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SF0131 • 2023

Prohibition on delivery of unsolicited ballot forms.

AN ACT relating to elections; prohibiting a person from distributing unsolicited absentee ballot request forms to any qualified elector; and providing for an effective date.

Elections
Vetoed

The latest official action shows the governor vetoed this bill. Check the bill history to see whether lawmakers later overrode that veto.

Sponsor
Senator Hutchings
Last action
2023-03-17
Official status
enrolled
Effective date
3/1/2023

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide a plain language title or summary.

Ban on Unsolicited Ballot Request Forms

This bill prohibits anyone except a county clerk or secretary of state from distributing unsolicited absentee ballot request forms to voters.

What This Bill Does

  • Prohibits individuals other than the county clerk, secretary of state, or their designees from mailing unsolicited absentee ballot request forms to qualified electors.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Voters who receive unsolicited absentee ballot request forms will no longer get them unless they specifically ask for one.
  • County clerks and the secretary of state can continue to distribute these forms as usual.

Terms To Know

Qualified elector
A person who is eligible to vote in an election.
Absentee ballot request form
The document a voter fills out to ask for an absentee ballot, which allows them to vote without going to the polling place on Election Day.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This bill was vetoed by the governor and has not become law.
  • It is unclear if there will be any further action taken to override the governor's veto.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

SF0131H2001

2nd reading • Representative Yin

Failed

Plain English: The amendment changes the bill to prohibit distributing unsolicited ballot request forms that could be mistaken for official election documents.

  • Changes 'an absentee ballot request' to just 'a'.
  • Adds language after 'form' stating it must be likely to be confused as an official election document.
  • The amendment text is incomplete and does not provide full context, making some parts unclear.
  • It's unclear what specific forms or documents are being referred to beyond absentee ballots.
SF0131H2002

2nd reading • Representative Chestek

Failed

Plain English: The amendment adds a provision that allows individuals to conduct voter registration drives and educational programs without violating the ban on distributing unsolicited absentee ballot request forms.

  • Adds language allowing individuals to conduct voter registration drives and educational programs, encouraging qualified electors to obtain an absentee ballot or educating them about how to do so.
  • The amendment does not specify the exact nature of what constitutes a 'voter registration drive' or 'educational program'.
SF0131H2003

2nd reading • Representative Ward

Withdrawn

Plain English: The amendment removes an existing amendment that was added by a committee.

  • Removes the previous amendment (SF0131HW001/AE) which was added during the Zwonitzer committee of the whole stage.
  • The exact content and effects of the removed amendment are not provided, so details about what is being changed cannot be fully explained.
SF0131H3001

3rd reading • Representative Knapp

Corrected, Adopted

Plain English: The amendment changes the bill to prohibit distributing unsolicited absentee ballot request forms to voters, allowing distribution only if a voter asks for it.

  • Changes the language of the bill to specify that unsolicited absentee ballot request forms cannot be distributed to any qualified elector unless the elector specifically requests one.
SF0131HW001

Committee of the Whole • Representative Zwonitzer, Dn

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment removes part of the existing text in the bill that deals with unsolicited absentee ballot request forms.

  • Removes language after '(e)' on page 1, line 12.
  • It is unclear what specific content was removed and how this affects the overall intent of the bill without seeing the original text.
SF0131HS001

Standing Committee • House Labor, Health and Social Services Committee

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment adds 'or their designees,' after the word 'state' in the bill text.

  • Adds language to include state-designated individuals when referring to the state.
  • It is unclear what specific roles or responsibilities this change will affect beyond including designees of the state.
SF0131SS001

Standing Committee • Senate Corporations, Elections & Political Subdivi

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment removes the penalty provision and limits who can distribute absentee ballot request forms.

  • Removed language that provided a penalty for violating the bill's provisions.
  • Added exceptions allowing county clerks and the secretary of state to distribute absentee ballot request forms.
  • Clarified that unsolicited absentee ballot request forms must not claim to be official election documents.
  • The amendment deletes several lines, but it is unclear what specific content was removed without seeing those exact lines.

Bill History

  1. 2023-03-17 Wyoming Legislature

    Veto Message Received

  2. 2023-03-17 Governor

    Governor Vetoed SEA No. 0076

  3. 2023-03-01 House

    H Speaker Signed SEA No. 0076

  4. 2023-03-01 Senate

    S President Signed SEA No. 0076

  5. 2023-02-28 LSO

    Assigned Number SEA No. 0076

  6. 2023-02-28 Senate

    S Concur:Passed 20-10-1-0-0

  7. 2023-02-28 Senate

    S Received for Concurrence

  8. 2023-02-28 House

    H 3rd Reading:Passed 54-5-3-0-0

  9. 2023-02-27 House

    H 3rd Reading:Laid Back

  10. 2023-02-24 House

    H 3rd Reading:Laid Back

  11. 2023-02-23 House

    H 2nd Reading:Passed

  12. 2023-02-22 House

    H 2nd Reading:Laid Back

  13. 2023-02-21 House

    H COW:Passed

  14. 2023-02-15 House

    H Placed on General File

  15. 2023-02-15 House

    H10 - Labor:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 6-3-0-0-0

  16. 2023-02-14 House

    H Introduced and Referred to H10 - Labor

  17. 2023-02-06 House

    H Received for Introduction

  18. 2023-02-06 Senate

    S 3rd Reading:Passed 26-5-0-0-0

  19. 2023-02-03 Senate

    S 2nd Reading:Passed

  20. 2023-02-02 Senate

    S COW:Passed

  21. 2023-01-31 Senate

    S Placed on General File

  22. 2023-01-31 Senate

    S07 - Corporations:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 4-1-0-0-0

  23. 2023-01-20 Senate

    S Introduced and Referred to S07 - Corporations

  24. 2023-01-18 Senate

    S Received for Introduction

  25. 2023-01-17 LSO

    Bill Number Assigned

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
23LSO-0616

ORIGINAL Senate

ENGROSSED
File No
.
SF0131

ENROLLED ACT NO. 76,

SENATE

SIXTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2023 General Session

AN ACT relating to elections; prohibiting a person from distributing unsolicited absentee ballot request forms to any qualified elector; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1
.

W.S. 22
‑
9
‑
104 by creating a new subsection (e) is amended to read:

22
‑
9
‑
104.

How to apply; information required.

(e)

No person, except a county clerk or the secretary of state, or their designees, shall distribute an absentee ballot request form by mail, email or any other means to any qualified elector unless that qualified elector specifically solicits an absentee ballot request form.

Section 2
.

This act is effective immediately upon completion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming Constitution.

(END)

Speaker of the House

President of the Senate

Governor

TIME APPROVED: _________

DATE APPROVED: _________

I hereby certify that this act originated in the Senate.

Chief Clerk

1