Legislative Activity Report: What Happened To Your Favorite Election Bill

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(Photo by jamelah e./Creative Commons)

A major mission of the Arizona People’s Lobbyist group is to pay attention to what happens with a selected number of legislative bills at the state capitol. We watch, issue alerts about upcoming activity, encourage citizens to participate in the process, and report on the results. We are now at the final stage, which is reporting on the results.

It should be pointed out that this year our state legislators introduced 1,827 bills, which is probably either a record or very close to being a record. A significant portion of those bills were either feel-good bills, or making-a-statement bills, never intended to be passed.

We also had our share of housekeeping bills. We at the AZ People’s Lobbyist group, tracked 220 of the more important and/or controversial bills. The way we chose what bills to track was via input from activists and the general public. We are not single-issue advocates. The bills that we tracked were the kinds of bills important enough to be the subject of discussions around the office water cooler.

BILL # AND SHORT TITLE (*) VOTE SPONSOR AND/OR
WHAT THE BILL DOES
RESULTS (*)
P = PASSED
F = FAILED
FINAL DISPOSITION COMMENTS
HB2039 – elections; hand counts; five percent House 3rd Reading GRIFFIN – Increases from 2% to 5% the portion of precincts to be used in a hand count. Similar to SB1010, which failed in the house

 

P-31-29-0 Held in Senate
HB2054 – voter registration database; death records House 3rd Reading

 

 

Senate 3rd Reading

KAISER – Requires removal of voter registration of those who should no longer be registered, including people who died. Same as SB1793 P-58-1-1

 

 

P-30-0-0

Signed by

governor

HB2302 – election lawsuits; settlements; approvals House 3rd Reading BLACKMAN – if a proposed settlement of an election-related civil action by the secretary of state materially affects a county recorder, the secretary of state may not settle or otherwise compromise that civil action without consulting the county recorders of this state P-31-29-0 Held in Senate
HB2307 – voting equipment; overvote notice House 3rd Reading

 

 

Senate 3rd Reading

KAVANAGH – Requires that voters be informed that if they override the ballot rejection because of overvote, the vote for that office will not be counted. P-52-0-8

 

 

P-28-1-1

Signed by Governor
HB2308 – recall petitions and elections; revisions House 3rd Reading

 

 

Senate 3rd Reading

KAVANAGH – Modifies the requirements for recall petitions and elections. Increases the requirements for paid or out-of-state circulators. Makes quite a few other changes.  

P-31-28-1

 

 

P-16-14-0

Signed by Governor
HB2378 – ranked choice voting; presidential preference House Government & Elections DUNN – This is not a good bill. It makes the simple act of marking your preferred candidate a very cumbersome and complicated matter HELD Killed in House committee

 

Good!

This was a very bad bill introduced by Dunn (LD13)
HB2529 – (NOW: address; return; early ballots) House Third Reading DUNN – Stipulates that the officer in charge of preparing ballots at any election must ensure that the early ballot is sent in an envelope that states the following: If the addressee does not reside at this address, mark the unopened envelope “return to sender” and deposit it in the United States mail. P-57-2-1 Died in Senate Committee
HB2569 – elections; private funding; prohibition House 3rd Reading

 

 

Senate 3rd Reading

HOFFMAN – Notwithstanding any other law, this state and a city, town, county, school district or other public body that conducts or administers elections may not receive or expend private monies for preparing for, administering or conducting an election, including registering voters. P-31-29-0

 

 

P-16-14-0

Signed by Governor Aimed at reducing undue influence of big out of state interference with our elections
HB2693 – ranked choice voting; municipalities House Government & Elections BLACKMAN – This is not a good bill. It makes the simple act of marking your preferred candidate a very cumbersome and complicated matter HELD Killed in House Committee

 

Good!

This was a very bad bill introduced by Blackman (LD6)
HB2792 – early ballots; request required House 3rd Reading

 

 

Senate 3rd Reading

HOFFMAN – Prohibits a county recorder, city or town clerk or other election officer from delivering or mailing an early ballot to a person who has not requested an early ballot for that election, with certain exceptions. Classifies an election officer knowingly providing an early ballot to a person that did not request an early ballot for the election, with exceptions, as a class 6 felony. P-31-28-1

 

 

P-16-14-0

Vetoed by Governor to thumb his nose at the Legislature
HB2793 – voter registration; request required House Third Reading HOFFMAN – States that an agency, division or department of this state may not register a person to vote unless the person affirmatively requests to register to vote P-31-28-1 Held in Senate
HB2794 – election deadlines; modifications prohibited House 3rd Reading

