(1) Subject to available appropriations, the secretary of state shall reimburse counties for the purchase of, or make payments to counties for the anticipated incremental cost to lease, voting equipment and other equipment and supplies necessary to fulfill the requirements of House Bill 19-1278, enacted in 2019, as provided in this section. The reimbursements or payments shall be made as grants subject to requirements prescribed by the secretary of state.
The local elections assistance cash fund, referred to in this section as the "fund", ishereby created in the state treasury. The fund consists of money that the general assembly may appropriate to the fund from the general fund.
(a) For the 2019-20 fiscal year, the secretary of state may expend three hundred fifty thousand dollars from the federal elections assistance fund created in section 1-1.5-106 (1)(a) for the purpose of providing grants to counties to reimburse the counties in accordance with subsection (1) of this section for the costs associated with establishing new drop boxes and for other equipment consistent with federal law and grant requirements.
(b) For the 2019-20 fiscal year, the general assembly shall transfer the balance of the money necessary to make the payments required by subsection (1) of this section from the general fund to the fund.
The state treasurer shall credit all interest and income derived from the deposit andinvestment of money in the fund to the fund.
Money in the fund is continuously appropriated to the department of state for thepurposes of making payments to counties in accordance with subsection (1) of this section.
The state treasurer shall transfer all unexpended and unencumbered money in thefund on June 30, 2021, to the fund from which the money originated.
This section is repealed, effective July 1, 2021.
Source: L. 2019: Entire section added, (HB 19-1278), ch. 326, p. 3035, § 49, effective August 9. L. 2020: (1) amended, (HB 20-1132), ch. 3, p. 5, § 1, effective March 4.
Cross references: For the short title ("Colorado Votes Act") in HB 19-1278, see section 1 of chapter 326, Session Laws of Colorado 2019.