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Senate panel approves resolution to remove sentence from voting-system certification rules
Summary
The Senate Committee on Senate and Governmental Affairs voted to report HCR 1 favorably after the secretary of state and supporters said deleting a single sentence in administrative voting-system standards will protect competition as vendors pursue federal certification.
The Senate Committee on Senate and Governmental Affairs voted June 4 to report HCR 1 favorably, a resolution that would repeal a sentence in administrative rules governing certification of the state's voting system standards.
Supporters said the change removes a potential legal barrier and preserves competition as vendors work toward Election Assistance Commission (EAC) certification.
"HCR 1 repeals a provision within the administrative rule relative to certification of the new voting system," Representative McMakin said during the committee hearing. Secretary of State Nancy Landry told the panel the revision is narrow: it removes one sentence from the final standards published under the Administrative Procedure Act.
"In 2021, the legislature passed Act 480. . . it reformed how Louisiana's voting system procurement process works," Landry told the committee. She said the office used the APA to promulgate system standards and that the requested change would "ensure that we don't limit competition" as vendors pursue EAC certification.
Committee members questioned the APA mechanics and whether the resolution substitutes for the APA rulemaking process. Representative McMakin and Secretary Landry explained the resolution is an alternative way to satisfy the APA process while the Legislature is in session, allowing the committee-level hearings to serve as the public input opportunity.
There were no recorded objections when the committee chair moved to report HCR 1 favorably; the measure advanced out of committee for further consideration.
Why it matters: The change is procedural but time sensitive for Louisiana's procurement timeline. Supporters said leaving the sentence in the rule could reduce competition and delay the procurement process while vendors seek federal certification. The committee's action preserves the shorter legislative pathway for finalizing the standards during the current session.
What to watch next: HCR 1 will continue through the legislative process; any future changes to the standards or procurement timeline would depend on subsequent floor action or administrative rulemaking.
