Connecticut!Town!Clerks!Association! 2015!Legislative ......During! the 2015 regular and special! sessions Capitol! Consulting! was! active! on numerous!proposals!for!the!Connecticut!Town!Clerks!Association!(CTCA)!including!

Connecticut Town Clerks Association

2015 Legislative Summary Prepared by Michael Dugan

Capitol Consulting LLC The General Assembly adjourned the 2015 legislative session on June 3rd at midnight. With the conclusion of the Veto Session last month the 2015 session has been brought to a close. The legislature dealt with thousands of bills and amendments during the 5-‐month session and as a result legislators were unable to conclude their business by the Constitutional deadline. The General Assembly called a special session, which was held on June 29th. In special session the General Assembly enacted legislation that implements the state budget, bonding projects, conveyance of state lands, school building projects, the Governor’s second chances legislation, proposal dealing with excessive use of force by law enforcement and numerous other issues that failed during the regular session. In all the General Assembly considered and approved nearly a 1,000 pages of legislation in the one day special session. During the 2015 regular and special sessions Capitol Consulting was active on numerous proposals for the Connecticut Town Clerks Association (CTCA) including but not limited to; removal of registrar of voters, numerous changes to election laws, SEEC pilot on campaign finance filings, changes to vital records statute, attempts expand absentee ballot usage, posting legal notices and establishment of regional election monitors. In all Capitol Consulting tracked 125 bills for CTCA during the 2015 sessions. Find below a summary of the major bills of interest. Legislation of Interest that Passed SB 1051 An Act Strengthening the State’s Elections This act was introduced by the Secretary of the State (SOTS) in response to election irregularities in Hartford and other towns around the state. This was one of several proposals on this topic. Throughout the session Capitol Consulting and CTCA leadership remained in consent communication with SOTS and the leadership of the Government Administration and Election (GAE) Committee on this proposal. We

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sat through several negotiations sessions on this important legislation, which address numerous important election issues. Find below a summary of the changes of interest to CTCA. Certification, Removal and Temporary Relief of Duties (Effective Upon Passage) This act requires Registrar of Voters (ROV) to be certified and it establishes a formal process for removing a ROV from office. Under this act the SOTS can seek removal by filing a statement with the State Election Enforcement Commission (SEEC) if in the opinion of the Secretary a ROV has engaged in misconduct, willful and material neglect of duty or incompetence in office. The ROV is entitled to a full hearing in Superior Court. Also, the act authorizes SOTS to temporarily relieve the ROV who fails to earn or maintain certification or is subject of an investigation resulting from a statement SOTS files with SEEC. SOTS Authority (Effective Upon Passage) This act requires that the Secretary’s regulations, declaratory rulings, instructions and opinions be implemented, executed and carried out. Under prior law, these written statements correctly interpret and effectuate the administration of elections and primaries but did not explicitly require these statements to be followed. Oversight of Elections (Effective Upon Passage) Under this act, SEEC receives complaints from the SOTS, town clerks, ROVs and individuals under oath concerning alleged election law violations. It investigates and hold hearings as it deems appropriate. On complaints by SOTS on or after July 1, 2015, the SEEC is required to determine whether to investigate within 30-‐days and complete an investigation and issue a decision with 90-‐days after the filing. If SEEC fails to meet these deadlines, SOTS may apply to Hartford Superior Court for an order to show cause why SEEC has not acted on the complaint and provide evidence that the commission has unreasonably delayed action. Online Voter Registration (Effective Upon Passage) Under prior law, SOTS is required to maintain an online voter registration system. In addition to new registrations, the system must permit a registered voter to apply to make changes online to his or her registration information. This act specifies that ROVs and other admitting officials may use the online system to register voters during Election Day Registration (EDR). By law, a person may register and vote on Election Day at a designate EDR location if they meet the eligibility requirements for voting in this state and are not already an elector or registered in one municipality, but wants to change their registration because they currently reside in another municipality. Mail-‐In Voter Registration Deadline (Effective Upon Passage) Under prior law, there were separate voter registration deadlines before an election for mail-‐ and in-‐person applications. Under this act, the legislature made these deadlines uniform by moving the mail-‐in voter registration deadline from 14 to seven days before an election, making it the same as the in-‐person deadline.

