014, a Secretary of State request that would expand what election systems and components must be preapproved, tighten breach-disclosure rules, and require new county cybersecurity measures.

Desiree Elmley, OPR staff, told the committee the bill would extend the Secretary's preapproval authority to any component of a voting system and to “any mechanical, electromechanical, or electronic equipment or platforms used to issue ballots,” to facilitate voter responses, to submit ballot-declaration signatures electronically, and to issue or validate voter identification. Elmley said the bill would also broaden which vendors must immediately disclose security breaches and would require new cybersecurity controls for county auditors.

Secretary of State Steve Hobbs said those controls reflect threats the state has seen. "In 2016 ... the Secretary of State's office under Kim Wyman, with the help of…