Connecticut 2025 Regular Session

Connecticut House Bill HB07229 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
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2	2
3		-	LCO 1 of 4
	3	+	LCO No. 6374 1 of 4
4	4
5		-	General Assembly ~~Substitute~~ Bill No. 7229
	5	+	General Assembly Raised Bill No. 7229
6	6		January Session, 2025
	7	+	LCO No. 6374
7	8
	9	+
	10	+	Referred to Committee on GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION
	11	+	AND ELECTIONS
	12	+
	13	+
	14	+	Introduced by:
	15	+	(GAE)
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9	17
10	18
11	19
12	20		AN ACT CONCERNING ACCESSIBILITY TO ABSENTEE BALLOTS
13	21		FOR ELECTORS IN STATE CUSTODY.
14	22		Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
15	23		Assembly convened:
16	24
17	25		Section 1. Section 9-139a of the general statutes is repealed and the 1
18	26		following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective January 1, 2026): 2
19	27		(a) The Secretary of the State shall prescribe and furnish the following 3
20	28		materials to municipal clerks: The absentee ballot facsimile, the 4
21	29		application for absentee ballot authorized for use at each election or 5
22	30		primary, the inner envelope, the outer envelope provided for the return 6
23	31		of the ballot to the municipal clerk, the instructions for the use of the 7
24	32		absentee ballot and the envelope for mailing of such forms by the clerk 8
25	33		to the absentee ballot applicant. 9
26	34		(b) The application for absentee ballot shall be in the form of a 10
27	35		statement signed under the penalties of false statement in absentee 11
28	36		balloting. Each application shall contain (1) spaces for the signature 12
29	37		under the penalties of false statement in absentee balloting of any person 13
30	38		who assists the applicant in the completion of an application together 14
	39	+	Raised Bill No. 7229
	40	+
	41	+
	42	+
	43	+	LCO No. 6374 2 of 4
	44	+
31	45		with the information required in section 9-140, as amended by this act, 15
32	46		(2) spaces for the signature and the printed or typed name of the 16
33	47		applicant, and (3) a clear and conspicuous notation of the year for which 17
34		-	such application's use is authorized. 18 Substitute Bill No. 7229
35		-
36		-
37		-	LCO 2 of 4
38		-
	48	+	such application's use is authorized. 18
39	49		(c) The Secretary of the State shall prescribe and furnish to the 19
40	50		Department of Correction an application for absentee ballot form for use 20
41		-	within Department of Correction facilities~~. Such form~~ shall contain 21
42		-	~~spaces for~~ all information required under subsection (b) of this section. 22
43		-	Each such form shall ~~be consecutively numbered and shall~~ indicate that 23
44		-	~~such form~~ is only for use by an absentee ballot applicant who is 24
45		-	~~incarcerated in a~~ Department of Correction facility and that such 25
46		-	~~applicant is required to~~ provide in the appropriate space on such form 26
47		-	~~a mailing address at the~~ Department of Correction facility in order for 27
48		-	~~an absentee ballot to be~~ mailed to such applicant. 28
	51	+	within Department of Correction facilities that shall contain spaces for 21
	52	+	all information required under subsection (b) of this section and shall be 22
	53	+	consecutively numbered. Each such form shall indicate that such form 23
	54	+	is only for use by an absentee ballot applicant who is incarcerated in a 24
	55	+	Department of Correction facility and that such applicant is required to 25
	56	+	provide in the appropriate space on such form a mailing address at the 26
	57	+	Department of Correction facility in order for an absentee ballot to be 27
	58	+	mailed to such applicant. 28
49	59		[(c)] (d) The instructions for the use of the absentee ballot shall be in 29
50	60		plain language and shall include the steps to be taken if a vote is to be 30
51	61		cancelled or changed, and shall also contain a simple and concise 31
52	62		restatement of the provisions of subsection (l) of section 9-150a and 32
53	63		section 9-159o concerning rejection of ballots marked in such manner as 33
54	64		to identify the voters casting them, and withdrawal of ballots by persons 34
55	65		who find they are able to vote at the polls. 35
56	66		[(d)] (e) A sufficient supply of such instructions and envelopes shall 36
