Voting Access and Process, including Voting Rights Restoration and Voter Suppression
HB117 - Absentee voting, authorize without providing excuse, Secs. 17-11-3, 17-11-7 am'd. Sponsor(s): Representative Chestnut
Synopsis and Analysis: Under existing law, a registered voter may only vote by absentee ballot if he or she meets one of the criteria prescribed by law for voting absentee. This bill would allow a registered voter to vote by absentee ballot without an excuse.
This bill will allow a registered voter to vote by absentee ballot without an excuse. It removes all of the prescribed reasons for voting absentee in the current law. The "no excuse" does not remove the requirement that an application for an absentee ballot be made not less than five days prior to the election and leaves in place the statutory reasons for emergency absentee ballots within five days of an election. This bill is the same as HB 251. It is substantially the same as HB 28 which makes a few additional language changes but also eliminates the prescribed reasons in the current statute thus allowing a voter to cast the absentee ballot without an excuse and also retains the current provisions regarding emergency absentee ballots.
League Action and Justification: Support. HB117 eliminates barriers to voting.
Bill Progress in Legislature
Go here to get more information about the bill and changes in the bill as it progresses through the legislature.
HB117 - Absentee voting, authorize without providing excuse, Secs. 17-11-3, 17-11-7 am'd. Sponsor(s): Representative Chestnut
Synopsis and Analysis: Under existing law, a registered voter may only vote by absentee ballot if he or she meets one of the criteria prescribed by law for voting absentee. This bill would allow a registered voter to vote by absentee ballot without an excuse.
This bill will allow a registered voter to vote by absentee ballot without an excuse. It removes all of the prescribed reasons for voting absentee in the current law. The "no excuse" does not remove the requirement that an application for an absentee ballot be made not less than five days prior to the election and leaves in place the statutory reasons for emergency absentee ballots within five days of an election. This bill is the same as HB 251. It is substantially the same as HB 28 which makes a few additional language changes but also eliminates the prescribed reasons in the current statute thus allowing a voter to cast the absentee ballot without an excuse and also retains the current provisions regarding emergency absentee ballots.
League Action and Justification: Support. HB117 eliminates barriers to voting.
Bill Progress in Legislature
Go here to get more information about the bill and changes in the bill as it progresses through the legislature.
| Calendar Date | Body | Amd/Sub | Matter | Committee | Nay | Yea | Abstain | Vote |
| 02/04/2020 | H | Read for the first time and referred to the House of Representatives committee on Constitution, Campaigns and Elections | CC&E | |
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