(a) Prior to publishing his or her decision to certify, conditionally approve, or withhold certification of a remote accessible vote by mail system, the Secretary of State shall provide for a 30-day public review period and conduct a public hearing to give interested persons an opportunity to review testing and examination reports and express their views for or against certification or conditional approval of the remote accessible vote by mail system.

(b) The Secretary of State shall give notice of the public review period and hearing in the manner prescribed in Section 6064 of the Government Code in a newspaper of general circulation published in Sacramento County. The Secretary of State shall also provide notice of the hearing on his or her Internet Web site. The Secretary of State shall transmit written notice of the hearing, at least 14 days prior to the public review period and hearing, to each county elections official, to any person that the Secretary of State believes will be interested in the public review period and hearing, and to any person who requests, in writing, notice of the public review period and hearing.

(c) The decision of the Secretary of State to certify, conditionally approve, or withhold certification of a remote accessible vote by mail system shall be in writing and shall state the findings of the Secretary of State. The decision shall be open to public inspection.

(Amended by Stats. 2016, Ch. 75, Sec. 14. (AB 2252) Effective January 1, 2017.)