H_SA_2019A 04/02/2019 01:35:54 PM Committee Summary

Representative Lontine, bill sponsor, presented House Bill 19-1278. The bill makes several changes to the "Uniform Election Code of 1992," including changes to voter registration procedures, party filing requirements, procedures for curing ballots, provisional ballots, and other technical changes. Representative Lontine answered questions from the committee.

Secretary of State Jena Griswold, Department of State, testified in support of the bill. She answered questions from the committee.

Kelly Byrne, America Votes, testified in support of the bill.

Martha Tierney, America Votes and the Colorado Democratic Party, testified in support of the bill.

Lizzy Stephan, New Era Colorado, testified in support of the bill. She provided a handout to the committee (Attachment A).

Ms. Tierney and Ms. Stephan answered questions from the committee.

Representative Lontine provided a handout to the committee (Attachment B).

Janice Vos Caudill, Pitkin County Clerk and Recorder, testified in opposition to the bill.

Lori Mitchell, Chaffee County Clerk and Recorder, testified in opposition to the bill.

Chuck Broerman, El Paso County Clerk and Recorder, testified in opposition to the bill.

Clerk Broerman, Clerk Mitchell, and Clerk Vos Caudill answered questions from the committee. An informational packet from the Colorado County Clerks Association was distributed to the committee (Attachment C).

Peg Perl, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

Joy Garscadden, Citizens Project, testified in support of the bill.

Ana Temu, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

Regina O'Brien, Eagle County Clerk and Recorder, testified in opposition to the bill.

Molly Fitzpatrick, Boulder County Clerk and Recorder, testified in support of the bill.

George Stern, Jefferson County Clerk and Recorder, testified in a neutral capacity on the bill.

Clerk Fitzpatrick answered questions from the committee.

Salvador Hernandez, Mi Familia Vota, testified in support of the bill.

Richard Forney, representing himself, testified in support of the bill.

John Hart, representing himself, testified in support of the bill.

Susan Corliss, Kit Carson County Clerk and Recorder, testified in opposition to the bill.

Debra Johnson, Denver County Clerk and Recorder, testified on the bill.

Carly Koppes, Weld County Clerk and Recorder, testified in opposition to the bill.

Clerk Johnson, Clerk Koppes, and Clerk Corliss answered questions from the committee. Representative Lontine made comments to the committee.

Declan Talley, representing himself, testified in support of the bill.

Teelin Lucero, representing herself, read a statement from Tim Hernandez in support of the bill.

Josh Zygielbaum, Adams County Clerk and Recorder, testified on the bill.

Gilbert Ortiz, Pueblo County Clerk and Recorder, testified in opposition to the bill.

Justin Grantham, Fremont County Clerk and Recorder, testified in opposition to the bill.

Lauren Smith, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

Kate Travis, representing herself, read a statement from Anna Marie McCorrie in support of the bill.

Anna Wood, representing herself, read a statement from Katie Lea in support of the bill.

Merlin Klotz, Douglas County Clerk and Recorder, testified in opposition to the bill.

Kathleen Neel, Summit County Clerk and Recorder, testified in opposition to the bill.

Kim Bonner, Routt County Clerk and Recorder, testified in opposition to the bill.

Clerk Klotz provided a handout to the committee (Attachment D).

Morgan Royal, representing herself, read a statement in support of the bill from Julie Grossman.

Arriana Belkin, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

Alejandro Flores-Munoz, representing himself, testified in support of the bill. He provided written statements in support of the bill from Chelsea Meenan and Jake Martin (Attachments E and F).

Dallas Schroeder, Elbert County Clerk and Recorder, testified in opposition to the bill.

Byron Pelton, Logan County Commissioner, testified in opposition to the bill.

Pam Bacon, Logan County Clerk and Recorder, testified in opposition to the bill.

Clerk Schroeder answered questions from the committee.

Caitlin Schneider, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

Amanda Gonzalez, Colorado Common Cause, testified in support of the bill.

Angie Leath, El Paso County Director of Elections, testified in opposition to the bill.

Colleen Jensen, Larimer County, submitted a letter in opposition to the bill from the Larimer County Board of County Commissioners (Attachment G).

Doreen Bellfy, Larimer County Elections Manager, testified in opposition to the bill.

Robert Lindgren, AFL-CIO, testified in support of the bill.

Jami Gaultney, Douglas County Elections Operations Manager, testified in opposition to the bill.

Pam Anderson, Colorado County Clerks Association, testified in opposition to the bill.

A letter in opposition to the bill from the Mesa County Board of County Commissioners was distributed to the committee (Attachment H).

Councilwoman Cheryl Pouge, City of Parker, testified in opposition to the bill.

Celeste Landry, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

Britta Singer, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

Councilwoman Pouge answered questions from the committee.

Committee members made comments.

Representative Lontine explained amendment L.001 (Attachment I). She answered questions from the committee.

Representative Lontine explained amendment L.005 (Attachment J).

The committee discussed amendment L.005.