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Major Party Municipal Office Endorsements (Effective January 1, 2016) This act requires major parties to include the signatures of candidates they endorse to run in a primary for municipal office in the certificates they file with the town clerk. Existing law establishes for the signature requirement for major party legislative and statewide office candidates and minor party nominations of municipal, legislative and statewide officials candidates. Also, this act eliminates the requirement that major parties file endorsements certificates for ROVs with town clerks. Rather it requires they file endorsements for all municipal office candidates elected at a state election with SOTS. In state election years, town clerks must publish notice indicating that the list of endorsed candidates will be available in the SOTS office, not in the town clerk’s office as under prior law. Residency Requirements (Effective January 1, 2016) The act establishes an in-‐district residency requirement for petitioning, write-‐in and minor party candidates for municipal or district office. The requirement already applies to major party candidates. Under this act, a petitioning or minor party candidate nomination is valid only when the candidate’s name appears on the last-‐completed enrollment list for the district in which they will run. A write-‐in candidate registration is valid only when it meets the same standard. Under prior law, these nominations and registrations were valid when the candidate was registered voter in the state. Invalid Minor Party Nominations (Effective January 1, 2016) Under prior law, minor parties must certify their list of nominations to SOTS or town clerk, whichever applies, by the 62nd day before Election Day. This act deems invalid any certificate that SOTS or town clerks do not receive by this deadline. If invalidated, the party is deemed to have not nominated or certified any candidate for office. Similarly, under existing law, major parties are deemed to have not endorsed a candidate if they miss statutory deadlines for filing a certificate of endorsement with SOTS or town clerk. Ballot Clerks (Effective Upon Passage) This act allowed U.S. citizens age 16 or 17 to be appointed as ballot clerks after attending poll worker training and receiving written permission from a parent or guardian, or in some cases, school principal. Current law allows them to be appointed as checkers, translators or voting tabulator tenders after satisfying these two requirements. Posting Voter I.D. Requirements (Effective Upon Passage) This act requires that voter I.D. requirements be posted prominently next to the official checkers in every polling place in a primary, election and referendum. SOTS must prescribe the form and ROVs must provide one for each polling place. The

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display must be visible to each elector when they name is checked off the official checklist. Election Returns (Effective Upon Passage) This act changes several deadlines associated with canvassing election returns and submitting the official results to SOTS.

Requirement Under Prior Law Deadline under the Act Moderator deposits certificate from the official checkers with town clerk

Day following the primary or election

48 hours after the polls close

Registrars deposit signed registry list with town clerk

Day following the primary or election


Moderator announces (1) name of each candidate, and his or her absentee votes, and (2) votes for and against any ballot questions

As soon as the polls close and count is complete


Moderator submits “preliminary list” of election returns for offices voted on at a federal or state election

N/A Midnight on election day by electronic means

Moderator submits (1) “duplicate list” of election returns for offices voted on at a federal or state election or (2) results of votes for offices voted on at a municipal election

-Midnight on election day, if delivered by electronic means (hard copy must be delivered within three days after the election); -6:00 p.m. the day after the election, if delivered by hand; or -4:00 p.m. the day after the election, if delivered by hand to the State Police (in which case the police must meet the 6:00 p.m. deadline)

48 hours after the polls close by electronic means (hard copy must be delivered within three days after the election)

Registrars provide town clerks with results of votes cast

N/A 48 hours after the polls close

Under prior law, moderators, town clerks and ROVs in towns divided into voting districts must meet to identify any errors in the election night returns previously submitted to SOTS. The act requires these officials to meet no later than 9:00am on the third day, rather than seven days, after a regular state election to identify any errors. Moderators must correct any errors and file an amended return with SOTS and ROVs no later than 1:00pm on the third day, rather than 14-‐days after the election.

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Post-‐Election Audits (Effective Upon Passage) This act allows SOTS in consultation and coordination with UConn, to authorize the use of electronic equipment to conduct audits for any primary or general election held on or after January 1, 2016. As of the same date, it allows ROVs to conduct audits electronically when authorized to do so by SOTS and UConn pursuant to the act’s provisions. Municipal Agreements (Effective Upon Passage) This act gives municipalities’ broad authorization to jointly perform functions required of them by state election law. It allowed two or more municipalities to enter into an agreement to jointly perform any election function that they currently perform individually. Each agreement must be negotiated and contain all provisions that the participating municipalities agree to; establish a process for amending, terminating and withdrawing from it; and be submitted to each municipality’s legislative body for approval. The agreement must be filed with each participating municipality’s town clerk and SOTS. The filing must occur within seven days after the last legislative body to join the agreement ratifies it. Exemption from Jury Duty (Effective Upon Passage) This act exempts ROVs and deputy ROVs from jury duty during the 21-‐days before and after each federal, state or municipal election, primary or referendum.

