OMR voting equipment; prohibit from being capable of establishing wireless connections during an election.

HB 858 prohibits voting machines (OMR equipment) from establishing wireless connections during elections, requiring them to be incapable of such connectivity while in use. This directly affects Mississippi counties purchasing voting systems through the state's Voting Modernization Grant Program, which funds equipment meeting this new standard. The bill amends existing law to require that all voting systems used after January 1, 2024, cannot have wireless capabilities during elections, though hardware enabling wireless may remain if disabled during voting. Counties must comply with this requirement when applying for grant funds to buy or upgrade voting equipment.