For income tax years commencing on and after January 1, 2019, the bill: Reduces both the individual and the corporate state income tax rate from 4.63% to 4.25%; and Reduces the state alternative minimum tax by 0.38%. The bill also requires the state controller to: Proportionally void general fund appropriations for each principal department, except for the department of education, for the 2018-19 state fiscal year in an amount totaling $374.3 million; For the 2019-20 state fiscal year, to proportionally reduce the general fund appropriations for each principal department, except for the department of education, as set forth in the 2019 annual general appropriations act in an amount totaling $760.7 million.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.) Read More
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The bill creates the school security disbursement program (disbursement program) in the department of public safety (department). A school district, charter school, institute charter school, or board of cooperative services (local education provider) may apply for a disbursement by submitting an application to the department. A disbursement recipient may use the money for one or more of the purposes specified in the bill, which include building improvements to enhance security and training for school personnel. The department must review the applications received and disburse money to applicants that meet the application requirements. The department must give priority to applicants that commit to providing matching funds for the amount received. The disbursements are paid from money that is set aside in the school security disbursement program account that the bill creates within the school safety resources center fund. Each disbursement recipient must report to the department concerning its use of the money, and the department must annually provide a summary of the reports to committees of the general assembly. The disbursement program is repealed, effective July 1, 2021. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
The bill creates a framework for the department of revenue to establish electronic processing for issuing certificates of title, filing or releasing liens, or registering vehicles and special mobile machinery. This is subject to the department promulgating rules: Vendors are authorized to electronically register vehicles; County clerks continue to receive registration fees; The department may maintain titling information electronically and may produce paper titles only upon request of a party; The department may accept electronic signatures; Notarization requirements are eliminated; The vender may order, manage, and distribute license plate inventory to a client; The vendor may access, print, and distribute the registration information to a client on demand; The vendor is an agent of the department, so the vendor must collect and remit taxes and fees; and The vendor may perform these services only for business entities. The department's approval of a third-party provider to register a vehicle, file or release liens, or issue any type of certificate of title must be evidenced by an agreement between the department and the third-party provider. The vendor may charge a fee. A vendor is authorized to give the department gifts, grants, and donations to implement electronic transactions. The department may deny a person access to the records for misuse and shall ensure that addresses of people in the address protection program are not released. Current law prohibits denying legal effect or enforceability of an electronic document to issue a certificate of title. The bill expands this provision to cover vehicle registration, clarifies that this includes electronic signatures, and clarifies that this applies to a court of law. Currently, tow carriers, insurers, and salvage pools use an electronic system to access department records to ascertain the motor vehicle's owner and lienholder. The bill allows motor vehicle dealers and other businesses approved by the department to use the same system to determine a motor vehicle's owner and lienholder for purposes authorized by current law. The department shall ensure that addresses of people in the address protection program are not released. Current law requires a manufacturer's certificate of origin to issue a certificate of title for a vehicle. The bill allows a motor vehicle rental company to obtain title without a manufacturer's certificate of origin if the business: Presents a manufacturer's invoice; and Submits a signed affidavit attesting that the motor vehicle is new and has not been issued a certificate of title and that the business is entitled to be issued a certificate of title for the motor vehicle. $1,187,502 is appropriated to the department of revenue from gifts, grants, and donations in the highway users tax fund to implement this act. From that appropriation, $16,590 is appropriated to the office of the governor for use by the office of information technology. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
The bill makes the following technical modifications to miscellaneous provisions of the 'Uniform Election Code of 1992' (code): Section 1 of the bill clarifies that any undeliverable message or any other message indicating that the elector's electronic-mail address is no longer valid does not need to be stored in the statewide voter registration system. Section 2 specifies voter registration requirements pertaining to a homeless elector. Section 3 clarifies that existing requirements prohibiting a loss of voter registration status while a person is confined in a correctional facility, jail, or state institution apply when the person is not serving a sentence for a felony conviction. Section 3 also clarifies that existing requirements permitting a confined prisoner who is awaiting trial or has not been tried to register to vote also applies to a prisoner who is not serving a sentence for a felony conviction. This section further adds that all such prisoners may list their confinement location as their ballot address for voter registration purposes. Section 4 clarifies the text of certain questions an elector answers upon registering and adds as a question the address where the elector wishes to receive his or her ballot if different from the address of record. Section 41 makes a conforming change to the definition of 'confirmation card'. Section 5 clarifies the information a prospective elector must provide when registering to vote at a driver's license examination facility. This section also makes changes to existing statutory provisions to facilitate the registration of electors at such facilities. Section 6 specifies that a declaration or change of affiliation made by an unaffiliated elector must be deferred if the elector has already been mailed a primary election ballot packet. The deadline by which the elector must declare, change, or withdraw an affiliation only applies to a primary election and does