Public Act: 15-‐224 Effective Date: Various Effective Dates Signed by Governor: July 7, 2015

HB 6745 An Act Establishing a Pilot Program for Municipal Campaign

Finance Filings This special act authorizes SEEC, within available appropriations, to establish a pilot program to assist town clerks in up to 20 municipalities with their campaign finance filing duties. Each participating municipality must implement a plan, which SEEC designs, to transfer some or all of the town clerk’s filing repository duties to the commission. The special act also requires SEEC to conduct a study, within available appropriations, on the efficiency of transferring town clerks’ filing repository duties to the commission. The pilot will terminate on April 6, 2018. At a February 13th public hearing before the GAE Committee Debra Denette testified in support of this legislation stating, “CTCA agrees that having one central repository for Campaign Finance Filings that maintains an online presence would increase both accessibility and transparency.”

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Special Act: 15-‐14 Effective Date: Effective Upon Passage Signed by Governor: June 30, 2015

HB 6575 An Act Concerning the Retention Schedule for Land Use and

Development Records This special act requires the State Librarian on or before January 1, 2016 to submit a report detailing the findings, recommendations and conclusions of the advisory committee on Municipal Records Retention Schedule to the Planning & Development Committee.


HB 6900 An Act Establishing a Task Force Concerning Candidate

Committees This special act establishes a nine-‐member task force to study candidate committee procedures and the statutory and regulatory requirements imposed on their treasurers. It must submit its findings and recommendations to the GAE Committee by January 1, 2016.


HB 6902 An Act Concerning Municipal Communications Regarding

Referenda Use of Public Funds to Influence Referendum Outcome Existing law prohibits the use of public funds to influence the success or defeat of a referendum question. This act exempts third-‐party comments posted on social media or on Internet websites maintained by the state, municipalities or regional school districts. Municipal Communications Regarding Referenda Existing law generally prohibits municipalities from sending residents unsolicited communications about referenda, except that it authorizes those that maintain a community notification system to use it, at their chief elected official’s direction, to notify enrolled residents of an upcoming municipal referendum. This act creates a second exception, authorizing regional school boards to request that their member municipalities use their community notification systems to notify enrolled residents of an upcoming regional school district referendum. It conforms law to practice by specifying that an Internet website maintained by a municipality or regional school district is not a community notification system and may contain a notice of an upcoming municipal or regional school district referendum.

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In addition, the act authorizes regional school boards to print and disseminate neutral printed material. The board’s legal counsel must approve the material.

Public Act: 15-‐173 Effective Date: Effective Upon Passage Signed by Governor: July 2, 2015

HB 6949 An Act Concerning Childhood Vaccinations Prior law exempts from school immunization requirements children who present a statement from their parents or guardians that an immunization would be contrary to the child’s religious beliefs. This act exempts children who present a statement that the immunization would be contrary to the parents’ or guardians’ religious beliefs. It requires that a town clerk, notary public, Connecticut-‐licensed attorney, judge, family support magistrate, court clerk or deputy clerk or justice of the peace officially acknowledge any such statement.

Public Act: 15-‐174 Effective Date: July 1, 2015 Signed by Governor: July 2, 2015

HB 7006 An Act Concerning Birth Certificate Amendments This act allows people who have undergone surgical, hormonal or other clinically appropriate treatment for gender transition to change the sex designation and name on their birth certificate. Previously, state regulations prohibited transgender people from doing so unless they completed gender assignment surgery and supplied an affidavit from a specified mental health professional attesting that they are socially, psychologically, and mentally the designated sex. The act requires the commissioner of the Department of Public Health (DPH) to issue a new birth certificate to a transgender person who: requests in writing, signed under penalty of law, a replacement birth certificate that reflects a gender different from the sex designated on their original birth certificate; provides a notarized affidavit from a licensed physician, advanced practice registered nurse or psychologist stating that they have undergone surgical, hormonal or other clinically appropriate treatment for gender transition; and provides, if applicable, proof of a legal name change. The act also makes conforming changes to the statute allowing a probate court to decree that a state resident born in another jurisdiction has changed gender and that their birth certificate should be amended to reflect the change. The act requires the same written report and notarized affidavit described above. Prior law required the transgender person to submit an affidavit from a physician stating that he or she physically changed gender and psychologist, psychiatrist, or licensed clinical social worker stating that they socially and psychologically changed gender.

