SB 313 - PETITION CIRCULATION SENATOR BERT SHARP came forward to present SB 313, his bill relating to petition circulation. SENATOR SHARP stated that it is often assumed that people canvassing for signatures on an initiative petition are volunteers. SENATOR SHARP said this is often true, but it is more likely that these people are signature "bounty hunters," paid by the sponsor of the initiative. SENATOR SHARP noted that all other states have laws against this and said his bill, in an effort to bring the initiative process back to a more grassroots level, requires petition circulators to display identification (their name and voter registration number) during signature solicitation. SB 313 also prohibits payment per signature by the sponsor. Payment for canvassers would still be allowed by any other method. SENATOR SHARP said the bill further prohibits payment for a signature on a petition, which is not currently illegal and eliminates the 30-day extension period currently allowed. SENATOR SHARP summed it up by saying, "you either got 'em or you don't." Number 400 SENATOR ELLIS asked about an Anchorage Daily News article that encouraged the Legislature to increase initiative campaign reporting requirements, which currently do not require disclosure of funds unless they are rolled forward into an effort to actually pass the initiative once it appears on the ballot. He asked SENATOR SHARP if he had given any thought to including that in this bill and SENATOR SHARP replied he had not. SENATOR SHARP said he was reticent to force additional reporting on anyone, but did not wish to say he would not embrace it. He commented that funding sources can be oblique. SENATOR ELLIS asked for more detailed comments on the elimination of the 30 day extension period and its possible implications on the right of people to petition in a democratic government. SENATOR SHARP replied that, with more and more initiatives, the Legislature is given less and less time to react with legislation to the initiatives. SENATOR SHARP said the time frame for collecting the necessary signatures is quite liberal and any extension of that time focuses on the time limit itself, and not on the merits of the initiative. SENATOR ELLIS asked if this concern couldn't be better addressed by some sort of deadline that required the petition process to end by a certain date. SENATOR SHARP responded by saying this would be difficult for the Division of Elections and restated his point that the time for gathering the necessary signatures for a successful petition is ample, and the extension merely begs for a last minute infusion of money into a campaign. He said there must be a cut off at which point it is determined if "you got 'em or you don't." SENATOR ELLIS asked what the public policy reason for this concern was and SENATOR SHARP replied that there is plenty of time to get the signatures, if the effort or the interest of the people is lacking, so be it. He thinks it goes against public policy in the initiative process to allow the refocusing of monetary resources after the initial effort. SENATOR ELLIS remarked that the reason why people fall short of the required number of signatures is that people misrepresent themselves as registered voters and are later disqualified by the Division of Elections. SENATOR ELLIS said he has no sympathy for the signature bounty hunters, but commented that signature gatherers have no good way to verify if a person is indeed a registered voter. He said the extension has always been a failsafe method to ensure that all the time and effort was not wasted due to disqualification of those people who misrepresented themselves. SENATOR PARNELL noted that another section of the bill is related to this. He pointed out that on page 2 a new section is being added that places more of the burden on the petition sponsors to ensure those signatures they turn in come from legitimate, registered voters. SENATOR PARNELL said this verification can be done through public and private databases, thus reducing the burden on the Division of Elections. SENATOR ELLIS asked if this wouldn't just encourage canvassers to come into the Division of Elections and check signatures every week or so. He asked if they would have the right to do this, suggesting that not everyone has computers and database access. SENATOR PARNELL said this would still result in much less work for the Division of Elections at the end of the process. SENATOR ELLIS asked, since the intent of the bill was to identify the group collecting signatures, if the bill includes anything prohibiting "petition groups." SENATOR SHARP replied that there was no restriction being proposed that requires any additional identification other than what is currently required by the Division of Elections. SENATOR ELLIS replied he thought the bill increased reporting requirements. SENATOR SHARP said only on the person actually collecting the signatures. He also said, even though under current law signature gatherers must be registered voters, he has had calls complaining about canvassers who refuse to identify themselves when asked. SENATOR ELLIS clarified that the name tag would contain the canvasser's name and voter number, not the organization they represent. SENATOR SHARP agreed. SENATOR ELLIS asked if it is currently illegal to use canvassers shipped into the state and SENATOR SHARP said canvassers must be registered voters, requiring a 30 day residency. CHAIRMAN TAYLOR asked if there was further testimony on the bill, there was none. SENATOR PARNELL moved SB 313 out of committee with individual recommendations. Without objection, it was so ordered.