SENATE BILL 97­223

BY SENATORS Mutzebaugh and Powers;

also REPRESENTATIVE George.

CONCERNING AMENDMENTS TO CERTAIN PROVISIONS PERTAINING TO BALLOT ISSUE ELECTIONS CONTAINED IN THE "UNIFORM ELECTION CODE OF 1992" THAT CONFORM THOSE PROVISIONS TO THE AMENDMENTS TO SECTION 20 (3) (b) (v) OF ARTICLE X OF THE STATE CONSTITUTION THAT WERE ADOPTED BY THE VOTERS AT THE 1996 GENERAL ELECTION.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:

SECTION 1.  1­7­901 (4), Colorado Revised Statutes, 1980 Repl. Vol., as amended, is amended to read:

1­7­901.  Receipt of comments concerning ballot issues. (4)  Since section 20 (3) (b) (v) of article X of the state constitution requires that comments pertaining to a ballot issue be filed by thirty FORTY­FIVE days before the election and since the thirtieth FORTY­FIFTH day before any ballot issue election is always a Sunday SATURDAY, all comments shall be filed by the end of the business day on the Friday before the thirtieth FORTY­FIFTH day before the election.

SECTION 2.  1­7­903 (3), Colorado Revised Statutes, 1980 Repl. Vol., as amended, is amended to read:

1­7­903.  Preparation of written comments. (3)  Petition representatives required to summarize comments in favor of their petition shall submit the summary, in typewritten form, to the designated election official for the jurisdiction in which the petition is presented, at least twenty­eight FORTY­THREE days before the election. If a summary is not filed by the petition representatives within the time allowed, the designated election official shall state substantially the following in the ballot issue notice where the summary would appear: "No summary was filed by the statutory deadline."

SECTION 3.  1­7­904, Colorado Revised Statutes, 1980 Repl. Vol., as amended, is amended to read:

1­7­904.  Transmittal of notices.  Notwithstanding the provision for independent mail ballot elections in section 1­7­116 (1), the designated election official or the official's designee for the state or a political subdivision conducting an election in November shall prepare and deliver to the county clerk and recorder for the county or counties in which the political subdivision is located at least twenty­five FORTY­TWO days before the election the full text of any required ballot issue notices.

SECTION 4.  Safety clause. The general assembly hereby finds, determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety.

____________________________ ____________________________

Tom Norton Charles E. Berry

PRESIDENT OF SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE

THE SENATE OF REPRESENTATIVES

____________________________ ____________________________

Joan M. Albi Judith M. Rodrigue

SECRETARY OF CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE

THE SENATE OF REPRESENTATIVES

APPROVED________________________________________

_________________________________________

Roy Romer

GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF COLORADO