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Public Act: 15-‐132 Effective Date: October 1, 2015 Signed by Governor: June 23, 2015

HB 7029 An Act Concerning Probate Court Operations This act makes various substantive, minor, and technical changes in probate statutes. Under prior law, the council on probate judicial conduct investigates complaints alleging various types of misconduct by probate judges. This act extends the council’s jurisdiction to cover misconduct complaints against, candidates for probate judgeships. It requires the council to investigate written complaints it receives alleging the candidates for probate judge violated any applicable law or canon of ethics while a candidate or if elected, during the period between the election and the start of the term. Of interest to town clerks, if the council votes to admonish or censure a candidate, it most send a copy of the admonishment or censorship to the town clerks in the candidates probate district.

Public Act: 15-‐217 Effective Date: July 1, 2015 Signed by Governor: July 2, 2015

HB 7061 An Act Concerning the State Budget for the Biennium Ending June

30, 2017, and Making Appropriations Therfor, and Other Provisions Related to Revenue, Deficiency Appropriations and Tax Fairness and Economic Development

Of interest to CTCA for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2016, the sum of $182,000 shall be transferred from the Citizens' Election Fund to SOTS, for the following expenses: $42,000 for the purpose of paying annual dues to the Electronic Registration Information Center; $40,000 for the purpose of providing training for ROVs and their deputies and $100,000 for grants to regional councils of government for costs associated with election preparations and post-‐election activities. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2017, the sum of $332,000 shall be transferred from the Citizens' Election Fund to SOTS, for following expenses: $50,000 for the purpose of providing election monitoring for the city of Hartford; $142,000 for the purpose of paying dues to the Electronic Registration Information Center and the cost of mailings to likely eligible but not registered voters; $40,000 for the purpose of providing training for ROVs and deputies and $100,000 for grants to regional councils of government for costs associated with election preparations and post-‐election activities. In addition the budget appropriates up to $297,000 to SOTS, for the Connecticut Data Collaborative, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2015 this line item shall not lapse and it will continue to be available for the entire biennial budget. Finally, up to $150,000 from the previous biennial budget will continue to be available to SOTS for electronic voting systems over the next two fiscal years.

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Public Act: 15-‐244 Effective Date: July 1, 2015 Signed by Governor: June 30, 2015

SB 677 An Act Establishing Tax Increment Financing Districts This act permits municipalities to establish a tax increment financing district to finance economic development projects in eligible areas. The projects are funded by assessments on real property in the district benefiting from certain public improvements. The act establishes a process for establishing or amending benefit assessments. Under that process the municipality’s board of finance must hold a public hearing on proposed benefit assessments and file a copy of all proposed assessments with the town clerk at least 10-‐days before the hearing. Once the board of finance has determined the actual amount of the assessment, it must file a copy of the assessment with the town clerk and within five days after such filing, publish a copy of it in a newspaper with general circulation in the municipality and mail a copy of it to the last known address of the affected property owners. The mailings and publications must state the date on which they were filed with the town clerk and that all appeals must be taken within 21-‐days after that date.


SB 991 An Act Concerning the Department of Public Health’s

Recommendations Regarding Persons Authorized to Solemnize Marriages

This act allows all ordained or licensed clergy members, including those ordained online, to perform marriage ceremonies in Connecticut. The act does this by eliminating the requirement that these individuals continue ministerial work. Prior law allowed ordained or licensed clergy members to perform the ceremonies, but only if they continued in the work of the ministry. Under existing law the following judicial authorities may perform marriage ceremonies in Connecticut: judges and retired judges, including out-‐of-‐state judges authorized to perform marriages in their jurisdictions and Connecticut-‐appointed family support magistrates, state referees, and justices of the peace.


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SB 1069 An Act Amending the Charter of the Metropolitan District in Hartford County and Extending the Maturity Date for Municipal Sewerage System Bonds

This act makes numerous changes to the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) charter. Of interest to town clerk this act amends the MDC charter to increase from one to two years the time that a lien for delinquent MDC water rates and charges runs before it must be continued by filing a certificate with the town clerk.

