The Government Administration and Elections Committee voted on a package of concept proposals and committee-drafted bills on multiple election and government-administration topics, approving the committee’s motion to raise a set of concepts and approving individual concepts after voice and roll-call votes.

The committee’s action included votes to raise a concept on the recommendations of the governor’s working group on ranked-choice voting (item 14); to raise a concept to establish a municipal pilot for a citizens’ election program (item 19); to raise a concept on implementing automatic voter registration (item 21); to raise a technical elections bill from the secretary of state’s office (item 22); to raise a concept concerning use of online donation platforms for campaigns (item 25); to raise a resolution proposing a state-constitution amendment to make gendered language neutral (item 28); to raise a concept to enact recommendations from the state disparity study (item 37); and to raise a concept exempting residential addresses of Office of the Attorney General employees from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (item 41). The committee also moved to draft a proposed committee bill, SB 132, establishing a task force to review regulation-adoption and review processes (see separate article).

Why it matters: Raising a concept allows staff to draft bill language and signals the committee’s intent to consider those policy proposals during the session. The items the committee raised affect election administration (ranked-choice, automatic registration, secretary-of-state technical changes), campaign finance (online donations, citizens’ election program), open-records law (FOIA exemption), and contracting equity (disparity-study implementation).

Key discussion and votes
Representative Morin Bello moved the omnibus motion to raise a broad set of concepts; Representative Menapace seconded several motions throughout the meeting. Most of the items were approved either by voice vote or by roll call. Representative Mastrofrancesco voiced opposition to the municipal citizens’ election program, citing concern about use of taxpayer funds; Representative Gauthier noted the citizens’ election program is funded by proceeds from the sale of unclaimed property rather than annual tax appropriations.

Representative Mastrofrancesco also said she would not support the automatic voter registration concept, asking whether it mirrored a prior proposal; committee members clarified that the automatic-registration concept is tied to state agencies giving clients the opportunity to register when they interface with those agencies. Committee members described the secretary of state’s concept (item 22) as primarily technical changes rather than the full set of that office’s proposals.

Votes at a glance (committee action)
- Item 14 — Recommendations of the governor’s working group on ranked-choice voting: Motion to raise as a concept made (mover: Representative Hoenig / Honig; second: Representative Shannon). Outcome: raised as a concept (roll call requested).
- Item 19 — Pilot program to implement a citizens’ election program in municipal elections: Motion to raise made by Representative Morin Bello; seconded by Representative Menapace. Outcome: raised as a concept (roll call; Representative Mastrofrancesco recorded opposition).
- Item 21 — Implementing automatic voter registration: Motion to raise by Senator Honig; seconded by Representative Morin Bello. Outcome: raised as a concept (roll call; Representative Mastrofrancesco recorded opposition).
- Item 22 — Voting and elections technical changes from the secretary of state: Motion to raise by Representative Morin Bello; seconded by Representative Menapace. Outcome: raised as a concept (voice vote).
- Item 25 — Use of online donation platforms for political campaigns: Motion to raise by Representative Morin Bello; seconded by Senator Honig. Outcome: raised as a concept (roll call).
- Item 28 — Resolution to amend state constitution language to be gender neutral: Motion to raise by Representative Morin Bello; seconded by Representative Shannon. Outcome: raised as a concept (roll call).
- Item 37 — Enacting recommendations of the state disparity study: Motion to raise by Representative Morin Bello; second by Representative Santiago. Outcome: raised as a concept (roll call).
- Item 41 — Exempting residential addresses of Office of the Attorney General employees from FOIA disclosure: Motion to raise by Representative Morton Bello; seconded by Senator Hoenig. Outcome: raised as a concept (roll call).

What committee members said
Representative Mastrofrancesco opposed moving the municipal citizens’ election program forward, saying she is concerned about “using taxpayer money” and does not favor extending the program to municipal elections. Representative Gauthier responded in committee that the citizens’ election program is funded via the sale of unclaimed property and by unused election funds rather than an ongoing general-tax appropriation. On automatic voter registration, committee members clarified it would operate when people interface with state agencies and would not require landlords or other private actors to collect voter information.

Next steps
Raising a concept does not adopt permanent policy; it authorizes drafting and further committee consideration. Staff will draft language for the approved concepts and the committee may hold future hearings or markups. The committee also voted to draft SB 132 as a committee bill establishing a task force on the regulation-adoption and review process (see article on SB 132).