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based on: Profile: LWVCO - Elections & Voting

 
 
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Notes about this profile:

LAC Lobbyists: Holly Monkman, Peggy Leech, Celeste Landry, Gaythia Weis, Jan Moorman


Bill: HB22-1045
Title: Statutory Initiative Petition Signature Requirements
Position
Custom Summary
StatusHouse Committee on State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs Postpone Indefinitely (01/31/2022)
Hearing Date
Hearing Time
Hearing Room
DescriptionConcerning a requirement that any petition for a citizen-initiated statutory change be signed by at least two percent of the registered electors who reside in each state senate district for the change to be placed on the ballot.
Full TextFull Text of Bill
Fiscal NotesFiscal Notes (05/31/2022)
House SponsorsR. Holtorf (R)
Senate Sponsors
House CommitteeState, Civic, Military and Veterans Affairs
Senate Committee
VotesVotes all Legislators
LobbyistsLobbyists
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Bill: HB22-1060
Title: Contribution Limits School Dist Dir Candidate
Position
Custom Summary

The LWV believes in methods of campaign finance that “protects representative democracy from being distorted by big spending in election campaigns”, pg 23 LWVCO Positions for Action. This bill fills a loophole in campaign contribution limitations by requiring limits on campaign contributions for School District Director, which is an unpaid position.

For individuals, HB22-1060 sets an aggregate limit of $2,500 on contributions for school district director.  For small donor committees, the bill sets the aggregate limit at $25,000.  This bill was previously introduced in 2020, HB20-1066 which passed the House but was postponed indefinitely by the Senate in June 2020 because of the pandemic.  LWVCO strongly supports this bill.

Status: Introduced on 1/14/2022. Assigned to House State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs Committee.

StatusGovernor Signed (04/13/2022)
Hearing Date
Hearing Time
Hearing Room
DescriptionConcerning the establishment of contribution limits under the "Fair Campaign Practices Act" for candidates for school district director, and, in connection therewith, making an appropriation.
Full TextFull Text of Bill
Fiscal NotesFiscal Notes (01/27/2022)
House SponsorsE. Sirota (D)
Senate SponsorsJ. Gonzales (D)
House CommitteeState, Civic, Military and Veterans Affairs
Senate CommitteeState, Veterans and Military Affairs
VotesVotes all Legislators
LobbyistsLobbyists
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Bill: HB22-1078
Title: Voting Systems Standards Adoption
Position
Custom Summary

At the 2004 Convention, the League determined that to ensure integrity and voter confidence in elections, LWVUS supports the implementation of voting systems and procedures that are secure, accurate, recountable, and accessible. Leagues should consult standards developed by the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) pertaining to voting systems when studying or improving their own voting systems.

At Convention 2006, delegates further clarified this position with a resolution stating that the Citizens’ Right to Vote be interpreted to affirm that LWVUS supports only voting systems that are designed so that:

  • They employ a voter-verifiable paper ballot or other paper record, said paper being the official record of the voter’s Intent.
  • The voter can verify, either by eye or with the aid of suitable devices for those who have impaired vision, that the paper ballot/record accurately reflects his or her intent.
  • Such verification takes place while the voter is still in the process of voting.
  • The paper ballot/record is used for audits and recounts.
  • The vote totals can be verified by an independent hand count of the paper ballot/record.
  • Routine audits of the paper ballot/record in randomly selected precincts can be conducted in every election, and the results published by the jurisdiction.

HB22-1078 would require that all voting systems and voting equipment satisfy the latest voting systems standards promulgated by the Federal Election Assistance Commission (EAC).  The bill allows the Secretary of State have rules requiring that the systems and equipment satisfy additional requirements above and beyond the EAC requirements.

Currently the law requires that any voting systems and voting equipment that’s for sale meet the latest standards of the EAC.

Recommendation: Monitor

Status: Hearing on 2/14/2022, House State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs Committee. Postponed Indefinitely.

