Second Regular Session
              Sixty-ninth General Assembly
                    STATE OF COLORADO
                                                 INTRODUCED
                                                           
                                                           
 LLS NO. 14-0853.01 Ed DeCecco x4216     SENATE BILL 14-116
                   SENATE SPONSORSHIP
 Steadman, Hodge, Lambert
 
                    HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
 May, Duran, Gerou
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Senate Committees
 House Committees
 
 
 State, Veterans, & Military Affairs
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                         A BILL FOR AN ACT
       Concerning the range of initiative petition signatures that
            requires the secretary of state to do a line-by-line
            verification.
       
       
                           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.)
       
            Joint Budget Committee. For a statewide initiative to appear on
       the ballot, at least 5% of the registered electors in the state must sign the
       initiative petition. After gathering signatures, the initiative proponents
       submit the initiative petition to the secretary of state for verification. The
       secretary of state then verifies the petition through random sampling. If
       the random sampling establishes that a petition has less than 90% of the
       total required to be on the ballot, it is deemed insufficient. If it has more
       than 110%, it is deemed sufficient. But if the random sampling
       establishes that the number of valid signatures is more than 90% but less
       than 110% of the required total, the secretary of state examines and
       verifies each petition signature filed (line-by-line verification).
            The bill reduces the range that prompts the line-by-line verification
       to 95% to 105% of the required total and makes corresponding changes
       to the percentage needed to be deemed sufficient or insufficient by
       random sampling alone.
       
       
       
       Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
            SECTION 1.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, 1-40-116, amend (4)
       as follows:
            1-40-116.  Verification - ballot issues - random sampling.
       (4)  The secretary of state shall verify the signatures on the petition by use
       of random sampling. The random sample of signatures to be verified shall
       be drawn so that every signature filed with the secretary of state shall be
       given an equal opportunity to be included in the sample. The secretary of
       state is authorized to engage in rule-making to establish the appropriate
       methodology for conducting such random sample. The random sampling
       shall include an examination of no less than five percent of the signatures,
       but in no event less than four thousand signatures. If the random sample
       verification establishes that the number of valid signatures is ninety
       ninety-five percent or less of the number of registered eligible electors
       needed to find the petition sufficient, the petition shall be deemed to be
       not sufficient. If the random sample verification establishes that the
       number of valid signatures totals one hundred ten five percent or more
       of the number of required signatures of registered eligible electors, the
       petition shall be deemed sufficient. If the random sampling shows the
       number of valid signatures to be more than ninety ninety-five percent
       but less than one hundred ten five percent of the number of signatures of
       registered eligible electors needed to declare the petition sufficient, the
       secretary of state shall order the examination and verification of each
       signature filed.
            SECTION 2.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, 1-40-117, amend (2)
       as follows:
            1-40-117.  Statement of sufficiency - statewide issues. (2)  If the
       petition was verified by random sample, the statement shall contain the
       total number of signatures submitted and whether the number of
       signatures presumed valid was ninety ninety-five percent of the required
       total or less or one hundred ten five percent of the required total or more.
            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 6, 2014, if adjournment sine die is on May 7,
       2014); 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 initiative petitions submitted to the
       secretary of state for verification on or after the applicable effective date
       of this act.