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Senate committee advances wide-ranging election substitute after hours of debate over voter files and vacancies
Summary
The Senate Government Operations Committee favorably recommended the first substitute to SB194, a sprawling elections package that includes conflict-of-interest plans, vacancy rules assigning replacement rights to the party of election, limits on signature thresholds for countywide candidates, and changes to public access to voter records; the substitute passed committee by a recorded vote of six to one.
Senator McKell, sponsor of the first substitute to Senate Bill 194, told the Senate Government Operations Committee the measure is an "omnibus" package that aims to tighten conflict rules, streamline vacancy appointments, change certain voter-record disclosures and lower signature thresholds for some county offices. He said the bill would also add audit flexibility and allow limited campaign-account spending on home-security needs for elected officials.
The sponsor framed the legislation as a mix of recommendations that grew from audits and stakeholder conversations. "This is a work in progress," he told the committee, asking members to consider a first substitute and to decouple some voter-verification language into a separate House bill.
The substitute would require a Conflict of Interest Avoidance Plan for certain…
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