Section 19273.

(a) The Secretary of State may seek all of the following relief for an unauthorized change in hardware, software, or firmware in a ballot marking system approved or conditionally approved in California:

(1) A civil penalty from the offending party or parties, not to exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000) per violation. For purposes of this subdivision, each ballot marking system component found to contain the unauthorized hardware, software, or firmware shall be considered a separate violation. A penalty imposed pursuant to this subdivision shall be apportioned 50 percent to the county in which the violation occurred, if applicable, and 50 percent to the Office of the Secretary of State for purposes of bolstering ballot marking system security efforts.

(2) Immediate commencement of proceedings to withdraw approval for the ballot marking system in question.

(3) Prohibiting the manufacturer or vendor of a ballot marking system from doing elections-related business in the state for one, two, or three years.

(4) Refund of all moneys paid by a local agency for a ballot marking system or a part of a ballot marking system that is compromised by an unauthorized change or modification, whether or not the ballot marking system has been used in an election.

(5) Any other remedial actions authorized by law to prevent unjust enrichment of the offending party.

(b) (1) The Secretary of State may seek all of the following relief for a known but undisclosed defect, fault, or failure in a ballot marking system or part of a ballot marking system approved or conditionally approved in California:

(A) Refund of all moneys paid by a local agency for a ballot marking system or part of a ballot marking system that is defective due to a known but undisclosed defect, fault, or failure, whether or not the ballot marking system has been used in an election.

(B) A civil penalty from the offending party or parties, not to exceed fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) per violation. For purposes of this subdivision, each defect, fault, or failure shall be considered a separate violation. A defect, fault, or failure constitutes a single violation regardless of the number of ballot marking system units in which the defect, fault, or failure is found.

(C) In addition to any other penalties or remedies established by this section, the offending party or parties shall be liable in the amount of one thousand dollars ($1,000) per day after the applicable deadline established in Section 19270 until the required disclosure is filed with the Secretary of State.

(2) A penalty imposed pursuant to subparagraph (B) or (C) of paragraph (1) shall be deposited in the General Fund.

(c) Prior to seeking any measure of relief under this section, the Secretary of State shall hold a public hearing. The Secretary of State shall give notice of the hearing in the manner prescribed by Section 6064 of the Government Code in a newspaper of general circulation published in Sacramento County. The Secretary of State also shall transmit written notice of the hearing, at least 30 days prior to the hearing, to each county elections official, the offending party or parties, any persons that the Secretary of State believes will be interested in the hearing, and any persons who request, in writing, notice of the hearing.

(d) The decision of the Secretary of State, to seek relief under this section, shall be in writing and state his or her findings. The decision shall be open to public inspection.

(Added by Stats. 2012, Ch. 694, Sec. 5. Effective September 28, 2012.)