HB493

The former rule disqualified people finally convicted of an offense involving conduct directly attributable to an election, without limiting that category to felonies. The enacted law adds first- and second-degree felonies unrelated to elections, but narrows the election-offense category to felonies. The introduced bill retained the broader election-offense wording; the House substitute added the felony limitation. Introduced text; House substitute.

The one indexed floor amendment, by Senator Miles, was adopted by the Senate. It proposed an exception after more than 20 years had passed since completion of the sentence, including incarceration, parole or supervision, or completion of court-ordered probation; its certificate wording used a corresponding 20-year threshold. The House refused the Senate amendment, and the conference committee returned to the House wording. That 20-year exception is not in the enacted law. Both chambers adopted the conference report June 1. Amendment index; Miles amendment; conference text and comparison, pages 3–6.

Compare the published text versions in the official text index. A change is not attributed to a specific amendment here without a verified record.

The added affidavit gives appointing authorities and election administrators an explicit statement about the specified convictions. People with first- or second-degree felony convictions may lose eligibility to serve as watchers even if they have regained eligibility to register to vote; the law does not include the proposed time-based exception. Conversely, an election-related misdemeanor alone is no longer a disqualification under this particular provision, although the other eligibility rules still apply. These are effects of the statutory categories, not measured claims about election security or participation.

The final Legislative Budget Board fiscal note anticipates no significant state or local fiscal impact and assumes any state costs can be absorbed with existing resources. That is a forecast, not a finding that administration has no cost. Final fiscal note.