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Senate blocks concurrence on voting-machine test bill after floor disagreement over public observers
Summary
The Senate failed to concur on Senate File 28, a bill that would have set procedures and public-notice requirements for voting-machine and system tests, after senators objected to amendments that removed language guaranteeing public members at tests at county clerks' discretion.
The Senate failed to concur on message 199 (Senate File 28), a bill governing voting-machine and voting-system tests after floor debate highlighted disagreement over who may attend official testing.
Senator Casease urged colleagues to vote no on concurrence so the two chambers could resolve differences, arguing that a House amendment had removed language that the Senate previously added guaranteeing a limited number of public participants (party representatives, independent candidate representatives and at the county clerk's discretion up to a small number of public members). "They completely eliminated that language ... so now there is not ... members of the public in a number that would accommodate by the room," he said, urging a "no" vote to return to negotiation.
The concurrence motion failed on roll call (6 'I', 25 'No'), so a joint conference committee was appointed to reconcile the differences.
Senators who opposed concurrence said they wanted to preserve a balanced public-notice and participation approach that accommodates local clerks and election officials; proponents of the House language said the change addressed concerns from elections officials. The Senate appointed members to a joint conference committee to attempt to reconcile the two chambers' positions.
