SF 2296C

Conference Committee Report - 87th Legislature (2011 - 2012) Posted on 01/15/2013 08:29pm

1.1CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORT ON S.F. No. 2296

1.2A bill for an act

1.3relating to elections; modifying certificate on absentee ballot envelopes;
1.4amending Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 203B.21, subdivision 3.
1.5April 24, 2012
1.6The Honorable Michelle L. Fischbach
1.7President of the Senate
1.8The Honorable Kurt Zellers
1.9Speaker of the House of Representatives
1.10We, the undersigned conferees for S.F. No. 2296 report that we have agreed upon
1.11the items in dispute and recommend as follows:
1.12That the House recede from its amendments and that S.F. No. 2296 be further
1.13amended as follows:
1.14Delete everything after the enacting clause and insert:

1.15    "Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 203B.21, subdivision 3, is amended to
1.16read:
1.17    Subd. 3. Back of return envelope. On the back of the return envelope a certificate
1.18shall appear with space for:
1.19    (1) the voter's address of present or former residence in Minnesota;
1.20    (2) the voter's current e-mail address, if the voter has one;
1.21    (3) a statement indicating the category described in section 203B.16 to which the
1.22voter belongs;
1.23    (4) a statement that the voter has not cast and will not cast another absentee ballot
1.24in the same election or elections;
1.25    (5) a statement that the voter personally marked the ballots without showing them to
1.26anyone, or if physically unable to mark them, that the voter directed another individual
1.27to mark them; and
1.28    (6) the same voter's passport number, Minnesota driver's license or state
1.29identification card number, or the last four digits of the voter's Social Security number as
2.1provided on the absentee ballot application; if the voter does not have access to any of
2.2these documents, the voter may attest to the truthfulness of the contents of the certificate
2.3under penalty of perjury.
2.4    The certificate shall also contain a signed and dated oath in the form required by
2.5section 705 of the Help America Vote Act, Public Law 107-252, which must read:
2.6    "I swear or affirm, under penalty of perjury, that:
2.7    I am a member of the uniformed services or merchant marine on active duty or
2.8an eligible spouse or dependent of such a member; a United States citizen temporarily
2.9residing outside the United States; or other United States citizen residing outside the
2.10United States; and I am a United States citizen, at least 18 years of age (or will be by the
2.11date of the election), and I am eligible to vote in the requested jurisdiction; I have not
2.12been convicted of a felony, or other disqualifying offense, or been adjudicated mentally
2.13incompetent, or, if so, my voting rights have been reinstated; and I am not registering,
2.14requesting a ballot, or voting in any other jurisdiction in the United States except the
2.15jurisdiction cited in this voting form. In voting, I have marked and sealed my ballot in
2.16private and have not allowed any person to observe the marking of the ballot, except for
2.17those authorized to assist voters under state or federal law. I have not been influenced.
2.18    My signature and date below indicate when I completed this document.
2.19    The information on this form is true, accurate, and complete to the best of my
2.20knowledge. I understand that a material misstatement of fact in completion of this
2.21document may constitute grounds for a conviction for perjury."
2.22EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective June 29, 2012.

2.23    Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 208.03, is amended to read:
2.24208.03 NOMINATION OF PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS.
2.25Presidential electors for the major political parties of this state shall be nominated by
2.26delegate conventions called and held under the supervision of the respective state central
2.27committees of the parties of this state. At least 77 71 days before the general election day
2.28the chair of the major political party shall certify to the secretary of state the names of
2.29the persons nominated as presidential electors, the names of eight alternate presidential
2.30electors, and the names of the party candidates for president and vice president. The chair
2.31shall also certify that the party candidates for president and vice president have no affidavit
2.32on file as a candidate for any office in this state at the ensuing general election.

3.1    Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 211B.10, is amended by adding a subdivision
3.2to read:
3.3    Subd. 1a. Prohibited activities of a political party. A political party unit may not,
3.4through imposition or threatened imposition of any fine, sanction, or other penalty, attempt
3.5to coerce an individual who does not have the party unit's official endorsement as a means
3.6to prevent the individual from filing as a candidate for office.
3.7EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment."
3.8Delete the title and insert:

3.9"A bill for an act

3.10relating to elections; modifying certificate on absentee ballot envelopes;
3.11prohibiting certain activities of a political party; modifying presidential elector
3.12nomination procedures;amending Minnesota Statutes 2010, sections 203B.21,
3.13subdivision 3; 208.03; 211B.10, by adding a subdivision."

4.1	We request the adoption of this report and repassage of the bill.
4.2	Senate Conferees:
4.3	.....		.....
4.4	Roger C. Chamberlain		Pam Wolf
4.5	.....
4.6	Terri E. Bonoff
4.7	House Conferees:
4.8	.....		.....
4.9	Tim Sanders		Kurt Daudt
4.10	.....
4.11	Steve Simon