Connecticut 2016 Regular Session

Connecticut Senate Bill SB00255 Compare Versions

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1-General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 255
2-February Session, 2016 *_____SB00255GAE___032316____*
1+General Assembly Raised Bill No. 255
2+February Session, 2016 LCO No. 2013
3+ *02013_______GAE*
4+Referred to Committee on GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION AND ELECTIONS
5+Introduced by:
6+(GAE)
37
48 General Assembly
59
6-Substitute Bill No. 255
10+Raised Bill No. 255
711
812 February Session, 2016
913
10-*_____SB00255GAE___032316____*
14+LCO No. 2013
15+
16+*02013_______GAE*
17+
18+Referred to Committee on GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION AND ELECTIONS
19+
20+Introduced by:
21+
22+(GAE)
1123
1224 AN ACT CONCERNING THE APPLICABILITY AND PROVISION OF TRAINING FOR REGISTRARS OF VOTERS.
1325
1426 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
1527
1628 Section 1. Section 9-192a of the 2016 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
1729
1830 (a) (1) The Secretary of the State shall, in consultation with the advisory committee created pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, establish a program and criteria for the certification of registrars of voters. All registrars taking such office on or before July 1, 2015, shall complete such program and satisfy such criteria for certification not later than July 1, 2017. Any registrar taking such office after July 1, 2015, shall complete such program and satisfy such criteria for certification (A) in the case of a two-year term, not later than the conclusion of such term, and (B) in the case of a four-year term, not later than two years after the date of first holding such office, except as provided in subdivision (2) of this subsection. Each municipality shall pay on behalf of such municipality's registrar of voters the cost of completing such program and satisfying such criteria for certification.
1931
2032 (2) If a deputy registrar becomes registrar, in accordance with the provisions of section 9-192, on or after the ninetieth day prior to a state election, as defined in section 9-1, such new registrar shall complete an abridged program prescribed by the Secretary of the State for a provisional certification. Completion of such abridged program and receipt of a provisional certification shall not be deemed to satisfy the requirements for certification described in subdivision (1) of this subsection.
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22-(3) Once certified, pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection, each registrar shall participate each year in not less than eight hours of training [, not including any training described under subdivision (2) of subsection (d) of this section,] in order to maintain such certification. Such training shall be as prescribed by the Secretary of the State and shall be conducted by [said Secretary] the Secretary of the State or a third party approved by [said Secretary] the Secretary of the State to conduct such training. Any registrar who fails to satisfy such annual training requirement shall be directed by the Secretary of the State to take remedial measures prescribed by [said Secretary] the Secretary of the State.
34+(3) Once certified, pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection, each registrar shall participate each year in not less than eight hours of training [, not including any training described under subdivision (2) of subsection (d) of this section,] in order to maintain such certification. Such training shall be as prescribed by the Secretary of the State and shall be conducted by [said Secretary or a third party approved by said Secretary to conduct such training] the Secretary of the State. Any registrar who fails to satisfy such annual training requirement shall be directed by the Secretary of the State to take remedial measures prescribed by [said Secretary] the Secretary of the State.
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2436 (b) There is created an advisory committee for the purpose of establishing programs and procedures for training, examining and certifying registrars of voters, deputy registrars of voters and assistant registrars of voters, as described in section 9-192. The committee shall consist of six members, one of whom shall be from the office of the Secretary of the State, one of whom shall be from the State Elections Enforcement Commission, and four of whom shall be registrars of voters. The Secretary of the State shall appoint the registrars of voters, in consultation with the Registrars of Voters Association of Connecticut, or its successor organization. The committee members shall serve without pay. The Secretary of the State shall determine the length of the terms of the initial members, in accordance with the following: Two of such members shall serve for a one-year term; two of such members shall serve for a two-year term; and two of such members shall serve for a four-year term. Thereafter, all members shall serve for four-year terms. The committee shall select a chairperson, who shall be one of the registrars who is a member of the committee.
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26-(c) The Secretary of the State, in consultation with the advisory committee, shall adopt criteria for the training, examination and certification requirements of registrars pursuant to subsection (a) of this section. In advising the Secretary of the State on the adoption of such criteria, the committee (1) shall consider whether the prescribed training leading to certification may, in part, be satisfied through participation in the required two conferences a year called by the Secretary of the State, pursuant to section 9-6, for purposes of discussing the election laws, procedures or matters related to election laws and procedures, and (2) may recommend programs at one or more institutions of higher education that satisfy such criteria. Any deputy or assistant registrar of voters may participate in the course of training prescribed by the Secretary of the State for certification as a certified Connecticut registrar of voters. The Secretary of the State shall certify any individual who completes such training and successfully completes any examination or examinations prescribed by the Secretary of the State as a certified Connecticut registrar of voters.
38+(c) The Secretary of the State, in consultation with the advisory committee, shall adopt criteria for the training, examination and certification requirements of registrars pursuant to subsection (a) of this section. In advising the Secretary of the State on the adoption of such criteria, the committee (1) shall consider whether the prescribed training leading to certification may, in part, be satisfied through participation in the required two conferences a year called by the Secretary of the State, pursuant to section 9-6, for purposes of discussing the election laws, procedures or matters related to election laws and procedures, and (2) may recommend programs at one or more institutions of higher education that satisfy such criteria. Any deputy or assistant registrar of voters may participate in the course of training prescribed by the Secretary for certification as a certified Connecticut registrar of voters. The Secretary of the State shall certify any individual who completes such training and successfully completes any examination or examinations prescribed by the Secretary as a certified Connecticut registrar of voters.
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2840 (d) The advisory committee shall also (1) develop a training program in election procedures for poll workers, and (2) develop an election law and procedures training program and guide for registrars. [, deputy registrars and assistant registrars.] The training program developed under subdivision (2) of this subsection shall provide for training to be conducted by trained registrars or former registrars hired for such purpose by the Secretary of the State. The committee shall submit such training programs and training guide to the Secretary of the State, who shall approve or modify the programs and guide.
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3042 Sec. 2. Section 9-192b of the 2016 supplement to the general statutes is repealed. (Effective from passage)
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3244
3345
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3547 This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
3648 Section 1 from passage 9-192a
3749 Sec. 2 from passage Repealer section
3850
3951 This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
4052
4153 Section 1
4254
4355 from passage
4456
4557 9-192a
4658
4759 Sec. 2
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4961 from passage
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5163 Repealer section
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65+Statement of Purpose:
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67+To eliminate (1) the requirement that each registrar, or a deputy or assistant designated by such registrar, attend the Secretary of State's election law and procedures training program, and (2) the Secretary of State's authority to delegate the conduct of certain other training for purposes of certification to a third party.
5468
55-GAE Joint Favorable Subst.
56-
57-GAE
58-
59-Joint Favorable Subst.
69+[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]