State Agencies & Govt'l Affairs- House

Yes marches bill. So anyways which the special ordered from March the fifteenth at nine thirty and right now the committee members right now we may be it looks like we may move that committee meeting over to if that been arranged yet over to big mac is that been finalized big mac at a at nine thirty that morning so just remember that I'll remind you again The Bill. What will some. Discussion on something okay all right he was out of this they will be left down so let's get back to the agenda and the. The first day we had today is a very is he knows his way is a Representative Dotson this is concern or a concurrent a Senate Amendment. Consent. Thank you Mr chair just commit Representative Dotson apologize I've got another order business take care of and then I'll get I apologize also committee members of without objection gin in the red on today's agenda of. The house bill fifteen sixty eight will be added to the consent agenda without objection. That's Representative makes and he's not here but Sam no objections that we added to the consent agenda hi now Representative Dotson sorry about that you're recognized to present your Senate amendment that house bill thirteen fifty six thank you Mister members of the committee this got over the Senate and. In the midst of adding senator Ballenger's a co sponsor if they're there rose a few questions and requests from a few different areas primarily from the governor's office and I'll go through these real quickly with you on page two of the bill the shall has been turned into a may on the requirement for suspension of the boards and commissions of forty if they haven't been meeting in regular order and it's a may that legislative that JPR can direct the bureau to draft language for for changes it's also changed the September deadline to December so give me a few extra months to do that before the end of the the term preparing for the next regular session. And then there was a paragraph that was struck at the very end of the bill it it was kinda inadvertently put in there and didn't really apply to constitutional boards and commissions and so I agreed to take that out and doesn't really doesn't really need to be there and that is the Senate amendment making a a good bill just a little bit better. Committee member you hired a presentation on the Senate amendment any questions for Representative Dodgin. J. none. No one signed up to speak for against the bill puts pleasure of the Committee to concur. Never do do can cover any discussion on that motion saying none all in favor say aye All opposed say no the graduates review traduction your. Member has passed. Committee members next on the agenda was house bill fifteen seventeen at to request a Representative board that that bill will be moved to Monday's agenda. So moving on down today's agenda the next bill we have is house bill fifteen twenty two Representative ray or you yes Sir if you would just go the on the table. Do you have anybody you need to bring up we did just point to yes Mister chairman if it's okay I'd like to invite Mr Curnow men from the secretary of state's office to join me yes so recognized few would charges to. You get settled there we understand just identify yourself the. And who you represent for the committee. Thank you Mr chair Kirk now man with the Arkansas secretary of state's office thank you Sir Representative ray you're recognized to present to House Bill. Thank you Mr chairman and members of the committee this is house bill fifteen twenty two this bill was brought to me by the secretary of state's office it would amend Arkansas code section seven one one oh three that's the second code that contains a number of miscellaneous misdemeanors related to election law. What this bill would do is it would create a misdemeanor to knowingly provide false or misleading information with reference to your qualifications when you're placed on the ballot when a candidate files for office it's incumbent upon that person to know the eligibility requirements for the office they seek and that's why when we all file to run for in this case state Representative you have to the secretary of state's office requires us to sign this affidavit of eligibility basically what that says is that you understand it it it's as I'm aware of the requirements for holding office I further tests that I am eligible to hold the following office if elected to the office by my signature below I swear or affirm that the above statements are true and complete. So you're testing that you understand and meet the requirements for office whether that is your age whether that your residency citizenship status Xcerra. it's not often that we run into this issue there was an instance in the last election or someone filed for a state office that they were not eligible to hold and so through that experience the secretary of state's office you know learn to that there's really no teeth behind this affidavit they weren't really there there was nothing in code that that all and gave them a mechanism to deal with that situation when a person filed for office but was clearly an eligible so by adding this misdemeanor it would create a deterrent for people who might file for an office that they're knowingly not eligible to hold it would ensure there some accountability for candidates you know who might mislead election officials. And hopefully this will instill some confidence in voters that they're going to be voting for candidates