Researcher: MHF Page 1 4/3/25
OLR Bill Analysis
sSB 1407
AN ACT CONCERNING AUDITS CONDUCTED BY THE STATE
ELECTIONS ENFORCEMENT COMMISSION.
SUMMARY
This bill makes several changes affecting the timing and process for
certain audits done by the State Elections Enforcement Commission
(SEEC). By law, SEEC must audit all statewide office candidate
committees and certain legislative candidate committees after an
election or primary.
The bill creates a deadline by which the commission must complete
these audits and issue its findings. Specifically, an audit must be
completed within 12 months after receiving all the necessary
information to conduct it. (The bill does not specify how this is
determined, so it is unclear when the 12-month period would begin.)
Relatedly, the bill requires SEEC to submit a report to the
Government Oversight Committee by January 1, 2026, and annually
thereafter on any audits during the prior calendar year that it was not
able to complete within the required period and the reasons for failing
to do so.
The bill also adds requirements related to the selection of legislative
candidate committees for auditing. Existing law prohibits SEEC from
auditing more than 50% of legislative candidate committees after an
election or primary and requires it to select these committees for
auditing according to a weighted lottery. The bill requires that the
weighted lottery be duly noticed and open to the public (in practice, this
lottery is already open to the public). The bill is silent on what is
considered duly noticed.
Lastly, the bill makes a technical change. 2025SB-01407-R000491-BA.DOCX
Researcher: MHF Page 2 4/3/25
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2025
COMMITTEE ACTION
Government Oversight Committee
Joint Favorable
Yea 12 Nay 0 (03/18/2025)