HOUSE COMMITTEE ON RULES AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS
March 13, 2003 Hearing Room E
1:00 PM Tapes 23 - 24
Corrected Copy
MEMBERS PRESENT: Rep. Dan Doyle, Chair
Rep. Linda Flores, Vice-Chair
Rep. Laurie Monnes Anderson, Vice Chair
Rep. Vic Backlund
Rep. Phil Barnhart
Rep. Betsy L. Close
MEMBER EXCUSED: Rep. Joanne Verger
STAFF PRESENT: Cara
Filsinger, Administrator
Annetta Mullins, Committee Assistant
MEASURE/ISSUES HEARD: HB 2929 Public Hearing
HB 2813 Public Hearing
HB 2827 Public Hearing
These minutes are in
compliance with Senate and House Rules.
Only text enclosed in quotation marks reports a speakers exact
words. For complete contents,
please refer to the tapes.
|
TAPE/# |
Speaker |
Comments |
|
Tape 23, A |
||
|
004 |
Chair Doyle |
Calls meeting to order at 1:16 p.m. and announces
order of hearings. |
|
014 |
Chair Doyle |
Opens a public hearing on HB 2929. |
|
HB 2929
PUBLIC HEARING |
||
|
018 |
Donna Butler |
Certified Public Accountant. Submits prepared statement (EXHIBIT A) and shows volumes of
papers filed for campaigns. Suggests
that the committee should form a work group and decide what needs to be
recorded. |
|
072 |
Butler |
Comments on publications, retention of files by
Secretary of State, and types and format of contribution reports. |
|
120 |
Butler |
Continues to explains reasons for changing the
reporting system. |
|
183 |
Rep. Monnes Anderson |
Asks to talk about Section 8 and how the fees would
work. |
|
|
Butler |
Responds that Section 8 needs a lot of work. Explains process of checking reports for
details by the Secretary of States office. |
|
230 |
Butler |
Comments on necessity to file a complaint in order
to have a correction made. |
|
250 |
Rep. Monnes Anderson |
Comments on Section 8 and the complaint process. |
|
|
Butler |
Agrees with points made by Rep. Monnes Anderson and comments
on timeframe for filing a complaint and the need to have procedures for
audits of reports. |
|
|
Butler |
Comments on fees to finance the audit process. |
|
289 |
Rep. Close |
Asks what the costs is for filing the contribution
and expenditure reports, and how many people do their own reports. |
|
|
Butler |
Responds she discourages candidates from filing
their own reports because the risk is too high. Comments on types of reports she does for committees and
individuals and estimated costs. |
|
360 |
Chair Doyle |
Enters into committee record statement from
Secretary of State Bill Bradbury in opposition to HB 2929 (EXHIBIT B). |
|
|
Norman Turrill |
League of Women Voters. Presents prepared statement in opposition to HB 2929 (EXHIBIT C). |
|
TAPE 24, A |
||
|
020 |
Andi Miller |
Common Cause.
Presents prepared statement in opposition to HB 2929 (EXHIBIT D). |
|
048 |
Janice Thompson |
Money In Politics Research Action Project (MIPRAP). Testifies in opposition to HB 2929 as it
is written, except the provision for covering up signatures on reports that
are put on the web site. Concerned
about the change in evaluation of the contributions and expenditures report;
it is much more appropriate to have an impartial review with clear timeline,
standards, and consequences rather than the reactive complaint driven
process. |
|
097 |
Thompson |
Comments on errors and fines, the complaint process,
and itemizing information. Present
analysis of the current level of disclosure and disclosure under HB 2929. States that the increase from $50 to $200
is too much. |
|
190 |
Chair Doyle |
Appoints a work group for the purpose of resolving
the issues in HB 2929 with instructions to report back the first part of May.
