[NFBMT] Montana Legislative Update: HB 643, Allowing a disabled voter to electronically return a ballot

[BRESLAUERS]

Good afternoon, fellow NFB of Montana members.

 

On Monday, April 12, at 3:00PM, the Senate Administration Committee had a
hearing on HB 643, allowing a disabled voter to electronically return a
ballot.  The bill text and the audio of Monday's hearing are below. 

http://leg.mt.gov/bills/2021/billhtml/HB0643.htm

   Associated Amendments
<https://leg.mt.gov/laws/bills/20211/AmdPublicWeb/?bill=HB0643>
Disclaimer: All amendments are drafts only for consideration by a committee
and are subject to change. An amendment formally adopted by the committee
will be incorporated into the
standing committee report to the respective body and, if adopted, will be
engrossed into the next version of the bill.

http://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00309/Harmony/en/PowerBrowser/PowerBrowserV2/20
170221/-1/41496?agendaId=207408

 

On Wednesday, April 14, the Senate State Administration voted on whether to
pass HB 643 out of committee. I think the main concern is security of the
process, how to determine whether a person is eligible to use the system, and
whether unauthorized people would use it.  The audio of the vote is below.
The first vote is to pass the amendment, the second vote is to pass the bill
as amended.
<http://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00309/Harmony/en/PowerBrowser/PowerBrowserV2/2
0210414/-1/41497> 

 
<http://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00309/Harmony/en/PowerBrowser/PowerBrowserV2/2
0210414/-1/41497> EA HB 643

Since the vote was a 4/4 tie, it failed to pass out of the Senate State
Administration committee, so it stays where it is for now and is not tabled.
I think we need to keep an eye on it.

 

You might want to send written testimony to the members of the Senate State
Administration Committee.   

https://leg.mt.gov/web-messaging

 

Joy Breslauer, Advocacy and Public Policy Committee Chair

National Federation of the Blind of Montana 

Web Site: http://www.nfbofmt.org <http://www.nfbofmt.org/> 

 

Live the life you want

 

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who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation's blind. Every day we work
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