StatusHouse Committee on State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs Postpone Indefinitely (02/14/2022)
Hearing Date
Hearing Time
Hearing Room
DescriptionConcerning the adoption of voting systems standards, and, in connection therewith, requiring the adoption of voting systems standards promulgated by the federal election assistance commission and allowing the secretary of state to promulgate voting systems standards.
Full TextFull Text of Bill
Fiscal NotesFiscal Notes (02/11/2022)
House Sponsors
Senate Sponsors
House CommitteeState, Civic, Military and Veterans Affairs
Senate Committee
VotesVotes all Legislators
LobbyistsLobbyists
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Bill: HB22-1084
Title: Ineligible Jurors Voter Registration
Position
Custom Summary

HB22-1084 – Ineligible Jurors Voter Registration, Rep. Pico & Senator Hisey

The LWVCO has long advocated for well-maintained voter rolls. In 2001, the LWVCO supported a bill authorizing the Secretary of State to purchase a communications system to transfer voter registration information from the motor vehicle offices to the county clerks and from the clerks to the Secretary of State’s office.  Earlier, in 1970 the LWVCO worked for passage of and continues to support requirements that voters be notified by mail before being purged from voter rolls.

HB22-1084 would require communication between the State Court Administrator and the Secretary of State for the purposes of updating the voter rolls.  It specifies that the State Court Administrator provide a report of all persons who report as ineligible to serve as a trial or grand juror because they are either not a citizen or do not live in the county in which they are summoned.  The Secretary of State would be required to forward this report to each county clerk. 

County clerks would be required to cancel the voter registration of any reported elector who is either not a citizen or does not reside in the county.  While nothing in the bill allows a county clerk or the Secretary of State to cancel the registration of a uniformed-service voter that is living outside of the county due to active duty, it’s unclear how this would be prevented.

We have other concerns with this bill, such as which entity is making the decision to list a summoned person on the report?  The local jury commissioner or the State Court Administrator?  Besides active duty outside of the county, are there other valid absences from the county that are reason to be excused from jury duty but not cancel the person’s voter registration such as temporary job assignment on location, college student, caring for a family member?

Finally, the current bill does not include notification by mail before removing a voter from the voter rolls.  It’s unclear if notification by mail would happen as per current statute.

An amendment was put forward to not automatically cancel a voter’s registration.  The amendment would require that all current voter registration processes are followed.

Recommendation: Monitor or Amend

Status: Hearing on 2/14/2022, House State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs Committee. Postponed Indefinitely. 

StatusHouse Committee on State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs Postpone Indefinitely (02/14/2022)
Hearing Date
Hearing Time
Hearing Room
DescriptionConcerning cancellation of the voter registration of certain ineligible jurors, and, in connection therewith, requiring the state court administrator to provide the secretary of state with a report of all persons who report as ineligible to serve as a trial or grand juror because they are either not a citizen or do not reside in the county in which they are summoned for juror service and requiring the cancellation of the voter registration of those jurors.
Full TextFull Text of Bill
Fiscal NotesFiscal Notes (02/10/2022)
House Sponsors
Senate Sponsors
House CommitteeState, Civic, Military and Veterans Affairs
Senate Committee
VotesVotes all Legislators
LobbyistsLobbyists
Save to Calendar

Bill: HB22-1086
Title: The Vote Without Fear Act
Position
Custom Summary

The League of Women Voters of the United States believes that voting is a fundamental citizen right that must be guaranteed.

The League of Women Voters believes that the proliferation of handguns and semi-automatic assault weapons in the United States is a major health and safety threat to its citizens. The League supports regulating firearms for personal safety.

LWVCO is in support of this bill.

HB22-1086 prohibits a person from openly carrying a firearm within any polling or central count location, or within 100 feet of a ballot drop box or any building in which a polling or central count facility is located, while an election or any related ongoing election administration activity is in progress.

Does not apply to a person who openly carries a firearm that the person owns on the person’s private property that is within the 100-foot buffer.

Does not apply to peace officers (law enforcement officers) acting within their scope of authority and in the performance of their duties.

Any person who is found guilty of violating this law is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, subject to a fine of no more than $1,000, or by imprisonment in the county jail for no more than 364 days, or both.

