h_sa_2016a_2016-03-14t13:29:53z3 Hearing Summary

Date: 03/14/2016

02:36 PM -- HB16-1126



The committee reconvened.



Representative Windholz, sponsor, presented House Bill 16-1126 to the committee. This bill amends current law regarding election watchers. The bill modifies the way election watchers are selected and requires that, to the extent possible, the names of election watchers be submitted no later than 25 days before the election. Further, this bill specifies the oath that election watchers are required to take and the process by which an election watcher may report election discrepancies. This bill also requires that election watchers with access to confidential information be required to pass a background check before being appointed. The Secretary of State's Office (SOS) will research the most cost-effective options for conducting these background checks and post findings on the department's website by January 1, 2017. County clerks are granted access to view the records of an election watcher that has access to confidential election data through the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI), but may not request records more than once each calendar year, and prior to the first election of the year.



Representative Windholz requested that the bill be postponed indefinitely.