57	67		be printed to supply the number which the municipal clerk requests or 37
58	68		the Secretary of the State deems sufficient. 38
59		-	Sec. 2. Subsection (g) of section 9-140 of the general statutes is 39
	69	+	Sec. 2. Subsection (k) of section 9-140 of the general statutes is 39
60	70		repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective January 40
61	71		1, 2026): 41
62		-	(g) On the first day of issuance of absentee voting sets the municipal 42
63		-	clerk shall mail an absentee voting set to each applicant whose 43
64		-	application was received by the clerk prior to that day. When the clerk 44
65		-	receives an application during the time period in which absentee voting 45
66		-	sets are to be issued he shall mail an absentee voting set to the applicant, 46
67		-	within twenty-four hours, unless the applicant submits his application 47
68		-	in person at the office of the clerk and asks to be given his absentee 48
69		-	voting set immediately, in which case the clerk shall comply with the 49
70		-	request. Any absentee voting set to be mailed to an applicant shall be 50 Substitute Bill No. 7229
	72	+	(k) (1) A person shall register with the [town] municipal clerk before 42
	73	+	distributing five or more absentee ballot applications for an election, 43
	74	+	primary or referendum, not including applications distributed to such 44
	75	+	person's immediate family. Such requirement shall not apply to a person 45
	76	+	Raised Bill No. 7229
71	77
72	78
73		-	LCO 3 of 4
74	79
75		-	mailed to the bona fide personal mailing address shown on the 51
76		-	application. If an applicant has provided a mailing address at a 52
77		-	Department of Correction facility and such applicant is subsequently 53
78		-	transferred to another Department of Correction facility, the 54
79		-	Commissioner of Correction shall ensure delivery of the absentee voting 55
80		-	set to such applicant. Issuance of absentee voting sets shall also be 56
81		-	subject to the provisions of subsection (c) of this section, section 9-150c 57
82		-	and section 9-159q concerning persons designated to deliver or return 58
83		-	ballots in cases involving unforeseen illness or disability and supervised 59
84		-	voting at certain health care institutions. 60
85		-	Sec. 3. Subsection (k) of section 9-140 of the general statutes is 61
86		-	repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective January 62
87		-	1, 2026): 63
88		-	(k) (1) A person shall register with the [town] municipal clerk before 64
89		-	distributing five or more absentee ballot applications for an election, 65
90		-	primary or referendum, not including applications distributed to such 66
91		-	person's immediate family. Such requirement shall not apply to a person 67
92		-	who is the designee of an applicant or to any employee of the 68
93		-	Department of Correction who provides the application for absentee 69
94		-	ballot form prescribed under subsection (c) of section 9-139a, as 70
95		-	amended by this act, to incarcerated absentee ballot applicants. 71
96		-	(2) The municipal clerk shall reject the application of any absentee 72
97		-	ballot applicant made upon the form prescribed under subsection (c) of 73
98		-	section 9-139a, as amended by this act, if such form indicates any 74
99		-	address other than an address at a Department of Correction facility. 75
100		-	The municipal clerk shall maintain a log of all applications of 76
101		-	incarcerated absentee ballot applicants received by such municipal 77
102		-	clerk, which log shall indicate the name and address of each applicant, 78
103		-	the date of receipt of each application and the date such municipal clerk 79
104		-	mailed the absentee ballot to such applicant or the reason why such 80
105		-	application was rejected. 81
106		-	[(2)] (3) Any person who distributes absentee ballot applications shall 82 Substitute Bill No. 7229
	80	+	LCO No. 6374 3 of 4
	81	+
	82	+	who is the designee of an applicant or to any employee of the 46
	83	+	Department of Correction who provides the application for absentee 47
	84	+	ballot form prescribed under subsection (c) of section 9-139a, as 48
	85	+	amended by this act, to incarcerated absentee ballot applicants. 49
	86	+	(2) The municipal clerk shall reject the application of any absentee 50
	87	+	ballot applicant made upon the form prescribed under subsection (c) of 51