that are that are verified to be qualified for the office of their seek. If anything and thank you. Okay with that we'll take any questions. The Representative wrote a Representative Cozart you're recognized for a question. Thank you Mr chair. The rate can you tell me about how many times a year or Alexion cycles something like that might happen or does happen no we have record of that. Well in the in the last election cycle there was uh one instance with the candidate who filed that was sixteen years old so that that that sense is clearly an eligible and then you know from time to time you have a candidate though there was a a candidate over and Helena area house district that filed that would have been convicted of an infamous crime so I'll I'll I'll let Mr Nauman guys explain if it's more frequent than that but it's my understanding is is not extraordinarily common. Yes Sir and I think did the key word is known instances because like Representative ray said the enforcement provisions of this or just basically left up to the parties themselves for that particular candidate filings and we are aware of some cases that had been adjudicated because of residency violations that that's the big issue that they were looking at and particularly with redistricting coming up to we want to make sure that things like residency there's to residency requirements one is in the State one is in the district we we like I said we think we've had a few instances it's not very frequent that were aware of but but I'd. Changing of the law to make it specific to where this is specified as a misdemeanor I think is a great deterrent and also will put it on the after that affidavit of eligibility forms so hopefully we won't have to get more teeth later on with the enforcement provisions but infrequently but it does happen from time to time thank you thank you Mr we will Representative dodging you're recognized. For question. Thank you Mr chair my question really. Gets into I mean I get the the intent behind it and I I I commend you for that but. This appears to me as if it might be a little bit broader than what year you're initially intending. When you say election hearing I mean this this goes under this section. This is an elected official acting in his or her official capacity shall not do any election nearing and then it lists all these these different things underneath that and you're adding this to this section not I understand and I agree that knowingly provide false information but how do you define what is misleading information with reference to his or her qualifications especially when it comes to campaigning or electioneering. Sure so. A lot of that this could have this could have been a one half page bill really it's the only reason it's seven pages I ask bill are to include the full section of that code to provide context for what we were what we were where we were inserting this language and so you'll find the number of miscellaneous misdemeanors pertaining to election codes in this section but what might be misleading you asked of an instance where Obviously if something is false that's easy to determine if something is misleading I'll give you one example let's say you know I live in Maumelle but I have a business in Little Rock. And I filed using my business address. While. That is an address of mine that I've been known to associate with but that would be misleading as to my are my residency that's just a hypothetical I want to just that would be false but okay but but as far as misleading I'm concerned about the the misleading. There's no definition with what is or is not misleading in here and I mean obviously if you're misleading about your qualifications it might be misleading to say that almost eighteen so I'm qualified to vote as far or qualified to file that's that's the qualification but. If you're sixteen that would be false. At this I'm just I'm concerned about that misleading the broadness of that within that anyway thank you okay. Thank you Representative Representative love you're recognized for a question. Okay represent to a personal quest rep Representative Ladyman you're recognized for a question. Thank you Mr chair well my question goes along with the other two the been asked but who would who would investigate this I I'm a little fuzzy on yes somebody does something that might be misleading or false. Is there a lawsuit filed as the party do that does the secretary of state do that you know who would investigate this and then who would enforce it and you know give you an example of a misleading you mentioned the business but what if a person. They say they're running for mayor and they they they live out in the county but the rent an apartment in town. But they stay on the form. So would that be I mean it who determines where that's misleading or false. Generally the process as I had described is that when the filing occurs it's the political parties that do review the forms and it's more or less their primary responsibility that does not take into account independent or write in candidates who are largely on police in in that aspect the secretary of state's office is more of a ministerial duty of the filing occurs with us it's more of an administrative process we do not have the enforcement powers however anybody who becomes aware of anything that is false or misleading in regard to the following can turn it over generally to the county prosecutor and that's how it's handled if the prosecutor wishes to bring about