Status: Introduced 1.19.22 and assigned to State Affairs Committee.

StatusGovernor Signed (03/30/2022)
Hearing Date
Hearing Time
Hearing Room
DescriptionConcerning prohibiting openly carrying firearms at a voting location.
Full TextFull Text of Bill
Fiscal NotesFiscal Notes (06/15/2022)
House SponsorsJ. Bacon (D)
Senate SponsorsR. Fields (D)
S. Jaquez Lewis (D)
House CommitteeState, Civic, Military and Veterans Affairs
Senate CommitteeState, Veterans and Military Affairs
VotesVotes all Legislators
LobbyistsLobbyists
Save to Calendar

Bill: HB22-1096
Title: Bill Drafting Transparency
Position
Custom Summary

The League works to empower voters and defend democracy. A legislative process which allows the public time to read bills and contact legislators about the bills is critical to empowering voters and defending democracy. LWVCO assumed leadership of a coalition that helped to develop the GAVEL (Give a Vote to Every Legislator) Amendment which passed by citizen initiative in 1988. One of GAVEL’s provisions is that each bill gets a hearing, usually in a committee, i.e., no pocket vetoes by a party leader. Committee hearings allow the public to testify on bills.

HB1096 requires the Office of Legislative Legal Services (LLS) to publish online drafts of any bills that may be introduced as one of a legislator’s five bills by right (covered bills). HB1096 provides deadlines by which prepared bill drafts must be made available to the public. Currently, bills usually have at least a week or so between introduction (when the bill language is posted) and a committee hearing. HB1096 would give the public more time to learn about many of the General Assembly bills before the bills’ first committee hearing.

Recommendation: Amend

The League and other organizations have found that late amendments introduced in a committee hearing can hinder a transparent process and hinder empowerment of the public. Often a sponsor prepares amendments prior to the committee hearing, but the amendment phase occurs after the testimony phase; this timing makes it very difficult for the public to process and respond to the amendments in a meaningful way. A single amendment could change the League’s position on the spot! We are asking the sponsor of HB1096 to consider adding language requiring that drafts of amendments prepared prior to a committee hearing also be made available publicly. Alternatively, a change to HB1096 could be requiring sponsors to introduce prepared amendments (and make written drafts available) during the committee hearing but before the testimony phase so that the public can be aware of the proposed last-minute changes. Not including prepared amendments in the transparency process appears to be a serious loophole.

Status: Introduced on 1/20/22. House State, Civic, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee hearing scheduled for 2/10/22.

StatusHouse Committee on State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs Postpone Indefinitely (02/10/2022)
Hearing Date
Hearing Time
Hearing Room
DescriptionConcerning an increase in the transparency of bill requests made by members of the general assembly.
Full TextFull Text of Bill
Fiscal NotesFiscal Notes (06/01/2022)
House SponsorsS. Luck (R)
Senate Sponsors
House CommitteeState, Civic, Military and Veterans Affairs
Senate Committee
VotesVotes all Legislators
LobbyistsLobbyists
Save to Calendar

Bill: HB22-1204
Title: Election Systems
Position
Custom Summary

Election Systems

Concerning election systems, and, in connection therewith, requiring votes to be cast in person on election day, limiting the use of electronic voting systems, establishing requirements for precinct polling places, requiring the secretary of state to withdraw the state from the electronic registration information center, and establishing additional requirements for the conduct of elections.

StatusHouse Committee on State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs Postpone Indefinitely (03/14/2022)
Hearing Date
Hearing Time
Hearing Room
DescriptionConcerning election systems, and, in connection therewith, requiring votes to be cast in person on election day, limiting the use of electronic voting systems, establishing requirements for precinct polling places, requiring the secretary of state to withdraw the state from the electronic registration information center, and establishing additional requirements for the conduct of elections.
Full TextFull Text of Bill
Fiscal NotesFiscal Notes (03/09/2022)
House Sponsors
Senate Sponsors
House CommitteeState, Civic, Military and Veterans Affairs
Senate Committee
VotesVotes all Legislators
LobbyistsLobbyists
Save to Calendar

Bill: HB22-1273
Title: Protections For Elections Officials
Position
Custom Summary

According to the Brennan Center,[i] due to an alarming level of violent threats in 2020 and 2021, 1 in 3 U.S. election officials feel unsafe on the job and nearly 1 in 5 report threats to their lives because of their work.