not apply to a general or coordinated election. Section 7 requires the department of state, no later than July 31, 2019, to regularly provide the department of revenue (DOR) with current voter registration information. The DOR must use the information to determine whether an individual is registered to vote at the time he or she applies to obtain, renew, or update a driver's license or state identification card. Section 8 changes the deadlines for registering to vote in advance of a political party caucus, assembly, or convention and for affiliating with the political party in advance of such events. Section 9 requires the state central committee of each major political party to compile and provide to the secretary of state (secretary) information concerning the membership of the county central committees of the party in addition to the bylaws or rules of each county central committee. Section 10 prohibits an unaffiliated elector from signing a petition for a candidate of a major political party. Section 11 prohibits a write-in vote for president in a general election from being counted unless it includes a write-in vote for vice-president. Section 12 deletes an existing statutory requirement that a copy of the notice of the cancellation of an election be posted at each voter service and polling center (VSPC) of the political subdivision. Sections 13 and 42 repeal statutory language requiring the county clerk and recorder (county clerk) to prepare a combined primary election ballot to be used by unaffiliated electors. Section 14 clarifies the certification requirements for election judges such that they will be certifying that they are residents of the state and deletes language requiring them to certify that they reside in the political subdivision. Section 14 also changes the date in advance of an election when classes for training election or supervisor judges must be held. Section 15 changes the deadline by which the appropriate official of a minor political party must certify to the county clerk an initial list of the names and addresses of electors serving as election judges. Section 16 changes the deadline by which any unaffiliated elector may give notice to the county clerk offering to serve as an election judge. Sections 17, 18, and 19 replace the term 'precinct' with 'VSPC' in 3 statutory sections addressing election and supervisor judges. Section 17 requires the county clerk to appoint election judges for each location where election activities are occurring instead of for each precinct as under existing law. This section also permits the county clerk to appoint an election judge to serve in a county other than the county in which the election judge resides. If more than one supervisor judge is serving at a VSPC, section 19 also requires the judges to be of different political party affiliations. Section 20 replaces the term 'polling location' with 'VSPC' in a statutory section dealing with the number of election judges. Section 21 repeals an outdated statutory section requiring, where voting is by ballot or on a ballot card, a particular counting of the ballots and the sealing of the transfer box. Section 20 also repeals outmoded provisions concerning preparation of the paper tape in electronic voting. Section 22 changes the deadline by which comments pertaining to a ballot issue must be filed with the political subdivision. Section 23 changes, for referred ballot measures, the deadline by which petition representatives are required to submit to the political subdivision comments favorable to the petition. Section 24 changes the deadline by which the designated election official of a political subdivision (DEO) is required to submit to the county clerk the full text of any required ballot issue notices. Sections 25, 26, 27, and 29 eliminate the general requirement that a secrecy envelope or sleeve be included in a mail ballot packet. Section 26 also modifies the language used for instructing the elector on completing a mail ballot. Section 29 also requires the county clerk to ensure the privacy of each elector's vote when election judges are removing and separating marked ballots from return envelopes and specifies actions that must be taken by the county clerk if he or she chooses not to include a secrecy envelope or sleeve in the mail ballot packet. Section 28 also changes the deadline by which a DEO is required to provide a mail ballot to a registered elector who requests the ballot at the DEO's office or the office designated in the mail ballot plan filed with the secretary. Section 30 repeals statutory provisions governing the process of applying for an absentee ballot. Section 31 provides that, if the declaration accompanying a federal write-in absentee ballot is received after the election, it is to be treated as an application to register to vote for subsequent elections. Section 32 changes the deadline by which the DEO is to complete the verification and counting of all provisional ballots. Section 33 changes the deadline by which the canvass board is to complete its duties. In the case of an election that includes a statewide ballot measure, section 34 changes the deadline by which the county clerk is to transmit to the secretary the portion of the abstract of votes cast that contains the statewide abstract of votes cast. Section 34 also changes the deadline by which the secretary is to compile and total election returns, determine if a recount is necessary, and order any recounts. Section 35 changes the deadline by which the canvass board is to certify to the DEO the official abstract of votes cast for all candidates and ballot measures in the election. Section 36 deletes a requirement that the secretary notify the affected county clerk of a recount for congressional, state and district offices, state ballot questions, and state ballot issues by means of registered mail and facsimile transmission. Section 36 also changes the deadline for completing the recount. Section 37 changes the deadline by which a recount of other offices, ballot issues, and ballot questions arising out of an election coordinated by the county clerk is to be completed and also changes another deadline affecting the notice to be given to the county clerk by a political subdivision where a recount is being waived. Section 38 changes the deadlines by which an interested party is to submit a notarized written request for a recount and by which an automatic recount is to be completed. Section 39 changes the manner of calculating the number of signatures required for a petition to recall a school district director. Section 40 changes the deadline by which a signer may request that his or her name be stricken from a recall petition.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
