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Minutes for SB149 - Committee on Ethics, Elections and Local Government
Short Title
Facilitating voter registration by providing certificates of birth for applicants to evidence citizenship upon their consent.
Minutes Content for Wed, Jan 29, 2020
Chairperson Bowers opened the hearing on SB149. Charles Reimer, staff revisor, presented a briefing on the bill.
Senator Miller testified in support of SB149. Senator Miller indicated he fully expects the law as it currently stands will be held to be unconstitutional. Senator Miller thinks it falls into the category of being an unconstitutional poll tax the way it is framed now. Senator Miller concluded that he does not have a problem when someone claims to be a citizen that there be a method for the election officer to verify that, which is what this bill would allow. (Attachment 1)
Cille King testified in opposition to SB149. Ms. King indicated one thing that was found to be particularly problematic about the bill was that it only talks about birth certificates; not Naturalization documents, Native American Tribal cards, or consular report of birth abroad. Ms. King concluded by indicating they would like to ask for all the requirements for proof of citizenship that are currently in the statutes left over from the SAFE (Secure and Fair Elections) Act to be removed. (Attachment 2)
Davis Hammet testified as a neutral for SB149. Mr. Hammet indicated that SB149 may not be finely crafted to achieve its purpose in providing relief to Documentary Proof of Citizenship (DPOC). Mr. Hammet stated if court rulings are overturned and DPOC is reinstated in the future, the state should consider developing a comprehensive system that ensures that DPOC is truly seamless for all citizens in Kansas. (Attachment 3)
Written neutral testimony for SB149 was submitted by:
Lou Saadi, State Registrar and Director, Bureau of Epidemiology & Public Health Informatics, Kansas Department Health and Environment (Attachment 4)
Nadine Johnson, Executive Director, American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas (Attachment 5)
Chairperson Bowers closed the hearing on SB149.
The meeting was adjourned at 10:26 a.m.
The next meeting is scheduled for February 4, 2020.
