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Subcommittee approves priority line access for voters with children under 2, narrows disability language
Summary
House Bill 502, which would allow voters accompanied by children under age 2 to use priority access to the front of the voting line, was approved by the Election Subcommittee with an amendment narrowing when disabled voters qualify.
The Election Subcommittee voted to approve House Bill 502 as amended, expanding an existing line-priority accommodation to voters accompanied by children under age 2 and tightening eligibility language for some disabled voters.
Sponsor Chief Deputy Whit Draper said the measure extends a longstanding accommodation that already exists for voters 75 and older and certain disabled voters. "In the last 2 years, the bill was for anybody who was accompanied by a child under the age of 5 years old. But after taking back feedback ... I have lowered that age from 5 to 2," Draper told the committee.
During the hearing, Draper proposed—and the committee adopted—an amendment to narrow existing language for disabled voters. Under the change, rather than broadly allowing any voter who "requires assistance in casting an absentee ballot" to go to the front, the bill now specifies disabled voters qualify only when "standing in line would be impracticable." Representative Anderson offered the amendment on the sponsor's behalf and the subcommittee approved it by voice vote.
Representative Sainz and other members questioned enforcement: who would verify a child's age or a claim that standing in line is impracticable. Draper and other witnesses said local poll workers and poll captains would administer the policy, and that election offices had not reported abuse of existing accommodations.
The committee moved the amended bill forward by voice vote. The transcript records no roll-call tally; members signaled approval by saying "aye."
