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House approves changes to accelerate removal of deceased voters from rolls
Summary
First Substitute HB 12, which adds timing language requiring five business days for death-certificate transmission and cross-checks with Social Security data to reduce ballots mailed to deceased voters, passed the House 73–0 on Jan. 20, 2021.
Representative Ryan D. Winder moved to uncircle House Bill 12 and offered Amendment 1, which adds the word "business" to clarify timelines in the bill. Winder told the House the amendment makes the process operate on business days.
On the floor, Winder described coordination with the state registrar, the Office of Vital Records and the lieutenant governor—s office to send death-certificate information to county clerks so they can remove deceased voters from rolls. He said the proposal would require the registrar to transmit death certificates to the lieutenant governor within five business days; the lieutenant governor—s office would then have one day to forward information to county clerks. The measure also includes cross-checking with U.S. Social Security data before each election cycle, the sponsor said.
The amendment was adopted without recorded opposition. Floor votes adopted the substitute and then passed First Substitute HB 12 by a roll-call vote of 73 yes and 0 no. The bill will be transmitted to the Senate.
Supporters framed the bill as a practical improvement to ballot integrity and election administration; no fiscal note or per-diem liability for legislators was recorded on the floor. Opponents did not register floor opposition during debate.