Our democracy is dependent upon well-run, trusted elections.  If our election workers feel unsafe and leave their jobs, our democracy is in danger.

A February 7th, 2022 Department of Homeland Security Bulletin[ii] warns:

Some domestic violent extremists have continued to advocate for violence in response to false or misleading narratives about unsubstantiated election fraud. The months preceding the upcoming 2022 midterm elections could provide additional opportunities for these extremists and other individuals to call for violence directed at democratic institutions, political candidates, party offices, election events, and election workers.

Bill description:

HB22-1273 protects election officials against doxing.

  • Doxing is when a person knowingly makes personal information about a person or their immediate family available on the internet, knowing that the release of that information poses an immediate and serious threat to the safety of the individual or their family.
  • Doxing an election official would carry a Class 1 misdemeanor penalty (fine of no more than $1,000 or imprisonment in county jail for no more than 364 days, or both).
  • The bill will allow permanent election workers who are currently employed at the state, county, and local level to file a request to remove personal information from online records if the worker has reason to believe that revealing the information on the internet poses an imminent and serious threat to their safety.

HB22-1273 protects election officials from threats and retaliation.

  • Colorado law already prohibits individuals from interfering with an election official in any manner that would prevent an official from properly discharging their duties.
  • This bill expands upon existing law and makes it clear that it is a crime to intimidate, threaten, or coerce an election official while they are performing official duties, or to retaliate against them for the performance of official duties.
  • Threatening an election official under this section is a Class 2 misdemeanor punishable by up to 120 days imprisonment, up to $750 fine, or both.

Status: Introduced 2.25.22 and assigned to State Affairs Committee.

League positions:

The League of Women Voters of the United States believes that voting is a fundamental citizen right that must be guaranteed. The League believes in empowering voters and defending democracy. In addition, the League opposes major threats to constitutional rights.

LWVCO supports this legislation. 

[i] The Brennan Center, “Brennan Center Report: Election Officials Under Attack” (https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/policy-solutions/election-officials-under-attack)

[ii] US DHS, “National Terrorism Advisory System Bulletin – February 07, 2022” (https://www.dhs.gov/ntas/advisory/national-terrorism-advisory-system-bulletin-february-07-2022) 

StatusGovernor Signed (06/02/2022)
Hearing Date
Hearing Time
Hearing Room
DescriptionConcerning protections for election officials.
Full TextFull Text of Bill
Fiscal NotesFiscal Notes (03/15/2022)
House SponsorsM. Duran (D)
E. Sirota (D)
Senate SponsorsS. Fenberg (D)
House CommitteeState, Civic, Military and Veterans Affairs
Senate CommitteeState, Veterans and Military Affairs
VotesVotes all Legislators
LobbyistsLobbyists
Save to Calendar

Bill: SB22-133
Title: Provide Security For Certain Elected Officials
Position
Custom Summary

A February 7th, 2022 Department of Homeland Security Bulletin[i] warns:

Some domestic violent extremists have continued to advocate for violence in response to false or misleading narratives about unsubstantiated election fraud. The months preceding the upcoming 2022 midterm elections could provide additional opportunities for these extremists and other individuals to call for violence directed at democratic institutions, political candidates, party offices, election events, and election workers.

The Senate State, Veterans & Military Affairs Committee hearing held on March 8, 2022 included testimony from Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold and Capt. Mike Honn of the Colorado Department of Public Safety, both stakeholders in this bill.  Secretary Griswold testified that her office went from receiving a small handful of threats to an unprecedented thousands of threats after the 2020 election.  Capt. Honn testified that his office is receiving approximately 50-60 reported threats and/or incidents per month in & around the capitol complex.