 

Senate 3rd Reading

 

 

HOFFMAN – An officer or agent of this state, a political subdivision of this state or any other governmental entity in this state may not modify any deadline, filing date, submittal date or other election-related date that is provided for in statute  

P-31-29-0

 

P-16-13-1

 

 

Signed by Governor
HB2811 – same day registration; prohibition House 3rd Reading HOFFMAN – An agency, department or division of this state or any person acting on its behalf and any political subdivision of this state or any person acting on its behalf may not register a person to vote on an election day and deem that person eligible to vote in that election P-31-28-1 Held in Senate Held by Ugenti-Rita in Senate Government Committee
HCR2001 – initiatives; single subject; title House 3rd Reading KAVANAGH – Subject to voter approval, constitutional amendment. Truth in advertising – Helps people know what they are voting for. Prohibits the current practice of hiding provisions deep in the body of the initiative where very few voters would notice. P-31-28-1 Passed – Sent to SOS for voter approval
HCR2016 – initiatives; supermajority vote requirement House 3rd Reading DUNN – Increases the vote required to pass initiatives from simple majority to a supermajority of 60% P-31-29-0 Held in Senate
HCR2023 – elections; state authority; infringement; opposition House 3rd Reading

 

Senate 3rd Reading

HOFFMAN – Resolution without the power of law, stating the state of Arizona’s opposition to any federal action infringing on Arizona’s constitutional power to manage, control and administer elections. P-31-29-0

 

P-16-14-0

Passed – Sent to SOS l No Power. Only a statement of support, feel good legislation.
SB1002 – early voting envelopes; party affiliation  

Senate 3rd Reading

 

House Third Reading

 

UGENTI-RITA – Ballot envelopes must be unable to show party affiliation P-20-9-1

 

P-41-18-1

Signed by Governor Makes it harder to cheat.
SB1003 – early voting; signature required; notice Senate Third Reading

 

 

House 3rd Reading

UGENTI-RITA –   Allows an early voter to add their signature to an early ballot returned without a signature on the return envelope no later than 7:00 p.m. on election day. P-16-14-0

 

 

 

P-31-29-0

Signed by Governor
SB1020 – voting locations; electioneering Senate Government UGENTI-RITA – Removes “emergency” restrictions to otherwise lawful electioneering

 

P-5-3-0 Killed in Senate COW
SB1023 – elections; county supervisors; ballots; markers Senate Government Committee TOWNSEND HELD Held in Committee
SB1025 – elections; polls; override notification  

Senate 3rd Reading

 

TOWNSEND – Requires election official to inform voter that overvote will result in the vote for that office to be not counted P-16-14-0 Abandoned in favor of house version HB2307
SB1068 – (NOW: elections manual; legislative council) Senate Third Reading UGENTI-RITA – The instructions and procedures manual must be approved by legislative council. P-16-14-0  

Held in House Rules Committee

 

Killed by Nutt in House Rules
SB1071 – voting irregularities; report; legislative review Senate Government Committee TOWNSEND HELD Held in Committee
SB1083 – elections; recount margin  

 

 

Senate 3rd Reading

 

House 3rd Reading

 

Senate Final Reading

 

 

 

UGENTI-RITA – Increases, from one-tenth of one percent or a set number of votes to one-half of one percent, the trigger for an automatic recount in a primary or general election. Removes the automatic recount exemption for certain elected offices. P-16-14-0

 

P-31-29-0

 

F-14-15-1

Failed Senate Final Reading Killed by Townsend
SB1240 – hand counts; precincts; procedures manual Senate 3rd Reading TOWNSEND – Requires ballots in counties using voting centers to be separated and grouped by precinct for the purpose of a hand count audit. Asserts that state statute prevails in any conflict between statute and the elections instructions and procedures manual. P-16-14-0 Killed by Bowers in the House

(Never assigned to Committee)

SB1241 – voting equipment; ballots; receipt Senate 3rd Reading

 

House 3rd Reading

 

Senate Final Reading

TOWNSEND – provide a paper receipt to the voter at the time the voter’s ballot is received for tabulation.  The paper receipt shall state whether the voter’s ballot was tabulated or rejected and, if rejected, the reason for the rejection.  This paragraph does not apply to a voter who votes with an early or provisional ballot. P-16-14-0

 