Public Act: 15-‐114 Effective Date: Upon Passage Signed by Governor: June 30, 2015

SB 1502 An Act Implementing Provisions of the State Budget for the

Biennium Ending June 30, 2017, Concerning General Government, Education, Health and Human Services and Bonds of the State (from the June 29th Special Session)

Hartford Election Monitor (Effective Upon Passage) This act establishes a temporary “election monitor” in Hartford. It specifies that the election monitor is not consider a state employee and requires SOTS to contract with an individual to serve in the capacity until January 1, 2017, unless SOTS terminates the contract for any reason before that date. The election monitor’s purpose is to detect and prevent irregularity and impropriety within the municipality in the management of election administration and conduct. Under this new law, the election monitor must be reimbursed for necessary expenses and compensated in accordance with the contract. The municipality must provide office space, supplies, equipment and services necessary for the monitor to properly carry out their duties. Regional Election Monitor (Effective January 1, 2016) This act establishes a “regional election monitor” within each of the state’s nine planning regions to represent, consult with and act on SOTS’s behalf before and during each election, primary, recanvass and audit. The act specifies that the monitors are not state employees and requires SOTS to certify the monitor. Current law authorizes each planning region’s council of government (COG) to determine the services it will provide its member municipalities. This act requires COGs to provide the monitor related services it prescribes. The act requires each COG by March 1 annually, to contract with an individual to serve as the monitor for that planning region and enter into a memorandum of understanding with SOTS about regional election monitor.

Public Act: 15-‐5 (June Special Session) Effective Date: Various Signed by Governor: June 30, 2015

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HB 6403 An Act Concerning Security Freezes on Children’s Credit Reports This act allows a minor’s parent or legal guardian to place a security freeze on the minor’s credit report. To initiate a security freeze, the act requires the parent or legal guardian to provide the credit rating agency with a written notarized statement signed by the parent or legal guardian that expressly describes their authority to act and is acknowledged according to law by a judge, family support magistrate, town clerk, court clerk or deputy clerk with a seal, notary public, justice of peace or Connecticut licensed attorney.


Legislation of Interest that Failed HB 6113 An Act Expanding Use of Absentee Ballots Rep. Matthew Lesser (D-‐Middletown) introduced this bill in the GAE Committee. This legislation sought to expand the use of absentee ballots by permitting the electorate to vote by absentee ballot if they are absent from town at any point during which the polls are open for voting. At a February 25th public hearing before the committee, Essie Labrot testified in opposition to this legislation stating in part, “this proposal seems to circumvent the will of the public who clearly indicated they do not support changes to the absentee ballot or early voting system when the Constitutional question was rejected.” Ms. Labrot went onto say, “town clerks support a comprehensive review of all early voting options taking into consideration security, cost, technology and voter convenience to determine the best method.” Following the public hearing the GAE Committee did not act on this legislation before their deadline.

• Nondisclosure of Residential Addresses SB 876 An Act Concerning the Nondisclosure of the Residential Address

of Sworn Members of a Law Enforcement Unit This bill raised by the GAE Committee sought to expand the exemption from disclosure under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act of residential addresses from sworn police officers to include any sworn member of a law enforcement unit. This bill failed to be acted upon following a February 13th public hearing. HB 5169 An Act Prohibiting the Disclosure of Voter Birth Date Information This bill introduced by Rep. Fred Camillo (R-‐Greenwich) sought to prohibit the disclosure of the date of birth of any elector contained on any record of the registrars of voters to the public or to any governmental agency. This bill died in the GAE Committee without receiving a public hearing.