charges or to do an investigation that is usually handled at that point in time the the example that was used earlier or at my understanding is that was turned over to two different prosecuting attorneys and nothing was was done on that aspect of it so it's it's kind of right now more or less self policing the filing agents would definitely have that information information is made available publicly so that anybody who wishes to File an issue with the county would would do so at that level. Peter liderman okay represented to Richmond you're recognized. Thank you Mr I would like to just go back and revisit the residency thing just a little bit because here a few years ago even though I literally lived. Less than a half a mile from my opponent. He chose residency because I had another house that was like three hundred yards outside of the of the thing. I actually bought a house so I could be in the district. And I had to go down here court and go through all that stuff. It was not a sure thing if I have been found in violation with this law that we're trying to pass here what it allowed you to come in and charge me with a misdemeanor. If for some reason the court what is said you know what we're just not going to agree with you for many reasons possibly someone political. And put me in that situation I mean how would this bill of the effect that affect my life if something like that actually happened. I believe the excuse me I believe the residency requirements are not related to your primary residence that you have and the length of time that you were in that primary residence within your district and that would be up to the courts to make that decision that's not something the secretary of state's office would actually Follow up Mr you're recognized well that's not really what I'm concerned I'm saying the court makes a decision even though. Here's my electrical bills here's my water bills here's all the evidence. Some of the court decides that well we're just not going to go with his word or the evidence we're going to rule in favor of the other party. Or other person. And despite that am I going to have to be forced to come into a court and then again try to defend myself and present all this because I'm going to get charged with a misdemeanor because the court didn't see it my way. That's that's my concern about this that's what I'm trying to find out. I don't know that I have an answer for that because I I just don't know how the court would view the term knowingly within the filing if it was not done and unknowingly basis if it was not a good faith it would be up to the court's determination in in the ruling. All right thank you Sir thank you Mister. Thank you Representative Richard Representative love you're recognized for a question. Thank you Mr. Representative right I'm I'm looking and what a class I misdemeanor yes eight and I'm come trying to walk through the process so if you fell for office yes I'm trying and I'm trying to waive the punishment versus the offense that's that's where I am is is is is it is in relation to your bill because to be honest I'm kind of fine with if you actually mislead someone. I mean we have a lot of people that do that that kind are caught in a Representative which means issue then there's some people that just don't even go into their districts and then they fell for office this is misleading I think that we should punish people like that I'm I'm just I'm on this but I'm just trying to what a. The punishment with the the offense in so. What is when you file for the office. I guess what is the cost to the Secretary of State or what is the cost to the state as far as is it are you trying to say that we should put people on the ballot is that is that the cost. I'm I'm a do you understand what I'm asking as far as. I can tell for office. It's up to the party to remove me right. If the party doesn't remove me and they don't see the offense Senate. The in. Yes we have to we we moved for to the to the election cycle is primary and general. I've. What I'm trying to see is the. Does this of does this punishment match the offense. So I'll speak to whether the the punishment matches the offense and that's actually the reason I included the the full section of code in the bill there's twenty two there's currently twenty two miscellaneous misdemeanors and if you read through I'll just pick out a couple So number two number to be shall be unlawful for any public servant to circulate an initiative or referendum petition or to solicit signatures on an initiative or referendum petition in public office during usual business hours Number six it shall be unlawful for any campaign banners Campaign signs campaign literature to be placed on any cars trucks tractors or other vehicles belonging to the state of Arkansas ET you can kind of read through here and see what some of those others are yeah I would argue that you know falsifying your your your credentials to be placed on the ballot is is certainly at least on an equal level with placing a campaign sticker on a state vehicle both of those are wrong they're both listed in this section of code or if if this bill were to pass the law there be both listed in the same section of code as a as a as a misdemeanor under this section. Thank you. Thank you Representative love represented D. Whitaker you're recognized. Thank you Mr In rate I'm I'm a little concerned of some of the discussion already you know. It might turn years and. From my understanding of this