Assigned to GOV AS PASSED BY COW
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fifth Legislature, Second Regular Session
AMENDED
FACT SHEET FOR H.B. 2703
auditor general; audits; county elections
(NOW: secure online signature collection)
Purpose
Requires the Secretary of State (SOS) to continue operating and maintain full functionality
and availability of the secure online portal and related systems for online signature collection and
submittal of qualifying contributions (E-Qual), except to temporarily remove, close down or limit
access to E-Qual for the purposes of updating the portal or system.
Background
The SOS must provide E-Qual for qualified electors to sign nomination petitions for
candidates for statewide, legislative, municipal, county and federal office or precinct
committeemen and for qualified electors to submit a five-dollar contribution qualification form for
Clean Elections candidates for statewide or legislative office. A candidate for statewide or
legislative office may collect up to the full number of required signatures and a candidate for
county or municipal office or precinct committeemen may collect up to the minimum number of
required signatures through E-Qual (A.R.S. §§ 16-316; 16-317; and 16-318).
According to the 2022 Running for Office Handbook published by the SOS, E-Qual for
congressional and legislative candidates will be unavailable beginning in early March 2022 to
allow counties to import the 2022 district information into the statewide voter registration database
(SOS).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this
legislation.
Provisions
1. Requires the SOS to continue operating and maintain full functionality and availability of
E-Qual and related systems for online signature collection and submittal of qualifying
contributions for candidates for federal, statewide, legislative, city, town or county office and
the office of precinct committeeman.
2. Exempts the SOS from the E-Qual operation and maintenance requirement to temporarily
remove, close down or limit access to E-Qual as necessary for the purposes of updating the
portal or system. FACT SHEET – Amended
H.B. 2703
Page 2
3. Requires the SOS to provide notice to candidates that E-Qual will be unavailable and provide
an estimate of how long E-Qual will be unavailable before temporarily removing, closing down
or limiting access to E-Qual for updates.
4. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Amendments Adopted by Committee of the Whole
1. Allows the SOS to temporarily remove, close down or limit access to E-Qual as necessary for
the purposes of updating the portal or system.
2. Requires the SOS to provide notice to candidates that E-Qual will be unavailable and provide
an estimate of how long E-Qual will be unavailable before temporarily removing, closing down
or limiting access to E-Qual for updates.
3. Makes technical and conforming changes.
House Action Senate Action
GE 2/7/22 DPA/SE 7-6-0-0 GOV 3/21/22 DP 4-3-0
3
rd
Read 2/22/22 31-28-1
(W/O emergency)
Prepared by Senate Research
April 18, 2022
MH/slp