The bill creates the enhance school safety incident response grant program in the division of homeland security and emergency management in the department of public safety (grant program) to provide funding for research, program development, and training to improve school safety incident response. The funding can be used by recipients to provide training, develop best practices and protocols, conduct research and development, and upgrade technology and infrastructure used for training related to school safety incident response. Applications for the grants must be made by October 1 and grants must be awarded by December 1 for each year of the grant program. Applicants must be nonprofit, tax-exempt organizations and must have experience providing school safety incident response training and working with law enforcement, first responders, school districts, and school personnel on issues related to school safety incident response. The bill makes an appropriation from the school safety resource center cash fund and makes a conforming amendment to the statute creating that fund. The grant program and conforming amendment are repealed effective June 30, 2021. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
The concurrent resolution amends the state constitution to create the independent legislative redistricting commission (commission) to divide the state into state senate and state representative legislative districts. Specifically, the concurrent resolution: Specifies that the commission is appointed after each federal decennial census of the United States; Specifies that the commission consists of 12 members, 4 of whom must be registered with the state's largest political party, 4 of whom must be registered with the state's second largest political party, and 4 of whom must not be registered with any political party; Establishes the qualifications to serve on the commission and the method by which commissioners are appointed; Authorizes the commission to adopt rules and specifies how the commission is staffed, how the commission is funded, how the commission is organized, and sets forth the ethical obligations of the commissioners; Requires the commission to provide the opportunity for public involvement, including multiple hearings, the ability to propose maps, and to testify at commission hearings, and requires hearings to comply with state statutes regarding open meetings; Mandates that paid lobbying of the commission be disclosed to the secretary of state by the lobbyist within 72 hours of when the lobbying occurred or when the payment for lobbying occurred, whichever is earlier; Establishes prioritized factors for the commission to use in drawing districts, including federal requirements, the preservation of communities of interest and political subdivisions, and maximizing the number of competitive districts; Prohibits the commission from approving a map if it has been drawn for the purpose of protecting one or more members of or candidates for state legislative office or a political party, and codifies current federal law and related existing federal requirements prohibiting maps drawn for the purpose of or that results in the denial or abridgement of a person's right to vote or electoral influence on account of a person's race, ethnic origin, or membership in a protected language group; Requires at least 8 of the 12 commissioners, including at least 2 of the commissioners who are not registered with any political party, to approve a redistricting map and specifies the date by which a final map must be approved; Specifies that nonpartisan staff will draft a preliminary redistricting map and up to 3 additional maps, and, in the event of deadlock by the commission, creates a process by which nonpartisan staff submit a final map to the Supreme Court for review based on specified criteria; and Allows for judicial review of a commission approved or nonpartisan staff submitted redistricting map, and limits Supreme Court review to whether the commission or the staff committed an abuse of discretion.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this concurrent resolution as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
The concurrent resolution amends the state constitution to create the independent congressional redistricting commission (commission) and to transfer the general assembly's responsibility to divide the state into congressional districts to the commission. Specifically, the concurrent resolution: Specifies that the commission is appointed after each federal decennial census of the United States; Specifies that the commission consists of 12 members, 4 of whom must be registered with the state's largest political party, 4 of whom must be registered with the state's second largest political party, and 4 of whom must not be registered with any political party; Establishes the qualifications to serve on the commission and the method by which commissioners are appointed; Authorizes the commission to adopt rules and specifies how the commission is staffed, how the commission is funded, how the commission is organized, and sets forth the ethical obligations of the commissioners; Requires the commission to provide the opportunity for public involvement, including multiple hearings, the ability to propose maps, and to testify at commission hearings, and requires hearings to comply with state statutes regarding open meetings; Mandates that paid lobbying of the commission be disclosed to the secretary of state by the lobbyist within 72 hours of when the lobbying occurred or when the payment for lobbying occurred, whichever is earlier; Establishes prioritized factors for the commission to use in drawing districts, including federal requirements, the preservation of communities of interest and political subdivisions, and maximizing the number of competitive districts; Prohibits the commission from approving a map if it has been drawn for the purpose of protecting one or more members of or candidates for congress or a political party, and codifies current federal law and related existing federal requirements prohibiting maps drawn for the purpose of or that results in the denial or abridgement of a person's right to vote or electoral influence on account of a person's race, ethnic origin, or membership in a protected language group; Requires at least 8 of the 12 commissioners, including at least 2 of the commissioners who are not registered with any political party, to approve a redistricting map and specifies the date by which a final map must be approved; Specifies that nonpartisan staff will draft a preliminary redistricting map and up to 3 additional maps, and, in the event of deadlock by the commission, creates a process by which nonpartisan staff submit a final map to the Supreme Court for review based on specified criteria; and Allows for judicial review of a commission approved or nonpartisan staff submitted redistricting map, and limits Supreme Court review to whether the commission or the staff committed an abuse of discretion.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this concurrent resolution as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
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