section of code with we're talking about everything from school board and city council all the way up for governor and Chief Justice right this would this cover every public office. So I'm curious what your thoughts and what barter with supplemental information might be able to provide is proper venue because obviously Class C. misdemeanor going to be in the District Court. But which one. Of. Do we have a case where we have two different answers there that if I filed my city Clerk running for city council and go to my local District Court but apart filed to run for state Rep I have to come to Pulaski County to be tried. The Simpsons where where the where the where the violation if the misdemeanor was alleged to have occurred you usually wear one faces charges particularly criminal. Instances have you have you all given any thought to that the where that would put someone who with let's say they're from Paragould and they have to have a court date in Pulaski one of the divisions of plastic County because they did it in the rotunda so therefore with the side of the crime is here any thought to that. That's not something that I've that I've considered but if you. I'm not certain that it has any bearing on my thought processes or as it relates to this because my god my mean my goal with bringing this is you know we have a responsibility as candidates to know the qualifications for the office we seek and so currently there's really no mechanism in law that addresses what happens if you if you falsify those credentials and so we are when we signed this affidavit when we file you know we're of farming that that we know those qualifications and that we meet them and so just as there is just as we place responsibility on voters during election to ensure that you know they're only voting once that they're qualified to vote except right now there's also obligations on candidates as well. Follows Mr you're recognized. That's a given me but you also understand to the at the time of charging and the person is only alleged to have violated a criminal law in that no matter misdemeanor or felony they still have the state has to prove their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt sure which is certainly a different burden on what Mr Richmond based in the civil case. That's thank you Mr. You Representative represent the back you're recognized for a question. I I I think my question for the most part been answer but I'll as is it in the case of residence because I have the same situation but. There was made clear to me that it was my residency was where I took a home state tax on on the property and and warm where my license were things like that so it seemed like that was. Pretty clear to me in terms of the. Where the offense occurred and and where the person would be on trial I think. Honestly I feel like we should do it. Where the cutting on it if you from paragon you have to come back down here to go to court to. So be it the defense was here Plaskett counties and I'm just yet I don't I don't understand why that's even hi my question is what would that be a concern I guess it it's it's not as far as I'm concerned. Okay seeing no further questions from committee members. Of the one signed up to speak for against the bill over Representative ray are you ready to close with your bill. yes I'm close thank you okay represented to be close with these bill. What's the Bush have a motion for to pass any discussion any discussion on the motion we do have discussion on the motion Representative quicker you're recognized for discussion on the motion of a do pass. Thank you Mr chair just want to share with committee my my questions were not attacking the the bill itself out I'm just it the questions were raised and I want a little bit better feel for what we were doing what went when he was trying to do here I'm gonna go ahead and vote for this because I have an affidavit without any teeth is ridiculous I mean it's just peace why are we making people feel the darn thing out of we're not going to have if secretary St man can't go well the allied and there's no accountability so I'll be a yes vote. Thank Representative would occur any further discussion on the motion to approve to pay you recognized his question or motion thank you Mr chair and basically I'm out look through this list of things that are already in the law look at number twenty on its if you make a wager upon the results of the and I guess that would cause them to have to drive to whatever county they made the wager in this section the he's addon. It says knowingly provided false or misleading information and I think it's important that that word knowingly is in there that's a pretty high threshold for anybody who would any prosecutor that would convict on this I have to prove that you had an intent to mislead and so I'm I'm for this and I think it's a good move thank you. Okay any further discussion on the motion. Hey none all in favor say aye. All opposed say no. Representative ro your bill is passed and regulations thank you Mr chairman Committee. Representative even Gonzalez. Would you take issued to adjust from where you're at. I thank you go then the tie will present a bill so. So does you're recognized present house bill fifteen twenty seven. Thank you Mr chair and also this time uh. With your permission I'd like to recognize of colonel Brian let him identifying sale for Ryan. Thank you Mr chairman bill right director the Arkansas state police. The shortest what this bill