	88	+	section 9-139a, as amended by this act, if such form indicates any 52
	89	+	address other than an address at a Department of Correction facility. 53
	90	+	The municipal clerk shall maintain a log of all applications of 54
	91	+	incarcerated absentee ballot applicants received by such municipal 55
	92	+	clerk, which log shall indicate the name and address of each applicant, 56
	93	+	the date of receipt of each application and the date such municipal clerk 57
	94	+	mailed the absentee ballot to such applicant or the reason why such 58
	95	+	application was rejected. 59
	96	+	[(2)] (3) Any person who distributes absentee ballot applications shall 60
	97	+	maintain a list of the names and addresses of prospective absentee ballot 61
	98	+	applicants who receive such applications, and shall file such list with 62
	99	+	the [town] municipal clerk prior to the date of the primary, election or 63
	100	+	referendum for which the applications were so distributed, except that 64
	101	+	such requirements shall not apply to any employee of the Department 65
	102	+	of Correction who provides the application for absentee ballot form 66
	103	+	prescribed under subsection (c) of section 9-139a, as amended by this 67
	104	+	act, to incarcerated absentee ballot applicants. Any person who 68
	105	+	distributes absentee ballot applications and receives an executed 69
	106	+	application shall forthwith file the application with the [town] 70
	107	+	municipal clerk. 71
	108	+	Sec. 3. Section 9-14a of the general statutes is repealed and the 72
	109	+	following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective January 1, 2026): 73
	110	+	Any person in the custody of the state being held at a [community 74
	111	+	correctional center or a correctional institution] Department of 75
	112	+	Correction facility, whose voting rights have not been denied, shall be 76
	113	+	Raised Bill No. 7229
107	114
108	115
109		-	LCO 4 of 4
110	116
111		-	maintain a list of the names and addresses of prospective absentee ballot 83
112		-	applicants who receive such applications, and shall file such list with 84
113		-	the [town] municipal clerk prior to the date of the primary, election or 85
114		-	referendum for which the applications were so distributed, except that 86
115		-	such requirements shall not apply to any employee of the Department 87
116		-	of Correction who provides the application for absentee ballot form 88
117		-	prescribed under subsection (c) of section 9-139a, as amended by this 89
118		-	act, to incarcerated absentee ballot applicants. Any person who 90
119		-	distributes absentee ballot applications and receives an executed 91
120		-	application shall forthwith file the application with the [town] 92
121		-	municipal clerk. 93
122		-	Sec. 4. Section 9-14a of the general statutes is repealed and the 94
123		-	following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective January 1, 2026): 95
124		-	Any person in the custody of the state being held at a [community 96
125		-	correctional center or a correctional institution] Department of 97
126		-	Correction facility, whose voting rights have not been denied, shall be 98
127		-	deemed to be absent from the town or city of which [he] such person is 99
128		-	an inhabitant for purposes of voting, notwithstanding that such [center 100
129		-	or institution] facility may be situated within such town or city. 101
	117	+	LCO No. 6374 4 of 4
	118	+
	119	+	deemed to be absent from the town or city of which [he] such person is 77
	120	+	an inhabitant for purposes of voting, notwithstanding that such [center 78
	121	+	or institution] facility may be situated within such town or city. 79
130	122		This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
131	123		sections:
132	124
133	125		Section 1 January 1, 2026 9-139a
134		-	Sec. 2 January 1, 2026 9-140(g)
135		-	Sec. 3 January 1, 2026 9-140(k)
136		-	Sec. 4 January 1, 2026 9-14a
	126	+	Sec. 2 January 1, 2026 9-140(k)
	127	+	Sec. 3 January 1, 2026 9-14a
137	128
138		-	GAE Joint Favorable Subst.
	129	+	Statement of Purpose:
	130	+	To allow for eligible electors incarcerated in Department of Correction
	131	+	facilities to apply for absentee ballots.
	132	+
	133	+	[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
	134	+	that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
	135	+	underlined.]
139	136