HCS HBs 267 & 347 Buchheit-Courtway, Cyndi Perfected
HCS HBs 267 & 347 -- ELECTIONS (Buchheit-Courtway)
COMMITTEE OF ORIGIN: Special Committee on Public Policy
PRESIDENTIAL PREFERENCE PRIMARY (Sections 115.105, 115.123, 115.351, 115.755, 115.758, 115.761, 115.765, 115.767, 115.770, 115.773, 115.776, 115.785, and 115.904)
This bill reinstates the presidential preference primary election, to be held statewide on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in April of each presidential election year.
Anyone who files a request to be included on the presidential primary ballot is not prohibited from filing or appearing on any ballot as a party candidate for nomination to another office.
The bill specifies that on or before the 10th Tuesday prior to the date of the presidential preference primary, the Secretary of State shall announce the official list of presidential candidates for each established political party.
All costs of a presidential preference primary shall be paid by the state, except that, costs shall be shared proportionately by the state and any political subdivisions and special districts holding an election on the same day as any such primary. For any county with more than 500 polling places, the state shall assist in assuring adequate poll workers and equipment.
ELECTIONS (Sections 115.127, 115.205, 115.284, 115.427, 115.430, 115.635, and 115.637)
This bill moves the closing filing date for any office in a political subdivision from the 17th Tuesday prior to the election to the 16th Tuesday prior to the election, and provides that if the closing date for filing a declaration of candidacy falls on a state or federal holiday, the filing deadline shall be extended to 5:00 pm on the next day that is not a state or federal holiday.
The bill specifies that government entities do not have to register with the Secretary of State in order to solicit voter registration applications.
This bill specifies that lists of applications and information required for establishing the absentee voting process for persons with permanent disabilities shall not be posted or displayed in any area open to the general public nor considered a public record under the provisions of Chapter 610, RSMo.
The bill adds documents issued by the United States or the state of Missouri in a secure, digital format to the list of identification required to vote.
This bill adds threatening to harm or engaging in conduct reasonably calculated to harass or alarm an election official, attempting to induce, influence, deceive, or pressure an election official to violate an election law, or disseminating personal information about an election official or their family to the list of class three election offenses. Circulating an initiative or referendum petition has also been added to the list of prohibited activities.