does And. This Mike straight at what this bill does And and just to give you a little history back when I was mad when I was working for the state police This will the right can the state police is from a trooper to a trooper first class two a corporal and the currently the way it is today from there once you make corporal is seven and a half years that's based on your tenure alone there's no promotional exam involved to be promoted to sergeant to his promotional team just and the so permittee had to compete for but out through those first three range trooper two proposed class and corporal it's it's strictly a reported to you based on your years of service but back when I was working in the they do this all as a as a way to kind of recognize individuals for their service to the department that they received twenty years of service they were made to senior corporals. And the that didn't include any tap the pay rallies it gave no supervisory authority. Basically what that did was just say Hey. Thanks for reading thanks for staying with us for twenty and a half years and and we just and you got it you got it bad you said senior corporal along a along the way that the something happened I don't know is after by the time Carmen but that kind of went away and so the carnal reached out to me and he just said he thought it would be a great deal to come back and put to senior corporal back in the and in the the structure of the rank inside the department and again this no pay raise. If no supervisory authority. they will receive that they make corporal is seven and a half years so if you stay for a twenty years as as a as a corporate in the recognized as a senior corporal and the only change. In that is that a receiver by age. That says senior corporal does it change anything else is just a way I'll emphasize it one more time committee members issues to worry for the department to say thank you a job well done and the. the the take any questions just point measurement any questions from committee members. Sam Nunn we have anybody signed up to speak for against this bill representante you close to your bill I'll close with the bill Mister chairman I make a motion of a do pass I have a motion to pass all in favor any discussion on the motion. All in favor say aye All opposed congratulations your bill is passed. Thank you Mr vice chair Preciado G. bill again and good job next on the agenda committee members is Senate bill one ninety four senator Solomon bubbly Representative Milligan is yep he's here in the room to present this bill. Representative Millikan if you would be a vote he had to say it to the table just the. you have anybody you need to bring to the table with the server no Sir okay you're recognized version Senate bill one ninety four okay thank you Mr chair committee this bill you all don't have freedom information act works you know you you request the so you call the city request the minister last meeting when they can charge you so much for copy this is only saying that we passed we had a a little rock and some I went in to get a copy one take a picture their phone they want to charge him for that process and this bill is just saying that you you know if you will want to use your own telephones your own it actually is is image capture you know thinking about the future here's what we're going what's come in and and the ten or fifteen years that they cannot charge you for that United I don't know if you know I was really blessed be in ten years may have like city I've never had anybody FOR anything that we've done thank the good lord but you know if you Mr gene called me mad and and did tomorrow and he was mad at me and would allow me to send it to a Madison Senate to inform a phone over very where you wouldn't have to come see me if he was mad at me use common sense you know so but that's all this bill does that the opal way the process still stays the same if if you have to have your keeper the of the of the bills of the Clerk has to do her work within that process still there it changes none of that just if you want to use your phone they can't charge you for using your own personal device to take to get your page paper but I'll be open any questions. The say no questions from committee members. No one signed up to speak for against the bill two million are you ready to close when you mail yes Sir I did have one question of the the lady come to me and ask about part of it but they just they were just making sure it didn't change the whole process and I was happy with that so I am close we're good to go appreciate a good vote. Okay represented millions because the bill we've got a motion Representative Dotson of a do pass as you any discussion on the motion. Saying none all in favor say aye. All opposed say no. Graduation represent two million your bill has passed. Committee members next on the agenda is house bill fourteen eighty Representative very. Mister chairman how represented Mark Berry District eighty two and first by a Representative may yes Sir could you. Hold up just a second committee members there is a. We have an amendment. The staff is passionate that amendment it just try and give you an opportunity to receive the get that receive and look at it. And Whistler. Everybody I'm going take just a minute give committee members time to review your amendment thank you Mr chairman. Committee members do you need any more time reviewing the amendment. If not I have a motion for Representative Dotson for a To adopt on the