02/10/2015 08:00 AM House STATE AFFAIRS

         HB 13-ELECTION PAMPHLETS AND ABSENTEE BALLOTS                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
8:08:40 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR LYNN announced  that the first order of  business was HOUSE                                                               
BILL NO. 13, "An Act requiring  notice of the postage required to                                                               
mail an absentee ballot on  the envelope provided by the division                                                               
of elections for returning an  absentee ballot; and repealing the                                                               
authority to include  certain material from a  political party in                                                               
the election pamphlet."                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
[Before  the  committee  was the  proposed  committee  substitute                                                               
(CS), Version 29-LS0091\E, Bullard,  2/3/15, which was adopted by                                                               
the committee as a work draft on 2/5/15.]                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR LYNN,  as joint prime  sponsor, presented  HB 13.   He said                                                               
the  official election  pamphlet:   helps  inform voters;  allows                                                               
candidates  to public  office  to display  their  photo, a  short                                                               
biography,   and   their   position   statement;   and   provides                                                               
information on  ballot initiatives,  "pro" and  "con" statements,                                                               
and  judicial  retention.    He  said  people  do  not  vote  for                                                               
political  parties,  yet  the current  election  pamphlet  allows                                                               
advertisement   from  political   parties,  which   is  an   open                                                               
invitation for attack advertisements  ("ads") on any candidate or                                                               
issue on the ballot.  He  warned that without change, the attacks                                                               
would  escalate "as  one party  tries to  outdo the  other."   He                                                               
opined  that the  election  pamphlet is  no  place for  political                                                               
parties  to advertise,  and there  is  no shortage  of venues  in                                                               
which those  parties can place ads.   He asked the  committee for                                                               
its support for HB 13.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
8:11:03 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  STUTES  moved  to  report CSHB  13,  Version  29-                                                               
LS0091\E,  Bullard,  2/3/15,  out of  committee  with  individual                                                               
recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
8:11:26 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KELLER  objected to  state that  he does  not find                                                               
the political  ads in  the election  pamphlet inappropriate.   He                                                               
then removed his objection.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
8:12:08 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  LYNN  announced there  being  no  further objection,  CSHB
(STA)  was reported  out of  the House  State Affairs  Standing                                                               
Committee.