Members are: Rep. Doyle, Chair; Rep. Gary
Hansen, Morgan Alan, Troy Nichols, Susan Matthews, Donna Butler, Fred Neal
and Tom Gallagher, representing the Oregon Newspaper Association.. |
|
|
|
Closes public hearing on HB 2929 and opens a public
hearing on HB 2813. |
|
HB 2813
PUBLIC HEARING |
||
|
221 |
Cara Filsinger |
Administrator.
Introduces letter from John Ingram in support of HB 2813 (EXHIBIT E) and an email submitted by
Mike Balanesi (EXHIBIT F). |
|
|
Rep. Betsy L. Close |
District 15.
Presents a prepared statement in support of HB 2813 (EXHIBIT G). |
|
287 |
Rep. Monnes Anderson |
Thanks Rep. Close for bringing the bill and comments
on the few votes that determined elections. |
|
306 |
Bill Bradbury |
Secretary of State.
Testifies in opposition to HB 2813 (EXHIBIT H). |
|
404 |
Rep. Flores |
Asks if mail-in voter registrations must include
proof of citizenship. |
|
|
Bradbury |
Responds that the U. S. Senate has inserted language in a recent election
reform bill that requires some proof, not just a birth certificate or passport
or proof of citizenship; it would say a person can show they live here. |
|
436 |
Rep. Monnes Anderson |
Asks what research has been done that shows
non-citizens are not voting. |
|
450 |
Bradbury |
Responds that the election system is compliant
driven and there are not a significant number of complains so they have no evidence
there is a serious problem. |
|
TAPE 23, B |
||
|
009 |
Rep. Monnes Anderson |
Asks if a requirement for a passport or driver
license would be a significant barrier. |
|
|
Bradbury |
Comments on federal requirements of what is proof
that a person is a resident. |
|
030 |
Sen. Bruce Starr |
District 15.
Testifies in support HB 2813. States that the challenge is the devil in
the details and urges the committee to figure out what can work. |
|
HB 2827
PUBLIC HEAIRNG |
||
|
050 |
Sen. Bruce Starr |
District 15.
Testifies in support of HB
2827. HB 2827 protects the integrity
of our election system and process. Comments
on Washington County preparing ballots for the counting machine. States that this would be one small
improvement to protect the integrity of the voting process. |
|
085 |
Rep. Flores |
Asks what types of responses he has had from his
constituents about the two measures. |
|
|
Sen. B. Starr |
Responds that the concern is opening up the system
to abuse. |
|
110 |
Jim Ludwick |
Resident of McMinnville. Testifies in support of HB 2813. Comments on conversations in which people could not believe
proof of citizenship is not required.
|
|
158 |
Chair Doyle |
Opens a public hearing on HB 2827 simultaneously
with HB 2813. |
|
HB 2813
AND HB 2827 PUBLIC HEARINGS |
||
|
165 |
Don McIntire |
Testifies in support of HB 2813. States that he does not believe requiring
a passport or birth certificate is unconstitutional. |
|
|
Don McIntire |
Testifies in support of HB 2827. Comments on campaigning door to door and
finding that ballots were delivered to addresses when people no longer lived
there, and opened ballots sitting on tables for seven days before being
counted. Proposes that ballots be
opened on the same day they are counted.
|
|
255 |
Mike Balanesi |
Resident of Yamhill County. Testifies in support of HB 2813 (EXHIBIT I) and HB 2827 (EXHIBIT J). |
|
371 |
Ruth Bendl |
Submits list of interested persons and asks that
they be notified of future hearings earlier (EXHIBIT K). Testifies in
support of HB 2813 (EXHIBIT L). |
|
TAPE 24, B |
||
|
010 |
Bendl |
Continues comments in support of HB 2813 (EXHIBIT L). |
|
031 |
Bendl |
Testifies in support of HB 2827 (EXHIBIT M). |
|
053 |
Balanesi |
Suggests that only one envelope be used in the
mailing of ballots. |
|
|
|
|
|
076 |
Paula Krane |
League of Women Voters. Testifies in opposition to HB 2813 (EXHIBIT N). |
|
119 |
Paula Krane |
League of Women Voters. Testifies in opposition to HB 2827 (EXHIBIT O). |
|
135 |
Kelly Taylor |
Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT). Reports they have prepared a fiscal and they
believe there would be fewer forms sent by ODOT. Cost is about $60,000, one
FTE. |
|
157 |
Peter Dane |
Salem resident.