amendment. Any discussion on the motion. Shea none all in favor of adopting the amendment say aye All opposed say no seeing none to put members has been adopted Representative. There you are recognized to present house bill fourteen eighty with me an amendment adopted thank you Mr chairman and committee but first I have to say it's it's always I considered a a privilege to be able to sit before a committee and present the bill during this democratic process where we have three equal branches of government lot of times we forget that but that's the bill that amendment that that you just looked at it the get into the substantial bill here in just a minute fourteen eighty but the reason they have that long amendment and Mr lane and in a Mister Richmond moved joking about it it it it all has to do with an old general that didn't think the entire process through in a rookie freshman that didn't know what he was doing as a new legislator but it's kind of like the pick under the gate syndrome that of a lot of you may understand what that means but with the a lot of mentoring and Education from some more my my senior colleagues I was able to figure out exactly what I needed to do so and that that amendment does nothing more than to include all the cabinet secretaries into my bill initially I had only included the secretary of public safety which is a I'm glad the Secretary is here because I'll speak to that in just a moment appeal you'll bear with me that. When I came to the legislature in being a former secretary myself. I understand the lack of interaction between cabinet secretaries and accountability to the legislature. And I think there's a problem with that. This bill will mandate that cabinet secretaries report before the Legislative Council of at least once every two years. And somebody asked me last night if I had ran this past the cabinet secretaries and I didn't I said it really doesn't matter. cabinet secretary should be held accountable to the legislature just as much as they are in the executive branch. Lays Jim we have a three legged stool here. In one of those legs of that stool collapses. That has the impact on our democratic process. As a former cabinet secretary myself the only time that ever appeared before the legislature. Was when there was money involved. When I want you to pay for something and typically I sent my staff over to fight the battle for me because I was afraid is some questions that you might ask. So the intent of this this is good government. My friends is good for the cabinet secretaries is good for the legislature. Is good for the people of this great state. And as I've in my original bill and I talked to my friend and and secretary Jamie cook and she is not threatened by it it's good it's good for the cabinet secretaries secretary cooking come before this legislature and explain what her challenges what her demands the recruiting retention new technology from other states that might be applicable to the state of Arkansas and then ask us to help her meet her goal of being a provide for the safety security the citizens of the state that's what it's all about. This is good whether you're on the left you're on the right or on the other end of the building in the middle. it is like I said earlier is is good government. And we need to realize that cabinet secretaries need to have more accountability other than. Just like I did always went to the executive branch but. They need to have accountability. To this body. And we don't have that today. So I would appreciate your consideration four good vote and I would be happy to take any questions that you might have. The committee members you heard presentation of from Representative very we have any questions Representative Jane you're recognized for a question. Thank you Mr chairman a review to bury this yes up a makes it to where they have to come by November first if they quarters. Usually ten to eleven council meeting during the year they can come anytime during that year but but it has to be done by November for yes Sir correct you don't wanna mall Palin NO one thousand. All right thank you yes. J. no further questions from committee members. No one signed up to speak for against the bill. Richey Richmond did you have a question. Okay. I have a motion from represented to meet Richmond for do pass. As amended Representative. Representative the rich made a motion do pass as amended any discussion on the motion represented to the item you're recognized recognized for discussion on the motion thank you Mr chair since represented Wardlaw is not here I'll make his complaint form but. Or is coming and I should say not complain but it in council I know various times there's been a problem getting secretaries to come and you know that was there there was quite a bit of uproar among the members because that so I think this is a good move in the right direction to to maybe help address some of those issues so I'm for. Thank you Representative Ladyman headed by the discussion on the motion is amended. Say none all in favor say aye All opposed say No Representative very congratulations your bill is passed thank you Mr chairman thank you colleagues. Committee members the next item on the agenda we're going to. Passover in house bill thirteen seventy three we just notified sponsors not ready to run the bail. And We're going to go to the consent agenda. Which but place house bill fifteen sixty eight only had earlier we got a little time left Representative makes is