HOUSE COMMITTEE ON ELECTION AND RULES

 

 

May 12, 2005 Hearing Room E

1:00 P.M.           Tape 55

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:            Rep. Derrick Kitts, Chair

Rep. Paul Holvey, Vice-Chair

Rep. Kim Thatcher, Vice-Chair

Rep. Billy Dalto

Rep. Debi Farr

Rep. Mitch Greenlick

Rep. Steve March

 

STAFF PRESENT:                  Cletus Moore, Committee Administrator

Annetta Mullins, Committee Assistant

 

MEASURES/ISSUES HEARD:

SB 197 – Public Hearing and Work Session

 

 

 

TAPE/#	Speaker	Comments
TAPE 55, A
003	Chair Kitts	Calls the meeting to order at 1:09 p.m. and opens a public hearing on SB 197.
SB 197 – PUBLIC HEARING
008	Cletus Moore	Committee Administrator.  Reads summary of SB 197.
014	Sen. Vicki Walker	SD 7.  Testifies in support of SB 197.  Explains this is her third time to introduce this bill.  Explains that in the 2001 election she was in the election with a write-in candidate.  The write-in candidate did not accept the nomination for some time after the election because he did not have to.  The law was blank with respect to that.   States she asked Legislative Counsel to write her a letter explaining the blanks in the law.  The law did not specify a deadline for accepting the nomination.  States she asked Legislative Counsel to draft a bill to correct the problem.  Explains that the bill died in the 2001 session at the request of the Republican Party of Lane County.
037	Rep. Dalto	Asks what problem the bill is addressing.
	Sen. Walker	Explains there was no requirement that the write-in candidate file a statement of acceptance and the candidate was not required to file a statement of economic interest with the Government Standards and Practices Commission.  The law currently is silent in those two areas. This bill would apply to anyone who is a write-in candidate.  State that the county elections offices like the bill because they have a number of write-in candidates at the local level.  The county clerks were having a problem because the people would not accept nomination right away.
066	Rep. Dalto	Comments he was clear about the problem the bill would resolve but was not clear why it was a problem to Sen. Walker that someone was delaying accepting.   Asks if Sen. Walker wants to see the statement of economic interest of the person after the fact, after the person is elected.  States that candidates are required to file in March so all candidates for their first time out will always be filing a statement during their candidacy.
	Sen. Walker	Responds she felt it was important to know who her opponent was and felt it was important for the people of her district to know that there was someone else in the race.  States the candidate did file a statement because she challenged him to do so.
082	Rep. Farr	Asks if the language on page 1, in Section 1(2) (a), (b) and (c) are in accordance with the statute as it currently reads for all candidates.
102	Sen. Walker	Responds those are the dates the county elections offices said would work best for them, and it is based on the opinion of Legislative Counsel that would work best for the county elections and state elections offices.  Adds that the Legislative Counsel letter says that the statement of economic interest should be filed within 30 days after the filing date for the general election.
108	Rep. Greenlick	Asks where the language on statement of economic interest is in the bill.
	Sen. Walker	Responds it is on page 5, lines 21 – 25.
121	Chair Kitts	Closes the public hearing and opens a work session on SB 197.
SB 197 – WORK SESSION
136	Rep. Greenlick	MOTION:  Moves SB 197 to the floor with a DO PASS recommendation.
142		VOTE:  7-0-0 AYE:            In a roll call vote, all members present vote Aye.
	Chair Kitts	The motion CARRIES. REP. DALTO will lead discussion on the floor.
147	Chair Kitts	Closes the work session on SB 197 and adjourns the meeting at 1:22 p.m.

 

 

EXHIBIT SUMMARY

 

NONE