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HB 5179 An Act Prohibiting the Disclosure of the Residential Address of Certain Attorneys

This bill introduced by Rep. Douglas Dubitsky (R-‐Chaplin) sought to prohibit disclosure of the residential address of any attorney who provides pro bono legal services in one or more juvenile cases. This bill died in the GAE Committee without receiving a public hearing. HB 5327 An Act Concerning the Nondisclosure of the Residential

Addresses of Police Officers on Municipal Land Records This bill introduced by Rep. Cara Pavalock (R-‐Bristol) sought to prohibit the disclosure of the residential address of any police officer contained on a municipal land record. This bill died in the Public Safety & Security Committee without receiving a public hearing. HB 5789 An Act Protecting Voter Privacy This bill introduced by Rep. Patricia Dillon (R-‐New Haven) sought to withhold from public disclosure the date of birth information of any elector contained on any record of the registrars of voters. This bill died in the GAE Committee without receiving a public hearing. HB 6098 An Act Protecting the Identity of Law Enforcement Officers This bill introduced by Rep. Mitch Bolinsky (R-‐Newtown) sought to withhold from public disclosure the voter registration information of any elector who both lives in the same dwelling unit as any law enforcement officer residing in the town served by such officer, and shares the same last name with such officer. This bill died in the GAE Committee without receiving a public hearing. SB 27 An Act Prohibiting the Internet Publication of Voter Information This bill introduced by Sen. Paul Doyle (D-‐Wethersfield) sought to prohibit publication on the Internet by a private entity of elector information contained on any record of the registrars of voters. This bill died in the GAE Committee following a February 13th public hearing. SB 87 An Act Concerning the Nondisclosure by the Department of Motor

Vehicles of Certain Information This bill introduced by Sen. Tony Guglielmo (R-‐Stafford Springs) sought to allow a federal law enforcement officer who lives in Connecticut but does not work in the state, to shield such officer's home address from disclosure by the Department of Motor Vehicles. This bill died in the Transportation Committee following a February 23rd public hearing. SB 703 An Act Exempting Voter Personally Identifiable Information from

the Freedom of Information Act This bill introduced by Sen. Scott Frantz (R-‐Greenwich) sought to exempt certain personally identifiable information contained on any record of the registrars of

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voters concerning the registration of an elector from disclosure under the FOI Act. This bill died in the GAE Committee without receiving a public hearing.

• Posting of Legal Notices HB 6966 An Act Concerning Municipal Newspaper Postings This bill was introduced by the Planning & Development Committee and sought to allows towns, cities, boroughs, and metropolitan districts, whenever they must publish a legal notice in a newspaper, to instead publish a brief description of the matter being noticed in the print version of a newspaper along with a reference to the newspaper's website where the full notice is located. Newspapers must place full legal notices in a conspicuous location on their websites and not charge the public to access such notices. Under current law, certain legal notices must appear in a daily or weekly newspaper that has a substantial circulation in the town, city, borough, or metropolitan district where at least one of the parties, for whose benefit the notice is given, lives. Under this bill these legal notices may be published in a free weekly newspaper that is distributed to residents. The bill also eliminates a FIO Act exemption for municipal agencies. Without the exemption, municipal agencies must post public meeting minutes on their websites, if they maintain one. As is the case for state agencies, the posting requirement applies only to minutes that must be publicly disclosed (i.e., not executive session minutes). At March 11th public hearing Debra Denette testified on behalf of CTCA stating, “that this legislation would represent a cost savings for municipalities. Today’s technology allows our residents to have better access and more information available than ever before through our web sites.” The Planning & Development Committee on a 19 to 0 vote approved this bill but the House failed to act on this legislation before their June 3rd adjournment. This bill will likely be reintroduced during the 2016 session. HB 5097 An Act Permitting the Posting of Legal Notices on Municipal Web

Sites This bill introduced by Rep. Melissa Ziobron (R-‐East Haddam) sought to allow municipalities to post legal notices and meeting minutes on their Internet web site rather than in a newspaper. This bill died in the Planning & Development Committee without receiving a public hearing. HB 5098 An Act Concerning the Publication of Notice by Municipalities This bill introduced by Rep. Mike France (R-‐Gales Ferry) sought to allow municipalities to publish in the newspaper a limited description of the matter being noticed and a reference to a municipality's Internet web site where the public may

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obtain additional information about such matter. This bill died in the Planning & Development without receiving a public hearing. HB 5125 An Act Eliminating Public Notice by Newspapers This bill introduced by Rep. Sam Belsito (R-‐Tolland) sought to allow for the publication of public notice on a municipal Internet web site in lieu of a weekly newspaper. This bill died in the Planning & Development Committee without receiving a public hearing. HB 5371 An Act Providing a Municipal Option to Post Public Notice Online This bill introduced by Rep. J.P. Sredzinski (R-‐Monroe) sought to allow for the publication of public notice on a municipal Internet web site or in the local newspaper. This bill died in the Planning & Development Committee without receiving a public hearing.

