SENATE BILL NO. 138                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     "An  Act relating  to  elections;  relating to  voters;                                                                    
     relating to  voting; relating to the  crime of unlawful                                                                    
     interference with voting in  the first degree; relating                                                                    
     to  campaign  signs;  relating   to  the  reporting  of                                                                    
     financial and  business interests by  certain municipal                                                                    
     officers  and   former  officers  and   candidates  for                                                                    
     municipal office; relating  to the Redistricting Board;                                                                    
     and providing for an effective date."                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:39:16 PM                                                                                                                    
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:39:44 PM                                                                                                                    
RECONVENED                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:39:47 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Kiehl MOVED to ADOPT the committee substitute for                                                                       
SB 138, Work Draft 33-LS0783\U (Klein, 5/12/23).                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Olson OBJECTED for discussion.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:40:24 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
KEN ALPER, STAFF, SENATOR DONNY OLSON, discussed the                                                                            
Summary of Changes (copy on file):                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     1. Eliminates the change that  would have allowed for a                                                                    
     perjury  charge  for  false   statements  on  a  ballot                                                                    
     application. This remains a misdemeanor.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     2.  Removes   the  section  that  would   have  allowed                                                                    
     international  election  observers  at  a  precinct  or                                                                    
     counting center.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     3.  Removes  the  sections  related  to  repealing  the                                                                    
     prohibition  on using  images  of  the person's  marked                                                                    
     ballot  (or  "ballot  selfies")   for  the  purpose  of                                                                    
     influencing another voter.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     4. Removed the changes  that gave direction, if someone                                                                    
     has  voted more  than once,  regarding which  ballot to                                                                    
     prioritize.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     5. Expands  the use  of observers  to witness  a ballot                                                                    
     audit so  that all  campaigns may provide  witnesses at                                                                    
     their own expense.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     6. Clarifies language  regarding postmarks and barcodes                                                                    
     on  a  ballot to  ensure  that  ballots received  after                                                                    
     election day  are only counted  if they were  mailed on                                                                    
     or before election day.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     7. Clarifies the process  for curing uncounted ballots,                                                                    
     speeding  up when  notices of  deficiency are  sent out                                                                    
     and ensuring  ballots are only  counted if the  form is                                                                    
     fully completed.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     8. Deleted  the section  adding secure drop  boxes when                                                                    
     an election is conducted by mail.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     9. Within  the section  allowing political signs  up to                                                                    
     32 square feet along  highways, removed the prohibition                                                                    
     on  the  property  owner   being  compensated  for  the                                                                    
     display.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Olson  WITHDREW  the  OBJECTION.  There  being  NO                                                                    
OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:44:31 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  SCOTT KAWASAKI,  SPONSOR,  remarked that  it was  a                                                                    
complex bill, and thanked the committee.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:44:53 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DAVID DUNSMORE,  STAFF, SENATOR SCOTT KAWASAKI,  agreed with                                                                    
Senator Kawasakis remarks.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:45:17 PM                                                                                                                    
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:45:31 PM                                                                                                                    
RECONVENED                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Senator Kiehl  MOVED to  REPORT SB  138 from  committee with                                                                    
individual recommendations  and attached fiscal  note. There                                                                    
being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CSSB 138(FIN) was  REPORTED out of committee  with three "do                                                                    
pass"   recommendations,  two   "no  recommendations",   one                                                                    
"amend"  recommendation, and  one new  fiscal note  from the                                                                    
Office of the Governor.