First Regular Session
              Sixty-ninth General Assembly
                    STATE OF COLORADO
                                                 INTRODUCED
                                                           
                                                           
 LLS NO. 13-0710.01 Bob Lackner x4350    HOUSE BILL 13-1207
                    HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
 Murray,
 
                   SENATE SPONSORSHIP
 (None),
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 House Committees
 Senate Committees
 
 
 State, Veterans, & Military Affairs
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                         A BILL FOR AN ACT
       Concerning the responsibility of a major political party to
            pay the expenses incurred in connection with holding a
            primary election in which there are no contested races
            involving the political party on the primary election
            ballot.
       
       
                           Bill Summary
       
            (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does
       not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill
       passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that
       applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at
       http://www.leg.state.co.us/billsummaries.)
       
            Under current law, all expenses incurred in the preparation or
       conduct of the primary election are out of the treasury of the county or
       state, as the case may be, in the same manner as for general elections.
       Under the bill, where there are no contested races on the primary election
       ballot of a particular major political party and the political party chooses
       to proceed with holding a primary election for all such races on the ballot,
       the political party is required to pay its proportionate share of the total
       expenses incurred by the county in preparing for or conducting the
       primary election.
       
       
       
       Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
            SECTION 1.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, 1-4-101, amend (5)
       as follows:
            1-4-101.  Primary election nominations made - expenses of
       holding the primary election. (5)  Except as otherwise provided in
       section 1-4-104.5 (1), all expenses incurred in the preparation or conduct
       of the primary election shall be paid out of the treasury of the county or
       state, as the case may be, in the same manner as for general elections.
            SECTION 2.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, 1-4-104.5, amend (1)
       as follows:
            1-4-104.5.  No contested races on primary election ballot -
       expenses. (1)  If, at the close of business on the sixtieth day before the
       primary election, there is not more than one candidate for any political
       party who has been nominated in accordance with this article or who has
       filed a write-in candidate affidavit of intent pursuant to section 1-4-1101
       for any office on the primary election ballot, the designated election
       official may cancel the primary election and shall declare each candidate
       the party nominee for that office at the general election. For purposes of
       other applicable law, such nominee shall be deemed a candidate in and
       the winner of the primary election. The name of each nominee shall be
       printed on the official ballot prepared for the ensuing general election.
       Where there are no contested races on the primary election
       ballot of a particular major political party, and the political
       party chooses to proceed with holding a primary election for
       all such races on the ballot, the political party must pay its
       proportionate share of the total expenses incurred by the
       county in preparing for or conducting the primary election.
            SECTION 3.  Act subject to petition - effective date -
       applicability. (1)  This act takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following
       the expiration of the ninety-day period after final adjournment of the
       general assembly (August 7, 2013, if adjournment sine die is on May 8,
       2013); except that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1
       (3) of article V of the state constitution against this act or an item, section,
       or part of this act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part
       will not take effect unless approved by the people at the general election
       to be held in November 2014 and, in such case, will take effect on the
       date of the official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.
            (2)  This act applies to primary elections held on or after the
       applicable effective date of this act.