• Vital Records HB 5908 An Act Concerning Access to Birth Records by School

Superintendents The bill introduced by Rep. David Zoni (D-‐Southington) sought to allow public school superintendents to access birth records of students within their school districts. This bill died in the Public Health Committee without receiving a public hearing. HB 5910 An Act Concerning Access to Birth Certificates by Adopted

Persons This bill introduced by Rep. Lonnie Reed (D-‐Branford) sought to allow all adult adopted persons to have access to their birth certificates regardless of the date the adoption was finalized. This bill died in the Public Health Committee without receiving a public hearing. HB 6242 An Act Concerning the Validity of Marriages This bill introduced by Rep. David Baram (D-‐Bloomfield) sought to provide that the public policy of Connecticut should be that all marriages are presumed valid and that no marriage shall be held to be invalid or bigamous, based on a jurisdictional defect in a prior divorce of the one of the parties. This bill died in the Judiciary Committee with receiving a public hearing. HB 6280 An Act Concerning Fees for Genealogy Searches This bill introduced by Rep. Ezequiel Santiago (D-‐Bridgeport) sought to allow a local health department to charge and collect a fee for conducting a genealogy search. The bill died in the Public Health Committee following a March 4th public hearing. HB 6891 An Act Concerning Access to Birth Records by School

Superintendents This bill introduced by the Public Health Committee sought to allow a school superintendent, or their authorized agent, to access the birth certificates for

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children too young to enroll in kindergarten, whose mothers lived in that school district when the children were born. The bill grants this access only to allow the superintendent or agent to provide the parents with information about kindergarten readiness and the district's pre-‐K programs. By law, access to birth certificates less than 100 years old is restricted and only certain statutorily listed parties may obtain them. The Public Health Committee on a 26 to 1 vote approved this legislation, and the Education Committee on a 17 to 14 vote approved this bill. This bill failed to be acted upon by the House before the June 3rd adjournment. SB 70 An Act Concerning Wedding Officiants This bill introduced by Sen. Frantz sought to establish a process that allows a town clerk to issue a one-‐day wedding officiant designation to a friend or family member who would not otherwise be able to serve as the wedding officiant under the laws of this state. This bill died in the Judiciary Committee without receiving a public hearing. SB 640 An Act Concerning Birth Records of Adopted Persons This bill introduced by Sen. Michael McLachlan (R-‐Danbury) sought to permit birth parents until January 1, 2017, to redact their names from birth records for the purpose of maintaining privacy should they elect not to be contacted by the adopted person. This bill died in the Judiciary Committee without receiving a public hearing. SB 1115 An Act Concerning Wedding Officiants This bill raised by the Judiciary Committee sought to permit any person duly authorized by SOTS to solemnize a particular marriage on a particular date in a particular municipality, if the person completes a written application prescribed by the secretary that shall minimally set forth the names of the persons to be married, the date and place of the marriage and the name and address of the person who will be solemnizing the marriage, and remits to the secretary a twenty-‐five dollar application fee. SOTS may, for good cause, revoke the authority to solemnize a marriage conferred on a person. The authority to solemnize a marriage shall expire upon the completion of such solemnization. On March 23rd, this bill received a public hearing before the Judiciary Committee but failed when the committee took no action after the hearing.

• Licensing HB 5026 An Act Providing Persons Age Sixty-‐Five or Older with Permanent

Fishing Licenses This bill introduced by Rep. Belsito and later raised as a committee bill by the Environment Committee sought to provide any license to sport fish that is issued to a person sixty-‐five years of age or older who has been a resident of this state for not less than one year shall be a permanent license to sport fish. Under this legislation,

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such license shall not require the submission of an annual application. This bill received a public hearing on February 4th but failed to be acted upon by the committee. HB 5148 An Act Authorizing the Issuance of Lifetime Hunting and Fishing

License This bill introduced by Rep. Robert Sampson (R-‐Wolcott) sought to authorize the issuance of lifetime hunting licenses and lifetime fishing licenses. This bill died in the Environment Committee when they failed to schedule it for a public hearing. HB 5245 An Act Concerning the Licensure of Dogs This bill introduced by Rep. Belsito sought to require dog licenses to be renewed once every three years, rather than on an annual basis. This bill died when the Environment Committee failed to schedule it for a public hearing. HB 6046 An Act Waiving Hunting License Fees for Bow and Arrow Hunters

Who Are Sixty-‐Five and Older This bill introduced by Rep. Tim Ackert (R-‐Coventry) sought to waive hunting license fees for bow and arrow hunters who are age sixty-‐five and older. This bill died when the Environment failed to schedule it for a public hearing.