Testifies in support of HB 2813 (EXHIBIT
P). |
|
192 |
Annette Newingham |
Lane County Clerk and representing the Oregon
Association of County Clerks. Testifies
in opposition to HB 2827 (EXHIBIT Q). |
|
259 |
Ginny Kingsley |
Washington County Elections Manger. States that she concurs with the testimony
by Newingham. Comments on security of
opened ballots prior to being counted.
|
|
274 |
Rep. Close |
Comments on poll election results being available in
one day and now they need five days. Asks
if the poll elections were cheaper and faster. |
|
|
Newingham |
Responds poll elections were not cheaper. Comments on time to count absentee ballots
when there were poll elections. |
|
292 |
Rep. Close |
Asks if the savings from mailing ballots could be used to buy machines to open
envelopes. |
|
|
Newingham |
Responds that she does not know if the $100,000 is
enough to hire and train sufficient staff.
|
|
|
Cara Filsinger |
Administrator. Notes prepared statements received by
the committee from Al Davidson, Marion County (EXHIBIT R) and John Kauffman, Multnomah County (EXHIBIT S) in opposition to Section
1 of HB 2827. |
|
|
Steve Druckenmiller |
Linn County Clerk.
Speaks in support of HB 2813. States he does not believe there has
been a problem in Linn County. States
that the bigger issue is the integrity of elections. Supports testimony of other county clerks in opposition to HB
2827. |
|
357 |
Rep. Close |
Asks what opening one envelope, instead of two, on
election day would do to their workload. |
|
|
Druckenmiller |
Comments on having one envelope previously and that
complaints resulted in the secrecy envelope.
States he does not think it would add much to their time because their
time is spent accounting for every single ballot. Comments that the scan takes as much or more time than punch
cards. |
|
383 |
Rep. Close |
Comments on illegible signatures and asks if the
ballot can be identified if it is separated from the outer envelope. |
|
|
Drukenmiller |
Responds that once the envelops are separated, there
is no way to tie the ballot back to anybody. |
|
402 |
Chair Doyle |
Adjourns meeting at 3:08 p.m. |
EXHIBIT
SUMMARY
A
HB 2929, prepared statement, Donna Butler, 13 pp
B
HB 2929, prepared statement, Bill Bradbury, 2 pp
C
HB 2929, prepared statement, Norman Terrill, 1 p
D
HB 2929, prepared statement, Andi Miller, 1 p
E
HB 2913, prepared statement, John Ingram, 2 pp
F
HB 2813, e-mail, Mike Balanesi, 1 p
G
HB 2813, prepared statement, Rep. Close, 2 pp
H
HB 2813, prepared statement, Bill Bradbury, 2 pp
I
HB 2813, prepared statement, Mike Balanesi, 1 p
J
HB 2827, prepared statement, Mike Balanesi, 1 p
K
HB 2813 and HB 2827, memo and signatures, Ruth Bendl, 8 pp
L
HB 2813, prepared statement, Ruth Bendl, 1 p
M
HB 2827, prepared statement, Ruth Bendl, 1 p
N
HB 2813, prepared statement, Paula Krane, 1 p
O
HB 2827, prepared statement, Paula Krane, 1 p
P
HB 2813, prepared statement, Peter Dane, 1 p
Q
HB 2827, prepared statement, Annette Newingham, 3 pp
R
HB 2827, prepared statement, Al Davidson, 2 pp
S
HB 2827, prepared statement, John Kauffman, 1 p