Committee advances third‑party filers bill after lengthy debate over privacy, scope and implementation

CHEYENNE — The House Corporations, Elections & Political Subdivisions Committee on a 9‑0 roll call advanced Senate File 55, a bill that would require ‘‘third party filers’’ who file 10 or more documents with the Secretary of State in a calendar year to register with the office and provide notarized, sworn identification and contact information.

The legislation passed the committee by roll call vote after extended committee discussion and public testimony from the Secretary of State, business groups, commercial registered agents and trade organizations. The committee vote recorded 9 ayes and no nos; two members submitted absentee aye votes.

Secretary of State Chuck Ray and Colin Crossman, director of the Secretary’s business division, framed the bill as a targeted response to perceived filing‑fraud risks. Ray told the committee the policy “was really to ensure that serial third party filers ... are verified as real people.” The draft defines a third party filer as a natural person who receives compensation to file documents on behalf of a business entity and is not a direct employee, shareholder, director or otherwise under the entity’s direct management or…