• Other Legislation of Interest HB 6901 An Act Minor Party Candidate Certifications This bill was raised by the GAE Committee seeking to remove the requirement that a person nominated by a minor party as a candidate for elective office must sign the nomination form to be filed with SOTS or the clerk of the municipality, as the case may be, and ensure such person is made aware that they have been so nominated and can accordingly decline such nomination by advising the Secretary or town clerk, as the case may be, of their withdrawal. CTCA submitted testimony in support of requiring signatures on the nominating form to ensure the candidates clear intention. This bill died in the GAE Committee following a March 2nd public hearing. However, this bill was included in SB 1051. SB 601 An Act Eliminating Over Voting for a Candidate This bill introduced by Sen. John Kissel (R-‐Enfield) sought to require that, in the event a candidate is cross endorsed and an elector casts more than one vote for such candidate on a ballot any voting tabulator approved by SOTS shall not accept such ballot, and the elector shall be given a new ballot for the purpose of casting such elector's vote. At a February 13th public hearing Debra Denette testified in opposition to this legislation stating, “this language does not take into account those voting by absentee ballot. Those voters will not be present when the tabulator rejects their ballot; as such they will not have the opportunity to correct the ballot as proposed by this legislation. CTCA recommends to allow an over vote ballot to be counted, as

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the intent of the voter is clear. In addition, the complicated widget formulas that are in place to address an over vote be removed and a new process to simply divide unknown votes evenly among each line.” Following the public hearing the GAE Committee took no action on this proposal. SB 1041 An Act Concerning Post Election Audit Integrity and Efficiency This bill introduced by the GAE Committee sought to: enhance the coverage, accuracy and transparency of post-‐election audits while reducing cost and effort required for local election officials; provide for timely notification of public events and filing of mandatory reports; provide sufficient security of materials and equipment required for audits and follow-‐up investigations; and make technical revisions to statutes to recognize that polling place voting includes paper ballots that must be secured. This bill received a public hearing on March 9th at which Debra Denette presented testimony on behalf of CTCA. Ms. Denette testified that CTCA has three recommendations in regards to SB 1041: (1) Municipal clerks should have the sole responsibility of conducting the public random drawings for the audits for checks and balance; (2) Leave the period for sealing a tabulator at 14-‐days. The bill called for seals to increase to 30 to 60-‐days; (3) permit sealed depository envelopes to be returned to either the town clerk or ROVs based on storage availability. Following the public hearing this bill failed to be acted upon by the GAE Committee, however some of its provisions were picked up in SB 1051. Others will likely be taken up during the 2016 session. SB 1083 An Act Establishing a Task Force to Study Ways to Regionalize,

Professionalize and Enhance the Efficiency of Election Administration

This bill introduced by the GAE Committee sought to establish a task force to study election administration in the state. Such study shall include, but not be limited to: (1) An examination of methods to regionalize, professionalize and enhance the efficiency of election administration, including the division of duties between the town clerk and ROVs, representation of minor parties and unaffiliated voters and vacancies in the office of ROVs, and (2) recommendations for any legislation necessary to implement such methods. The task force was required to submit their recommendations to the General Assembly prior to the start of the 2016 session. Capitol Consulting worked to ensure that if this task force were to move forward that town clerks would have appointments to this panel. As draft the town clerks would have two appointments to the panel one by the House Majority Leader and the other by the House Minority Leader. At a March 16th public hearing Essie Labrot testified, “town clerks have a large responsibility with Elections from admitting electors, absentee ballots, election preparation, nominations and certifying final election documents. We feel this experience is invaluable to this task force.”

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This bill was approved by the GAE Committee on a party-‐line vote of 9 to 6, however the Senate failed to take action on this proposal before the June 3rd adjournment. This legislation may be reintroduced in the 2016 session.

Documents

Connecticut!Town!Clerks!Association! 2015!Legislative ......During! the 2015 regular and special! sessions Capitol! Consulting! was! active! on numerous!proposals!for!the!Connecticut!Town!Clerks!Association!(CTCA)!including!