SB 738 - This act modifies various provisions relating to elections.ELECTION FUNDING
(Section 115.062)
The act prohibits an election authority from taking or accepting funding, grants, or gifts of any kind from any source other than from the governing body of a political subdivision, the state of Missouri, or the federal government.
This provision is similar to provisions in SB 695 (2022), HCS/SS/SB 812 (2022), SB 1065 (2022), HB 1483 (2022), the truly agreed to and finally passed SS/SCS/HB 1878 (2022), the perfected HCS/HB 2140 (2022), HB 2577 (2022), and HB 2630 (2022).
ELECTRONIC VOTING MACHINES AND PAPER BALLOTS
(Sections 115.225 and 115.237)
Upon the removal of any touchscreen direct-recording electronic vote-counting machine from an election authority's inventory because of mechanical malfunction, wear and tear, or any other reason, the machine shall not be replaced and no additional direct-recording electronic voting machine shall be added to the election authority's inventory. Such machines shall not be used beginning January 1, 2023, except that election authorities may allow the machines to be used by voters who are disabled as long as the machines are functional. Replacement of equipment for use by voters who are disabled shall be with paper ballot marking devices designed to assist voters.
Beginning January 1, 2023, the official ballot shall be a paper ballot that is hand-marked by the voter, or in the case of voters with disabilities who need assistance, by a paper ballot marking device designed to assist voters, except as otherwise provided by law.
These provisions are similar to provisions in SB 633 (2022), SCS/SB 654 (2022), SB 670 (2022), SB 679 (2022), SB 695 (2022), HCS/SS/SB 812 (2022), SB 861 (2022), SB 1065 (2022), HB 1483 (2022), HB 1646 (2022), the perfected HB 1859 (2022), the truly agreed to and finally passed SS/SCS/HB 1878 (2022), HB 1911 (2022), HB 1976 (2022), HB 2113 (2022), the perfected HCS/HB 2140 (2022), HB 2531 (2022), HB 2577 (2022), HB 2630 (2022), SB 378 (2021), HB 842 (2021), and HB 925 (2021).
MAIL-IN BALLOTS AND ABSENTEE VOTING DUE TO COVID-19
(Sections 115.277 to 115.302)
Expired provisions are repealed relating to the use of mail-in ballots for the 2020 general election and absentee voting during the 2020 general election for voters who have contracted COVID-19 or who are at risk of contracting or transmitting COVID-19.
These provisions are identical to provisions in SB 633 (2022), SCS/SB 654 (2022), SB 670 (2022), SB 679 (2022), SB 695 (2022), HCS/SS/SB 812 (2022), SB 1065 (2022), HB 1646 (2022), the truly agreed to and finally passed SS/SCS/HB 1878 (2022), HB 1911 (2022), HB 2113 (2022), the perfected HCS/HB 2140 (2022), HB 2577 (2022), and HB 2630 (2022).
VOTER IDENTIFICATION
(Section 115.427)
Provisions are modified governing forms of identification required to vote. Under current law, any person seeking to vote in a public election must provide a certain form of identification, provided that any person lacking such identification can vote without such a form of identification through the execution of a statement under the penalty of perjury averring, among other things, that the person is who they say they are. This act repeals the provision allowing persons to vote through execution of the statement under penalty of perjury. The act additionally creates new provisions governing the use of provisional ballots in the case of persons who do not possess the proper form of identification in order to vote.
Provisions are repealed requiring the Secretary of State to provide advance notice of the identification requirements for voting in elections as well as a provision requiring all costs associated with the implementation of the voter identification law to be reimbursed from the general revenue by an appropriation for that purpose. The act repeals a provision providing that all costs associated with the implementation of the voter identification requirements shall be reimbursed from the general revenue by an appropriation for that purpose.
These provisions are substantially similar to provisions in SB 633 (2022), SCS/SB 654 (2022), SB 668 (2022), SB 670 (2022), SB 679 (2022), SB 695 (2022), SB 738 (2022), SB 780 (2022), HCS/SS/SB 812 (2022), SB 861 (2022), SB 1065 (2022), HB 1454 (2022), HB 1483 (2022), HB 1646 (2022), the truly agreed to and finally passed SS/SCs/HB 1878 (2022), HB 1911 (2022), HB 1976 (2022), HB 2113 (2022), the perfected HCS/HB 2140 (2022), HB 2531 (2022), HB 2577 (2022), HB 2630 (2022), SCS/SB 282 (2021), SB 14 (2021), HB 334 (2021), SCS/HS/HCS/HB 738 (2021), SB 818 (2020), HCS/HB 1600 (2020), HB 815 (2021), and HB 1065 (2021). SCOTT SVAGERA