P-31-29-0

 

F-13-16-1

Failed Senate Final Reading Killed by Boyer (LD20) and Ugenti-Rita (LD23)
SB1242 – election equipment; security; legislative review Senate Government Committee TOWNSEND HELD Held in Committee
SB1358 – recorders; voter registrations; public buildings Senate Government UGENTI-RITA –   A county recorder may not conduct a voter registration drive at any location other than a facility that is government owned. P-5-3-0 Died in the Senate
SB1427 – voter fraud unit; auditor general Senate Government Committee TOWNSEND HELD Held in Committee
SB1485 – early voting list; eligibility Senate 3rd Reading

 

House 3rd Reading

 

Senate final Reading

 

Senate Final Reading #2

UGENTI-RITA – Removes a voter from the EVL if the voter fails to vote by early ballot in both the primary election and the general election for two consecutive primary and general elections for which there was a federal, statewide or legislative race on the ballot P-16-14-0

 

P-31-29-0

 

F-14-16-0

 

P-16-14-0

Signed by Governor In first Senate Final Reading, defeated by Townsend’s NO vote.

 

Brought up for reconsideration by Ugenti-Rita

 

In second Final Reading passed along party lines.

SB1492 – election law amendments Senate 3rd Reading

 

House 3rd Reading

SHOPE – Makes various changes to statute relating to elections including modifications of various deadlines. P-29-0-1

 

P-58-0-2

Signed by Governor
SB1497 – ballot measures; proposition 105; disclosure Senate 3rd Reading

 

 

House 3rd Reading

UGEHTI-RITA – Requires the official ballot and the Secretary of State’s (SOS’s) publicity pamphlet to include a Proposition 105 notice.

 

P-16-14-0

 

 

P-31-27-2

Signed by Governor It is important that voters understand that approving a ballot measure makes it virtually permanent because it is almost impossible to correct later
SB1503 – early ballots; mail return prohibited Senate Government Committee TOWNSEND HELD Held in Committee
SB1613 – election data; results; election equipment Senate 3rd Reading TOWNSEND – All election data and results shall remain in this country and may not be transferred, transmitted or stored in any other country.

All election equipment, including computers, paper and other supplies, shall be made in America.

P-16-14-0 Killed in House Rules Committee
SB1615 – elections; hand count; legislative auditor Senate Government Committee TOWNSEND HELD Held in Committee
SB1616 – election equipment; security; results; tabulation Senate Government Committee TOWNSEND HELD Held in Committee
SB1713 – early ballots; identification; mailing  

Senate 3rd Reading

 

House 3rd Reading

 

 

House 3rd Reading

 

MESNARD – Requires an early ballot affidavit to fit inside the return envelope and requires a voter to include their date of birth and certain permissible forms of identification with the affidavit in the return envelope. P-16-14-0

 

 

F-29-31-0

Defeated via House 3rd Reading Vote All D’s voted NO

 

Two R’s joined D’s in voting NO

John (LD4)

Udall (LD25)

SB1714 – campaign expenditures; out-of-state; disclosures  

Senate 3rd Reading

 

House 3rd Reading

 

Senate Final Reading

 

MESNARD – Modifies the “Paid for” statement on printed material to include the % of money from out of state.  

P-16-14-0

 

P-32-28-0

 

P-16-13-1

 

Signed by Governor
SB1793 – voter registration databases; death records Senate 3rd Reading TOWNSEND – Requires removal of voter registration of those who should no longer be registered, including people who died. Same as

HB2054

P-16-14-0 Abandoned in favor of House version HB2054, which passed and was signed by governor
SB1814 – elections; auditor general; voter registration Senate Government Committee TOWNSEND – beginning on april 15 each year, the auditor general shall audit the processes, equipment and systems used to maintain county voter registration databases and the statewide voter registration database No Action Killed in Senate Government Committee
SB1817 – voter registration rolls; irregularity; report Senate Government Committee TOWNSEND – on any complaint of an error or irregularity in county or state voter registration records, the county recorder and secretary of state shall investigate the complaint and correct any error within two weeks No Action Killed in Senate Government Committee
SCR1034 – voter protection act; court determinations Sente 3rd Reading

 

House 3rd Reading

LEACH – Constitutional Amendment. Establishes an additional way in which the Legislature may supersede a voter protected act, by having to pass constitutionality test by AZ supreme court of US supreme court P-16-14-0

 

P-31-25-4

Transmitted to SOS for voter approval