here and make you going into the table to present at a house bill fifteen sixty eight degree to study it well the use of a certain election technology Representative makes. Thank you you're recognized so thank you Mister Amendment and colleagues in so this bill is to give us a little bit of work to do during the the the interim or does it to calls for this state agencies joint committees to do a study on how we can use technology to better improve elections during this last election cycle of course it was concerned about election integrity and as chair of the technology committee I started to. Imagine how we might could use technology to better secure our our elections one of the ideas that I came up with was imagine a future where voter ID is essentially obsolete and what I mean by that is the reason why we use voter ID is because we care about all only really two things we care about what we don't really care about who the person is per se but we want to make sure they only vote once and we want to make sure that citizen of the state so imagine a future where you go to cast your vote you walk into the polling place and you scan your thumb on the mouse down parent reader your picture pops up to confirm that that issue and then once it verifies that that is Stephen Meeks that it goes out and hits a citizen address file it's a master address file that's dark always up to date a grab your address and then based upon your address that populate your ballot for you this would allow you to essentially to vote anywhere in the state that you wanted to and I'll come back to this this address file and in just a moment you go in you cast your your ballot because you're using biometrics you don't have to worry about anybody voting more than once and after you're dead you don't have to worry about anybody voting in your name this master address file that I'm talking about we probably all five face this this issue your address is on file with the DMV it's on file with the affidavits on file with the voter you know voter registration back in your county it's on file with basically every state entity that we interact with well if you move. You can change your driver's license but nobody else the state government has that new address so DIS is currently working on a project to create a master address file so that when you as a citizen changer address everybody gets it so once that project complete we can use that to also keep our voter information systems updated so that's the the the the first idea the second one is. After this past election I had a lot of constituents contact me about final I know that my balance was received my vote was counted properly there are also concerns about a not so much in Arkansas but another state's about outside ballots being brought and or their accusations of ballots being run through machines more than once to be counted. How do we combat those how do we create transparency how do we create an audit trail so my second idea was to on every ballot to put a unique ballot ID on that so after I cast my ballot in my ballot prints out I can get a copy of that I. D. and that after the election is done I can go to a website type in my ballot ID and I can pull up my ballot to see how my about was counted as far as that goes any citizen of the state can go say for my state rep race and they could pull up ever any image of every ballot that was cast in that race and count to create transparency and to create openness now the challenger of course as we've got to make sure that that ID can't be tied back to that person to create and and and and and you know to create and and anonymity but the benefit to having this unique ID we don't have to worry about ballots being run through machines twice we create an audit trail of when those ballots were scanned in and we can set it up so that for example for this election cycle ballots one through a hundred or in plastic county ballots two hundred to three hundred Faulkner County four hundred through five hundred been County so every county has unique ID's every election so that prevents outside entities from coming in and bring in Spurrier's ballots so the idea here is using technology to better secure our elections to create open transparency now you can imagine these concepts are there they're pretty basic on on dental service implementation obviously is a much bigger issue and so what this study that I'm asking for calls for is a call for this committee to study how we can use technologies such as these to better secure our elections I've talked to the secretary of state's office about these ideas they're open to implementing them but as you can imagine there's a lot of questions about how we do that and so that's the point of this study is to look at. At. This is something we should do if it is how do we do it how to implement it and so you may have questions for me for example on how we make this happen yeah that's but the purpose of the study is to try to figure out how we do that so this is something that you'd be willing to tackle and take on with me that would be the the purpose of doing this I've already spoken with chairman Tosh about this and he's indicated his willingness to often to do this with committee so at that point I'll open it up to questions and Thank you Representative makes the. Representative James you're recognized for a question. Thank retirement courses you have to study the study. Hi how will equipped is this state at this moment to go into biometric