Rep. Rick Roth

Sales of Firearms and Ammunition; Prohibits specified businesses from assigning merchant category codes or otherwise classifying merchants of firearms or ammunition separately from general merchandise or sporting goods retailers; prohibits entities involved in processing payment card transactions from assigning to or requiring merchant to use merchant category codes; specifies any agreement or contractual provision to contrary is void; authorizes DACS to investigate violations & bring actions.

Central Bank Digital Currency; Defines "central bank digital currency" & revises definition of term "money" for purposes of Uniform Commercial Code.

Guidance Services on Academic and Career Planning; Requires students & parents be informed of certain acceleration, academic & career planning options; requires personalized academic & career plan be developed in consultation with certified school counselor for certain students; requires certain information to be included in such plan.

Elections; Provides & revises provisions relating to signature matching training, third-party voter registration organizations, public records exemption, voter information cards, voter registration records maintenance activities, duty of officials to furnish certain information, candidate oath, ballots, signature verification, vote-by-mail ballots, vote-by-mail ballot requests, canvass of vote-by-mail ballots, Elections Canvassing Commission, presidential electors, write-in candidates, political party office candidate qualifying, Office of Election Crimes, prosecution of election crimes, certain notices, reporting schedules, & voter guides; provides criminal penalties & fines.

Electronic Filing of Records with the Department of State; Authorizes DOS to implement password protected system for electronic filing of certain records; provides person using system may be required to verify his or her credentials; authorizes DOS to allow entities to identify authorized account holders; requires DOS to use e-mail addresses as initial authorized account holder & send codes to such e-mail addresses; authorizes DOS to require verification of identities through use of certain methods.

Higher Educational Facilities Financing; Revises provisions relating to Higher Educational Facilities Financing Authority, including terms, meetings, actions, contracts with specified entities, financial agreements & reporting requirements.

Direct-support Organizations; Authorizes DCF to establish direct-support organization for specified purpose; provides DCF & direct-support organization requirements; provides requirements for contract for operation of direct-support organization assisting Children & Youth Cabinet; authorizes district school boards to contract with direct-support organizations for personal services or operations; revises amount of expenditures & expenses organization must have to be required to provide for annual financial audit; & authorizes district school boards to contract with vendor for such audits.

Natural Emergencies; Prohibits counties & municipalities from prohibiting temporary shelters; requires DEM to post model contract, prioritize training & assistance & administer revolving loan fund for projects; providing liability protections for public utilities; authorizes local governments to create inspection teams & approve permitting procedures; prohibits local governments from taking actions related to comprehensive plans; authorizes certain actions related to derelict vessels; authorizes certain fire control districts to file on alternative schedules. APPROPRIATION: $61,000,000

Ethics Requirements for Public Officials; Revises provisions of law relating to ethics requirements for public officials, including requirements for full & public disclosures, annual ethics training, electronic filing, reporting of clients represented for fee, & lobbying investigations; requires acceptance of verification or receipt of filing & of certain forms or statements showing sources of income; revises fines & civil penalties; authorizes commission to dismiss certain complaints & investigations; requires commission to revise forms & rules for a specified filing year.

Form of Candidate Oath; Revises address that certain candidates must provide on form of candidate oath; revises address that judicial candidates must provide on form of candidate oath.