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Committee gives favorable report to bill adjusting candidate filing deadlines and proof-of-filing rules
Summary
Senate Bill 165 would harmonize filing deadlines for candidates and clarify proof-of-filing procedures for people leaving government jobs; the committee recorded a favorable report after sponsor said the Secretary of State raised no objection.
Senator Coleman Madison described SB 165 as a bill intended to clear up confusion over conflicting filing dates for candidates, including major-party and independent candidates and people leaving government employment.
"We have some discrepancies with filing. Everybody's filed statements of economic development... The problem is that they have conflicting dates and people are getting confused as to what date to file and we have had in some instances, some people have missed that date because of that," Senator Coleman Madison said.
Under the language described to the committee, major-party candidates would submit filings five days before the qualification deadline; independent candidates would file five days prior to the primary. People leaving government employment who already file certain statements would be able to show proof of that recent filing to meet the requirement, the sponsor said. The sponsor said the Secretary of State had been consulted and did not object to the changes.
A motion for final passage was made, and the committee recorded the bill as favorable with eight votes in favor. No fiscal note or implementation timeline was discussed in the committee remarks captured in the transcript.
