SB 44-ELECTION PROCEDURES; REAA ADVISORY BOARDS  10:07:31 AM CHAIR DYSON announced the consideration of SB 44. [CSSB 44, version U was before the committee.] PAUL DAUPHINAIS, Executive Director, Alaska Public Offices Commission (APOC), said he was available to answer questions. SENATOR GIESSEL asked how moving the primary election forward two weeks would affect those who were running for office in a legislative session which may extend into a special session. She wondered how deadlines would be affected. MR. DAUPHINAIS said APOC's perspective is that once a candidate has filed, reporting requirements would be the same for incumbents and others running in the primary election. Regarding newsletters, APOC would look at whether campaigning was going on. He deferred to legislative ethics to comment further. SENATOR COGHILL said his concern is that it would be awkward to comply if the election is moved up by two weeks. However, APOC says the filing date is the same so the only difference is that reporting requirements might be compressed a little. Legislators would be affected by what could go in their newsletters. He said he didn't hear anything from APOC that was alarming, but wanted to review the ethics requirements again. 10:12:19 AM PADDY MCGUIRE, Deputy Director, Federal Voting Assistance Program, Department of Defense, testified in support of SB 44. He explained that Section 2 of version U of the bill enfranchises children of former Alaskans who have never resided in the U.S. by allowing them to register and vote in Alaska. Section 10 codifies in state law the 45-day federal requirement to transmit ballots to military and overseas voters. This, too, is an important step in enfranchising overseas voters. Section 12 moves the primary two weeks forward, which is important in getting ballots to persons overseas. SENATOR COGHILL said the main conversation around Section 2 applies to military families, but other entities would also be enfranchised. MR. MCGUIRE agreed. 10:15:53 AM SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI asked if Native groups or villages have chimed in on moving the date. CHAIR DYSON said no and recalled that the Division of Elections didn't believe it was a problem. SENATOR GIESSEL commented on her experience in the North Slope Borough. She said whaling season in that community begins at the end of August - about the time of the primary election. She believed that an accelerated primary date would be an advantage in that area. CHAIR DYSON asked for the will of the committee. 10:17:20 AM SENATOR GIESSEL moved to report CS for SB 44, [version 28- GS1983\U], from committee with individual recommendations and attached zero fiscal notes. 10:17:34 AM CHAIR DYSON announced that without objection CSSB 44(STA) moved from the Senate State Affairs Standing Committee.