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<section article="gel" article_name="Election Law" number="2-109" title_number="2" title_name="Powers and Duties of the State and Local Boards" subtitle_number="1" subtitle_name="State Board">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>“Appropriate persons” means:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the State Board;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the Governor;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>the President of the Senate of Maryland;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>the Speaker of the House of Delegates;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>the Attorney General; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vi">
        <text>the Department of Information Technology.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>“Contract” means an agreement in any form entered into by a governmental entity for a procurement as defined in § 11–101 of the State Finance and Procurement Article.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <level label="i">
        <text>“Election service provider” means any person providing, supporting, or maintaining an election system on behalf of the State Board.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>“Election service provider” includes a contractor and vendor.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>“Election system” includes:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>a voting system;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>an election management system;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>a voter registration website or database;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>an electronic pollbook;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>a system for tabulating or reporting election results; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vi">
        <text>any other information system that is determined to be central to the management, support, or administration of an election.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>“Foreign national” includes:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>an individual who is a citizen of a foreign country; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>an individual, a partnership, an association, a corporation, an organization, or any other combination of individuals organized under the laws of or having its principal place of business in a foreign country.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>The State Board may not approve a contract with an election service provider unless the contract includes a clause requiring the election service provider to provide the State Board notice of:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>any ownership of or investment in the election service provider or control of the election service provider by a foreign national at the time of the award of the contract; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>any material change in any ownership of or investment in the election service provider or control of the election service provider by a foreign national at any time for the duration of the contract.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>The notice required under subsection (b) of this section shall include:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>the name and nationality of the foreign national that has ownership of or investment in or control of the election service provider; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>the nature and extent of the ownership, investment, or control.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>On a determination by the State Administrator that the foreign national has the ability to control, influence, or direct the election service provider in any manner that would compromise or influence, or give the appearance of compromising or influencing, the independence and integrity of an election, the State Administrator may terminate, in whole or in part, the contract with the election service provider.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>Within 7 days after the State Administrator exercises the authority to terminate, in whole or in part, a contract with an election service provider under subsection (d) of this section, the State Administrator shall notify the appropriate persons in writing of the termination of the contract and the State Administrator’s reasons for terminating the contract.</text>
  </level>
</section>
