Date: 02/28/2006

Final
SB06-062

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON STATE, VETERANS, & MILITARY AFFAIRS

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
Moved a conceptual amendment, amend reengrossed bi
Moved a substitute conceptual amendment to Represe
Moved prepared amendment L.005 (Attachment G). Th
Moved to strike the safety clause from the bill an
Refer Senate Bill 06-062, as amended, to the Commi		TIE
Pass Without Objection
Pass Without Objection
Pass Without Objection
PASS

02:06 PM -- Senate Bill 06-062

Representative McKinley, prime sponsor, presented a brief overview of Senate Bill 06-062, concerning electronic voting by certain electors who are absent from the state on election day.

02:09 PM

The following people testified regarding Senate Bill 06-062:

02:09 PM -- Dr. Charles Corry, representing the Equal Justice Foundation and Citizens for an Accurate Mail Ballot Election Results (CAMBER), testified in opposition to Senate Bill 06-062. Dr. Corry referenced a handout expressing his objection to the bill (Attachment D) and a newspaper editorial expressing reservations with internet voting systems (Attachment E). Dr. Corry provided some background on a previous attempt to make internet voting available to overseas armed forces members and explained the shortfalls and vulnerabilities of electronic voting. Dr. Corry also explained the difficulties involved in creating a secure voting system to meet the bill's goal and questioned the need for the bill. Dr. Corry responded to questions retarding amendments added to the bill in the Senate.

02:17 PM -- Ms. Margit Johansson, representing Coloradans for Voting Integrity, testified in opposition to the bill. Ms. Johansson referenced a handout expressing her objection to Senate Bill 06-062 (Attachment F). Ms. Johansson quoted at length from the document.

02:23 PM -- Mr. Jeff Knetsch, representing the American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado (ACLU), testified in opposition to Senate Bill 06-062, and opposed in particular an amendment to the bill passed in the Senate that includes overseas missionaries in electronic voting processes created by the bill. Mr. Knetsch responded to questions regarding the reasons for the ACLU's opposition to the amendment and the ACLU's position regarding the inclusion of additional classes of people in the procedures enacted by the bill. Representative McKinley clarified missionary practices as they pertain to the bill.

02:31 PM -- Ms. Jenny Flanagan, representing Colorado Common Cause, testified regarding the bill. Ms. Flanagan stated that her organization's position on the bill is neutral. Ms. Flanagan discussed the security of electronic voting and Common Causes's position regarding the inclusion of other classes of people in the processes created by the bill.

02:34 PM -- Mr. Bill Compton, representing the Secretary of State, testified in favor of House Bill 06-062. Mr. Compton discussed the security of electronic voting and the logistical realities of members of the military serving overseas. Mr. Compton explained the process by which the Secretary of State arrived at the introduction of the bill as a solution to enfranchising overseas military service members. Representative McKinley and Mr. Compton clarified the process by which the electronic voting process created by the bill maintains vote confidentiality. Mr. Compton responded to questions regarding the confirmation that an overseas voter must employ the use of voting procedures mandated by the bill and methods to be used to guard against the duplication of votes.

02:41 PM

Representative Weissmann moved and explained prepared amendment L.005 (Attachment G).


BILL:Senate Bill 06-062
TIME: 02:41:21 PM
MOVED:Weissmann
MOTION:Moved prepared amendment L.005 (Attachment G). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:Coleman
VOTE
Cadman
Carroll T.
Coleman
Crane
Gallegos
Liston
Lundberg
Schultheis
Todd
Ragsdale
Weissmann
Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


Representative Carroll T. moved and explained a conceptual amendment. Mr. Compton responded to questions regarding the Secretary of State's position on the expansion of the bill's electronic voting process to include additional classes of people.


BILL:Senate Bill 06-062
TIME: 02:42:44 PM
MOVED:Carroll T.
MOTION:Moved a conceptual amendment, amend reengrossed bill, page 3, line 23, strike "missionary service" and insert "charitable or nongovernmental organization". Representative Lundberg moved a substitute amendment (the following vote box) which passed.
SECONDED:Ragsdale
VOTE
Cadman
Carroll T.
Coleman
Crane
Gallegos
Liston
Lundberg
Schultheis
Todd
Ragsdale
Weissmann
Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: TIE


Representative Lundberg moved a substitute conceptual amendment to Representative Carroll T.'s conceptual amendment. The committee briefly discussed the impact of the substitute amendment.


BILL:Senate Bill 06-062
TIME: 02:47:11 PM
MOVED:Lundberg
MOTION:Moved a substitute conceptual amendment to Representative Carroll T.'s conceptual amendment, amend reengrossed bill, page 3, line 23, strike "service" and substitute "service, or any charitable or nongovernmental organization,". The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:Weissmann
VOTE
Cadman
Carroll T.
Coleman
Crane
Gallegos
Liston
Lundberg
Schultheis
Todd
Ragsdale
Weissmann
Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


Representative Schultheis moved to strike the safety clause from the bill.


BILL:Senate Bill 06-062
TIME: 02:47:56 PM
MOVED:Schultheis
MOTION:Moved to strike the safety clause from the bill and substitute the standard 90-day referendum language. The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:Weissmann
VOTE
Cadman
Carroll T.
Coleman
Crane
Gallegos
Liston
Lundberg
Schultheis
Todd
Ragsdale
Weissmann
Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


BILL:Senate Bill 06-062
TIME: 02:48:16 PM
MOVED:Coleman
MOTION:Refer Senate Bill 06-062, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole with favorable recommendation. The motion passed on a 6-5 roll call vote.
SECONDED:Carroll T.
VOTE
Cadman
No
Carroll T.
Yes
Coleman
Yes
Crane
No
Gallegos
Yes
Liston
No
Lundberg
No
Schultheis
No
Todd
Yes
Ragsdale
Yes
Weissmann
Yes
Final YES: 6 NO: 5 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS