h_sa_2017a_2017-12-21t09:05:23z1 Hearing Summary

Date: 12/21/2017

Location: RM 271

10:30 AM -- SMART Act Presentation, Department of State



Representative Foote called the meeting back to order. The committee was provided the Department of State FY 2017-18 Performance Plan, Department of State Annual Performance Report for FY 2016-17, and 2018 Departmental Regulatory Agenda (Attachments E, F, and G). Secretary Wayne Williams introduced himself to the committee. He reviewed a handout he provided to the committee (Attachment H), which included information about the number of registered voters, business entities, registered charities, bingo-raffle licenses, and commissioned notaries public in Colorado. He discussed information about the 2017 election, including the risk-limiting audit that was conducted.



17JointState1221AttachE.pdf 17JointState1221AttachF.pdf



17JointState1221AttachG.pdf 17JointState1221AttachH.pdf



10:37 AM



Secretary Williams reviewed information regarding the Business and Licensing Division, including efforts to provide online training for notaries public. He reviewed information about the department's IT Division, and the entities the department partners with during elections. Secretary Williams discussed the rules adopted regarding Proposition 107, concerning presidential primaries, and Proposition 108, concerning unaffiliated voter participation in primary elections. He stated that there will be a public information campaign about the open primary process required under Proposition 108. Secretary Williams answered questions about the public information campaign. He referenced Senate Bill 17-209, and the process for checking signatures on candidate petitions. In response to a question, Secretary Williams outlined the process for reviewing signatures on ballots. He discussed the tie votes that occurred during the 2017 election.





10:55 AM



In response to questions, Secretary Williams discussed the process for a candidate petitioning on to the ballot. He further discussed changes to the law regarding the petition process, and the impact of overseas and military voters on the election calendar.





11:11 AM



Secretary Williams outlined the department's 2018 legislative agenda, which includes legislation clarifying election and campaign finance laws, prohibiting vote trading, and consolidating judicial retention language. He outlined the department's budget requests for FY 2018-19 listed on page 2 of the handout.





11:17 AM



Secretary Williams answered questions about the department's budget request regarding IT staff. Gary Zimmerman, Chief of Staff, discussed the department's IT and the interactions the department has with the Office of Information Technology. Mr. Zimmerman and Secretary Williams discussed the interactions the department has with the Joint Technology Committee. Secretary Williams answered a question about the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity, and in doing so explained what information in a voter's record is public and private. Secretary Williams answered questions about the Statewide Voter Registration System (SCORE) system and outages that occurred with the SCORE system on Election Day in November 2017.





11:40 AM



No witnesses testified on the presentation. The committee adjourned.