§ Miss. Code § 23-15-169.6(untitled)

Task force to study voting systems complying with Help America Vote Act
of 2002; report of findings and recommendations; composition of task force; appointments;
meetings; quorum requirements; compensation; staff.
(1) There is created a task force to study voting systems that comply with the Help America
Vote Act of 2002 and their suitability for use in elections in Mississippi. The task force shall
make a report of its findings and recommendations to the Legislature before or by September 15,
2005 , including any recommended legislation.
(2) The task force shall be composed of the following members:
(a) The Secretary of State, or his designee;
(b) The Chairman of the Elections Committee of the Senate;
(c) The Chairman of the Apportionment and Elections Committee of the House of
Representatives;
(d) A circuit clerk appointed by the President of the Mississippi Association of Circuit Clerks;
(e) A member of the general public who is not an elected official or state employee, appointed
by the Governor;
(f) A member of the general public who is not an elected official or state employee, appointed
by the Lieutenant Governor; and
(g) A member of the general public who is not an elected official or state employee, appointed
by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
(3) Appointments shall be made within thirty (30) days after July 12, 2004, and, within
fifteen (15) days thereafter on a day to be designated jointly by the Speaker of the House and the
Lieutenant Governor, the task force shall meet and organize by selecting from its membership a
chairman and a vice chairman. The vice chairman shall also serve as secretary and shall be
responsible for keeping all records of the task force. A majority of the members of the task force
shall constitute a quorum. In the selection of its officers and the adoption of rules, resolutions
and reports, an affirmative vote of a majority of the task force shall be required. All members
shall be notified in writing of all meetings, such notices to be mailed at least fifteen (15) days
before the date on which a meeting is to be held.
(4) The task force shall study voting systems that comply with the Help America Vote Act of
2002 and make recommendations regarding the types of voting systems that are suitable for use
in Mississippi.
(5) Members of the task force who are not legislators, state officials or state employees shall
be compensated at the per diem rate authorized by Section 25-3-69 and shall be reimbursed in
accordance with Section 25-3-41 for mileage and actual expenses incurred in the performance of
their duties. Legislative members of the task force shall be paid from the contingent expense
funds of their respective houses in the same manner as provided for committee meetings when
the Legislature is not in session. However, no per diem or expense for attending meetings of the
task force will be paid to legislative members of the task force while the Legislature is in session.
No task force member may incur per diem, travel or other expenses unless previously authorized
by vote, at a meeting of the task force, which action shall be recorded in the official minutes of
the meeting. Nonlegislative members shall be paid from any funds made available to the task
force for that purpose.
(6) The task force shall use clerical and legal staff already employed by the Legislature and
any other staff assistance made available to it. To effectuate the purposes of this section, any
department, division, board, bureau, commission or agency of the state or of any political
subdivision thereof shall, at the request of the chairman of the task force, provide to the task
force such facilities, assistance and data as will enable the task force to properly carry out its
task.