This information is prepared as an informational service only and should not be relied upon as an official record of action taken by the Colorado General Assembly.
Sixty-first General Assembly
LLS NO. 980840.01D JAG
SENATE BILL 98193
STATE OF COLORADO
BY SENATORS Wells, Johnson, and Powers;
also REPRESENTATIVE Tucker.
REREVISED
STATE, VETERANS & MILITARY
AFFAIRS
A BILL FOR AN ACT
CONCERNING ELECTIONS.
Bill Summary
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced
and does not necessarily reflect any amendments that may be subsequently
adopted.)
Requires 6 members from Colorado to serve on any rocky mountain presidential primary task force that is established. Specifies that the members shall include one republican and one democrat appointed by the governor, the majority and minority leaders of the house of representatives or their designees, and the majority and minority leaders of the senate or their designees. Requires the governor to appoint members to a rocky mountain presidential task force within 30 days following the establishment of such task force.
Requires the members appointed to the rocky mountain presidential primary task force to cooperate with task force members from other states in making recommendations to the states represented on the task force regarding:
States that such recommendations shall not be binding or operational in Colorado unless ratified and approved in separate legislation by the general assembly.
Abolishes the rocky mountain presidential primary
task force on July 1, 2000.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
SECTION 1. Part 12 of article 4 of title 1, Colorado Revised Statutes, is amended BY THE ADDITION OF A NEW SECTION to read:
141208. Rocky mountain presidential primary task force legislative declaration Colorado appointments repeal. (1) THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY HEREBY FINDS, DETERMINES, AND DECLARES THAT THE STATE OF COLORADO HAS A STRONG INTEREST IN ENSURING THAT CANDIDATES FOR THE OFFICE OF PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES GIVE DUE CONSIDERATION TO ISSUES AFFECTING THE STATE OF COLORADO AND THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION; THAT IT IS IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE STATE OF COLORADO TO JOIN WITH THE OTHER ROCKY MOUNTAIN STATES IN BRINGING SUCH ISSUES TO THE ATTENTION OF PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES AND ENCOURAGING PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES TO INTERACT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE WITH THE VOTERS OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION; AND THAT A ROCKY MOUNTAIN PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY TASK FORCE, TO BE COMPOSED OF MEMBERS REPRESENTING THE STATE OF COLORADO AND THE OTHER ROCKY MOUNTAIN STATES, SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED TO BRING THE INTERESTS OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN STATES TO THE ATTENTION OF PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES AND ENCOURAGE GREATER INTERACTION BETWEEN SUCH CANDIDATES AND THE VOTERS OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION.
(2) SIX MEMBERS FROM THE STATE OF COLORADO SHALL SERVE ON ANY ROCKY MOUNTAIN PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY TASK FORCE THAT IS ESTABLISHED AS FOLLOWS:
(a) TWO MEMBERS SHALL BE APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR, ONE OF WHICH SHALL BE A MEMBER OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY AND ONE OF WHICH SHALL BE A MEMBER OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY;
(b) ONE MEMBER SHALL BE THE MAJORITY LEADER OF THE SENATE OR HIS OR HER DESIGNEE;
(c) ONE MEMBER SHALL BE THE MINORITY LEADER OF THE SENATE OR HIS OR HER DESIGNEE;
(d) ONE MEMBER SHALL BE THE MAJORITY LEADER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OR HIS OR HER DESIGNEE; AND
(e) ONE MEMBER SHALL BE THE MINORITY LEADER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OR HIS OR HER DESIGNEE.
(3) THE GOVERNOR SHALL APPOINT MEMBERS TO A ROCKY MOUNTAIN PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY TASK FORCE PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION (2) OF THIS SECTION WITHIN THIRTY DAYS FOLLOWING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF SUCH TASK FORCE.
(4) IN COOPERATION WITH THE TASK FORCE MEMBERS APPOINTED FROM OTHER PARTICIPATING ROCKY MOUNTAIN STATES, THE COLORADO MEMBERS OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY TASK FORCE DESIGNATED IN SUBSECTION (1) OF THIS SECTION SHALL MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO EACH PARTICIPATING STATE CONCERNING:
(a) A COMMON DATE FOR A JOINT ROCKY MOUNTAIN PRESIDENTIAL PREFERENCE PRIMARY; AND
(b) MECHANISMS TO INCREASE THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES' INTERACTION WITH VOTERS IN THE WESTERN REGION OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES' ATTENTION TO WESTERN REGIONAL ISSUES.
(5) NO RECOMMENDATION PROPOSED BY THE COLORADO MEMBERS OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY TASK FORCE PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION (4) OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE BINDING OR OPERATIONAL IN COLORADO UNLESS AND UNTIL ANY SUCH RECOMMENDATION IS RATIFIED AND APPROVED IN SEPARATE LEGISLATION BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
(6) THIS SECTION IS REPEALED, EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2000
SECTION 2. 1-12-203 (3), Colorado Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
1-12-203. Vacancies
in general assembly. (3) The vacancy
committee, by a majority vote of its members present and voting
at a meeting called for that purpose, shall select a person who
possesses the constitutional qualifications for a member of the
general assembly and who is affiliated with the same political
party, if any, shown on the registration books of the county clerk
and recorder as the former member whose seat is vacant. No meeting
shall be held until a quorum is present consisting of two-thirds
NOT LESS THAN ONE-HALF of the voting membership of the vacancy
committee. No member of the vacancy committee may vote by proxy.
The committee shall certify the selection to the secretary of
state within ten days from the date the vacancy occurs. If the
vacancy committee fails to certify a selection within ten days,
the governor, within five days, shall fill the vacancy by appointing
a person having the qualifications set forth in this subsection
(3). The name of the person selected or appointed shall be certified
to the secretary of state, who shall certify the name to the appropriate
house of the general assembly. The person, after having qualified
and taken the oath of office, shall immediately assume the duties
of office and shall serve until the next convening of the general
assembly following the election certification and qualification
of a successor..
SECTION 3. 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.