Current law provides a process for General Assembly members to request security services from the CO State Patrol when members are present in the capitol buildings & to respond to reports of criminal activity or security threats against General Assembly members in general.  The law is silent on security for the elected constitutional offices of Secretary of State, Attorney General, and State Treasurer.

Amended Bill description:

This bill expands the provision of security and protection services by the Colorado State Patrol to statewide constitutional office holders while present in the state capitol buildings and elsewhere in Colorado in certain circumstances.  Statewide constitutional office holders are defined as the Secretary of State, Attorney General, and State Treasurer.  It also permits the CO State Patrol to expand the current offering of security services to General Assembly members if requested and deemed necessary by the CO State Patrol.

For the statewide constitutional office holders, if each individual office holder requests protection services that exceed 80 hrs/week, priority will be given to credible threats, then functions that the office holder is attending in an official capacity and then to generalized threats. 

The bill increases state expenditures by $825,419 in FY 2022-23 and $783,992 in FY 2023-24 from the General Fund and the Department of State Cash Fund. The CO State Patrol requires an additional 4.0 FTE to provide additional protection and physical security services as well as threat assessment for members of the General Assembly and the three statewide constitutional officer holders. Each trooper will be assigned a vehicle. The Colorado Information Analysis Center will add an analyst to conduct threat detection, identification, and assessments for the Secretary of State, Attorney General, and the State Treasurer using a threat assessment platform.

Status: Introduced 2.14.22 and assigned to State, Veterans & Military Affairs Committee.  Referred to Appropriations 3.8.22.

League positions:

The League believes in empowering voters and defending democracy. Threats to our elected statewide officers are a threat to democracy.  Also, from page 13 of LWVCO’s Impact on Issues, under the Equality of Opportunity heading, “Secure equal rights and equal opportunity for all. Promote social and economic justice and the health and safety of all Americans”.

LWVCO supports this bill.

[i] US DHS, “National Terrorism Advisory System Bulletin – February 07, 2022” (https://www.dhs.gov/ntas/advisory/national-terrorism-advisory-system-bulletin-february-07-2022) 

 

 

StatusGovernor Signed (06/08/2022)
Hearing Date
Hearing Time
Hearing Room
DescriptionConcerning the provision of security by the Colorado state patrol for certain elected officials, and, in connection therewith, making an appropriation.
Full TextFull Text of Bill
Fiscal NotesFiscal Notes (03/17/2022)
House SponsorsS. Woodrow (D)
Senate SponsorsK. Priola (D)
F. Winter (D)
House CommitteeState, Civic, Military and Veterans Affairs
Senate CommitteeState, Veterans and Military Affairs
VotesVotes all Legislators
LobbyistsLobbyists
Save to Calendar

Bill: SB22-152
Title: Residence Of Voter Whose Home Is Destroyed
Position
Custom Summary
StatusGovernor Signed (04/13/2022)
Hearing Date
Hearing Time
Hearing Room
DescriptionConcerning authorization for a person whose residence is destroyed or becomes uninhabitable to continue to use the address of the residence as the person's residence for purposes of voting if the person intends to return to the residence once it is replaced or becomes habitable.
Full TextFull Text of Bill
Fiscal NotesFiscal Notes (03/10/2022)
House SponsorsT. Bernett (D)
Senate SponsorsS. Fenberg (D)
S. Jaquez Lewis (D)
House CommitteeState, Civic, Military and Veterans Affairs
Senate CommitteeState, Veterans and Military Affairs
VotesVotes all Legislators
LobbyistsLobbyists
Save to Calendar

Bill: SB22-153
Title: Internal Election Security Measures
Position
Custom Summary

The bill increases election security measures for the secretary of state's office, election officials, candidates for elected office, and voters.

Current law authorizes the attorney general and the secretary of state (secretary) to enforce the provisions of the election code by injunctive action brought in the district court for the judicial district in which any violation occurs. This bill adds and amends existing law as follows:

 

Section 4.  Requires district court and supreme court to expedite scheduling and issuing orders on election enforcement actions filed by the attorney general.