Representative Lontine explained amendment L.008 (Attachment K).

Ms. Tierney was asked to the table to answer questions about amendment L.008.

Representative Lontine explained amendment L.009 (Attachment L).

Representative Lontine explained amendment L.010 (Attachment M). Ms. Tierney answered questions about amendment L.010.

Representative Lontine explained amendment L.011 (Attachment N). She answered questions from the committee about amendment L.011.

Representative Lotine explained amendment L.012 (Attachment O). Ms. Tierney answered questions about amendment L.012.

Representative Lontine explained amendment L.013 (Attachment P). Ms. Tierney answered questions about amendment L.013.

Representative Lontine explained amendment L.014 (Attachment Q). She answered questions from the committee.

Representative Lontine explained amendment L.033 (Attachment R). She answered questions from the committee. The committee discussed amendment L.033.

Representative Lontine explained amendment L.035 (Attachment S). Ms. Tierney answered questions from the committee about amendment L.035.

Representative Lontine explained amendment L.037 (Attachment T).  The committee discussed amendment L.037.

Representative Lontine explained amendment L.034 (Attachment U).  The committee discussed amendment L.034, but the amendment was not moved.

Representative Rich explained amendment L.004 (Attachment V). Representative Lontine commented on amendment L.004.

Committee discussion about amendment L.004 occurred.

Representative Lewis explained amendment L.003 (Attachment W). Representative Lontine commented on amendment L.003. The committee discussed amendment L.003.

Representative Lontine made concluding remarks about the bill. Committee members commented on the bill.

The committee recessed.

The committee came back to order.

Representative Coleman, bill sponsor, presented House Bill 19-1243. The bill allows preregistered minors ages 16 and 17 to vote on school district contests and ballot measures. Representative Coleman answered questions from the committee. Representative Coleman provided the committee members with a legal memorandum from the Office of Legislative Legal Services (Attachment X).  He also provided a handout to the committee from Student Voice, Student Vote (Attachment Y).

Matt Cook, Colorado Association of School Boards, testified in opposition to the bill.

Pam Anderson, Colorado County Clerks Association, testified in opposition to the bill.

Lizzy Stephan, New Era Colorado, testified in a neutral capacity on the bill.

Ms. Anderson and Mr. Cook answered questions from the committee.

Lindsi Reyes, Student Voice, Student Vote, testified in support of the bill.

Tony Pigford, Student Voice, Student Vote, testified in support of the bill.

Olivia Caudill, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

Michael Cummings, University of Colorado Denver, testified in support of the bill.

Kevante Hobley, Student Voice, Student Vote, testified in support of the bill.

Rachael Lehman, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

Danna Martinez-Angolo, Student Voice, Student Vote and the Student Board of Education, testified in support of the bill.

Tim Kubik, representing himself, testified in support of the bill.

Ms. Lehman responded to committee member comments.

Tay Anderson, representing himself, testified in support of the bill.

Candi CdeBaca, Project Voyce, testified in support of the bill.

Melissa Ruiz, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

Gabriel Haitron, representing himself, testified in support of the bill.

Leslie Chomic, League of Women Voters of Colorado, read a statement in support of the bill from Andrea Wilkins.

Cherry-Rose Anderson, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, testified in support of the bill.

Peg Perl, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

Joe McComb, Student Voice, Student Vote, testified in support of the bill.

Allison Brown, Schott Foundation for Public Education, testified in support of the bill.

Katie Maloney, representing herself, read a statement in support of the bill from Alessandra Chavira.

Ashly Villa-Ortega, Student Voice, Student Vote, testified in support of the bill.

Esperanza Garcia, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

Tezcatti Diaz, Student Voice, Student Vote, testified in support of the bill.

Roshon Bliss, Student Voice, Student Vote, testified in support of the bill.

Mr. Bliss answered questions from the committee.

Representative Coleman explained amendment L.001 (Attachment Z).

Representative Coleman explained amendment L.002 (Attachment AA).

Representative Coleman made concluding remarks about the bill.

Megan Waples, Office of Legislative Legal Services, answered questions from the committee.

Committee members made comments regarding the bill. Representative Coleman responded to committee member comments. Committee discussion about the bill ensued.

Representative Herod, bill sponsor, presented House Bill 19-1266. The bill allows individuals on parole to register to vote and to vote in any election.

Denise Maes, American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado, testified in support of the bill.

Lori Mitchell, Chaffee County Clerk and Recorder and Colorado County Clerks Association, testified in support of the bill.

George Stern, Jefferson County Clerk and Recorder, testified in support of the bill.

Carol Peeples, Remerg, testified in support of the bill.

Peg Perl, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

Juston Cooper, Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Commission, testified in support of the bill.

Leslie Chomic, League of Women Voters of Colorado, testified in support of the bill.

Representative Herod made comments to the committee.

Amanda Gonzalez, Colorado Common Cause, testified in support of the bill.

Representative Herod explained amendment L.001 (Attachment BB).

Representative Herod made concluding remarks about the bill.