data the those of those those are some of the questions that we're gonna have to look at that the technology itself is mature to the point where I think we can do it it's just. How do we do it how to pay for it and all those kind of questions you have with this lead to a fingerprint of scanner I mean. Those are all the questions will have to okay you know what one way as if through fingerprints on otherwise facial recognition you know I you know you're right now scans let's just start with would put chips in so yes yes that we definitely don't want to go down don't go down that all right thank you. thank you reviewed to gene Representative back you're recognized. Thank you Mr chair of. Just for clarity the the the focus of this study would. Is to increase skews you mention increase the security of the elections are so increase security and integrity all right so but you mention Transparency ten transparency as well now so. All rights I'd only concern is that I like I like the idea I like going to a I think that what we probably should try to do is really try to nail down what we're going after if we don will be all over the place right right so that that'll be a challenge for us but I'll be voting yes. But I Representative back in about it would Representative makes discussions with maybe this is what it was four to open it up to this committee to say what direction we need to go what obstacles lay a and and and and I like you a precise to Macy Committee integrity and transparency where at the top of the list we know there's a lot of questions to remain but this is ward starches with this committee to move forward with this study and I appreciate these questions out that we've got a few more so Representative Ladyman you're recognized a. Thank you Mr. Will represent is a Meeks you know me and I'm all for this so you know new technology and you not talk about that a lot but and it is maybe more of a statement than a question and I know this is just a study but the you know anytime you put a record out there electronically it can be hacked and once you get into a document you can change the name and lots of other things even though it may be done by fingerprint to get it in there so I mean my only concern would be you know the security protecting that from external hackers would you agree hi I agree it got agree wholeheartedly and that's part of the my suggestion again will have to explore all that all these is when you for example if you do your thumb print that after you do your thumb print your picture comes up so that the poll worker can verify that you know that's you that belongs to that phone correct so but you but you're correct those are those are things that we would have to explore as we consider this. The Representative would occur. Canasta. Thank you Mr chair Representative just a real quick question I noticed that of calls for a joint interim meetings with a city county local there's have you talked to chairman Lanny Fite I have not but I I I wanted to make sure they were included at or that we could bring them I want to make sure we didn't exclude them if we decide to take on this study because as you know most elections are counter or bar conducted at the county and local level so I thought it was important to make sure to have the option to be able to include them if that was something that they want to join us on thank you. Thank you Representative saying no further questions from committee members no one signed up to speak for against the bill the. But Peter Ladyman you have a question. Proper motion which occurred near each other. Okay I heard you are Representative makes you ready because the bill I'm closer than a letter Representative Ladyman make that motion if you okay we have a motion represented Ladyman for a do pass any discussion on the motion. Representative love you're recognized for discussion on the motion of a debate thank you Mr chair represent to make some home with you on this how do I do share some concerns in regards to once we collect all this data what can be done with it in if it's just going to be basically for the election process because as you know. As we move forward we collect and if for collecting pictures and different things like that a lot of people find that that information valuable to to create different software facial recognition software and different things like that so mom very supportive of of biometrics in the use of elections I just wanna make sure that we have the safeguards in place to protect the information that we collect from our cans and so that is not going to be used for any other purpose except for election purposes so with that being said I'm very supportive thank you. I'll just say I agree wholeheartedly anything we collect we got to make sure that that's part of the integrity portion of what we want to do. Okay Representative makes is because of the bill we've got a motion of a do pass no further discussion on the motion all in favor say aye All opposed say no regulates Representative makes your job. Committee members that jeopardize agenda reminder that special order meeting March the fifteenth over at the at nine thirty and big mac I don't think we have room in here to have it so we're going to move over there We will meet again on Monday at nine thirty at that we've got about four five already already have five bills on the agenda for Monday so if. Start to move a little bit I appreciate appreciate all of you being here good job this meeting is adjourned.