 

Section 5. Current law specifies certain employees in the clerk and recorder’s office are required to complete a certification program for election officials provided by the secretary of state (certification program). This bill clarifies when certification must be completed by and shortens the time period for completion.

 

Section 6.  Adds to the certification program: Voter registration and list maintenance, accessibility, coordinated elections, mail ballot and in-person voting processes, voting systems testing, risk-limiting audits, canvass, and election security including combating misinformation and disinformation related to the administration of elections.

 

Section. 7. Adds the following qualifications and disallowed conduct of election officials:

A person is ineligible to serve as a designated election official for a county or as a coordinated election official if: convicted of any election offense; or convicted of committing or conspiracy to commit sedition, insurrection, treason, conspiracy to overthrow government by use of physical force or violence or any similar federal offense.

 

Section 8. Both amends and augments the existing statute regarding elected officials handling of voting equipment and devices:

  • Modifies the prohibition to apply to any contact with the voting equipment or device, rather than just physical contact.
  • Prohibits any elected official or candidate for elective office in a political subdivision with a population of 100,000 or more, or the secretary of state, from having access to or being present in a room with voting equipment or devices without being accompanied by one or more persons with authorized access, unless components are deployed for use or stored at a voting service and polling center.

 

Section 9. Amends the existing statute to require adoption and use of electronic or electromechanical voting systems for tabulating votes at all elections held by the political subdivision for counties with 1,000 active electors for elections conducted under the "Uniform Election Code of 1992;" optional in smaller counties.

 

Section 10. Prohibits a county from creating, permitting any person to create, or disclosing to any person an image of the hard drive of any voting system component without the express written permission of the secretary of state.

 

Section 11. If a software or hardware malfunction makes machine tabulation impossible, the secretary of state may permit hand counting of ballots, after consulting with the designated election official.

 

Section 12. Voting equipment security requirements:

  • Designated election officials to keep all components of a voting system in a key card controlled location under video surveillance; secretary of state can waive for historic buildings
  • Sets records retention period for access logs and video recordings
  • $500,000 for grants to counties to comply with bill
  • If equipment delivery is unavoidably delayed, the designated election official shall provide proof of delay to the secretary of state and install security as soon as practical.

 

Section 13.  If a majority of a county’s canvass board is unable to or does not certify the abstract of votes for any reason by the applicable deadline:

  • The secretary of state reviews the noncertified abstract of votes and other evidence provided by the canvass board.
  • If, after review, the secretary determines that the noncertified abstract of votes is sufficiently explicit in showing how many votes were cast for each candidate, ballot question, or ballot issue, the secretary is required to certify the results for the county and proceed to certifying state results.

 

 

Section 14. Current law requires a person to comply with certain rules of the secretary of state when carrying out the duties of the secretary. Added:

  • Not complying with the secretary of state’s acceptable use policy for the statewide voter registration system is a class 1 misdemeanor
  • Specifying that any person who willfully interferes with a person in notifying or obstructs a person from notifying the department of a potential violation or retaliates against a person for providing such notice is subject to current penalties for election offenses.

 

Section 15. Current law prohibits a person from tampering with electronic voting equipment with the intent to change the tabulation of votes in an election. This bill augments the existing law by: 

  • Accessing electronic voting equipment or an election-night reporting system without authorization is a class 5 felony. 
  • Knowingly publishing or causing to be published passwords or other confidential information relating to a voting system is a class 5 felony and their authorized access is revoked immediately.

 

Section 16. Appropriate $500,000 from the general fund to the department of state’s election division.

 

 

StatusGovernor Signed (06/02/2022)
Hearing Date
Hearing Time
Hearing Room
DescriptionConcerning increasing internal election security measures, and, in connection therewith, making an appropriation.
Full TextFull Text of Bill
Fiscal NotesFiscal Notes (04/25/2022)
House Sponsors
Senate SponsorsK. Priola (D)
S. Fenberg (D)
House CommitteeState, Civic, Military and Veterans Affairs
Senate CommitteeState, Veterans and Military Affairs
VotesVotes all Legislators
LobbyistsLobbyists
Save to Calendar
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