Here is a list of bills we are looking at this session. We will add more details and links as we move forward.

Primary Watch List:

HB2181 Reduces the number of signatures needed to form a new party to 1% of the last governor election. Hickman(H)

• Referred to the Elections and Ethics Committee
• Passed the House Elections and Ethics Committee in a 7-0 vote.
• Co-Authored by Representative Cooksey
• Co-authored by Senator Quinn
• Passed the House on a vote of 90-0. The 11 votes missing were from excused members of the House. No Representative abstained from the vote.
• Assigned to the Senate Rules Committee
• Senate Rules Committee amended the bill to 3% of the last governor election.
• Passed the Senate Rules Committee on a vote of 11-1. The only no vote came from Senator Floyd who stated she oted against the bill because it was amended.
• Passed the Senate on a vote of 37-4. The four no votes came from Senators Allen, Boggs, Sharp, and Shaw.

SB318 Reduces the number of signatures needed to form a new party and to place an Independent Presidential candidate on the ballot to 2%. Holt(S)

• Co-authored by Rep. Echols
• Referred to Rules Committee
• Was not heard in committee. The bill is dead for the year.

SJR13 Constitutional amendment to greatly reduce the number of signatures needed for citizens to place state questions on the ballot. Holt(S)

• Co-authored by Rep. Echols
• Referred to Rules Committee

HB1159 Initiative and referendum; modifying time limit for filing; effective date. Montgomery(H)

• Referred to Rules Committee
• Was not heard in committee. The Bill is dead for the year.

SB158 Initiative and referendum; modifying procedures for circulation of petitions; requiring notifications. Emegency. Griffin(S)

• Referred to Rules Committee
• Heavily amended by the Rules Committee, similar to language of HB1484.
• Passed Rules Committee on a vote of 13-0
• Passed the Senate on a vote of 43-0.
• Referred to House Elections and Ethics Commission.
• Passed Elections and Ethics Commission.

SB566 Initiative and referendum; modifying procedures for petition circulation; stating time period; requiring notification. Emergency. Marlatt(S)

• Referred to Rules Committee
• Was not heard in committee. The bill is dead for the year.

HB1484 Initiative and referendum; modifying filing of initiative and referendum petitions; repealing provision relating to circulation of petition; effective date. Grau(H)

• Referred to Rules Committee
• Passed Rules Committee on a vote of 7-1
• Amended by House.
• Passed the House on a vote of 95-1
• Referred to Senate Rules Committee
• Passed Senate Rules Committee
• Passed the Senate Rules Committee on a vote of 42-0
• The bill was amended to change the language that limited petitioners to only people 21 and older. Now anyone 18 or older can circulate petitions.
• Bill was signed into law by the Governor.

SB311 Elections; changing procedures for Primary and General Elections; eliminating Runoff Primary Election; modifying dates. Effective date. Holt(S)

• Referred to Rules Committee
• Was not heard in committee. The bill is dead for the year.

SB173 Allows Notaries to notarize any number of absentee ballots. Fry(S)

• Referred to Rules Committee
• Amended to allow notaries to notarize 100 absentee ballots rather that the current 20.
• Passed Rules Committee on a vote of 6-4

SB310 Elections; providing for elections to be conducted by mail; providing procedures. Effective date. Holt(S)

• Referred to Rules Committee
• Was not heard in committee. The bill is dead for the year.

SB312 Elections; modifying dates upon which elections may be held by political subdivisions. Effective date. Holt(S)

• Referred to Rules Committee
• Passed Rules Committee on a vote of 13-0
• Title Stricken

SB313 Elections; providing for electronic voter registration; providing procedures. Effective date. Holt(S)

• Referred to Rules Committee
• Coauthored by Senator Bass.
• Passed the Rules Committee on a vote of 13-0

SB314 Elections; allowing voter registration on certain days. Effective date. Holt(S)

• Referred to Rules Committee
• Was not heard in committee. The bill is dead for the year.

SB315 Elections; modifying procedures relating to absentee ballot applications. Effective date. Holt(S)

• Referred to Rules Committee
• Title Stricken.
• Passed Rules Committee on vote of 9-0
• Co-authored by Representative Hall

SB316 Allows voters to permanently sign up for absentee ballots. Holt(S)

• Referred to Rules Committee
• Was not heard in committee. The bill is dead for the year.

SB317 Elections; modifying days and hours for in-person absentee voting. Effective date. Holt(S)

• Referred to Rules Committee
• Was not heard in Committee. The bill is dead for the year.

SB662 Legislative districts; modifying method by which population is counted for certain purpose. Effective date. Shortey(S)

• Referred to Rules Committee
• Was not heard in Committee. The bill is dead for the year.

SB778 Elections; providing for system of electronic voter registration. Effective date. Bass(S)

• Referred to Rules Committee
• Was not heard in Committee. The bill is dead for the year.

SB780 Elections; requiring preparation of voter information pamphlet. Effective date. Bass(S)

• Referred to Rules Committee
• Was not heard in Committee. The bill is dead for the year.

HB1298 Allows anyone to contest any candidate for office. Wesselhoft(H)

• Referred to Elections and Ethics Committee
• Amended to require a $500 fee to contest a candidate.
• Passed the Ethics And Elections Committee on a vote of 6-1
• Was not heard on the House floor. The bill is dead for the year.

HB1846 Allows many people to register to vote via the internet.  Inman(H)

• Referred to Elections and Ethics Committee
• Passed the Elections and Ethics Committee on a vote of 7-0
• Authored by Senator Bass.
• Not heard on the House floor. The bill is dead for the year.

HJR1007 Constitutional amendment; modifying legislative term limits for future Legislatures; ballot title; filing. Wesselhoft(H)

• Referred to Rules Committee
• Not heard in Committee. The bill is dead for the year.

HJR1019 Constitutional amendment; providing for Governor and Lt. Governor to be elected jointly; ballot title; filing. Banz(H)

• Referred to Rules Committee
• Coauthored by Senator Justice
• Passed the Rules Committee on a vote of 10-0

HB1813 Reduces the number of signatures needed to forma new party to 5,000. Proctor(H)

• Referred to the Elections and Ethics Committee
• Bill was withdrawn in favor of HB2181.
• Amendment filed to turn the bill into a National Popular Vote bill.
• Was not heard in Committee. The bill is dead for the year.

Other Interesting Bills:

SJR1
Constitutional amendment; vesting legislative authority in single house. Effective date.
Anderson(S)

SJR2
Constitutional amendment; providing for legislative sessions in odd-numbered years. Ballot title.
Brecheen(S)

SJR3
Constitutional amendment; setting limit on compensation for members of the Legislature. Ballot title.
Brecheen(S)

SJR12
Constitutional amendment; restricting ability of Legislature to consider certain measures in even-numbered years. Effective date. Ballot title.
Holt(S)

SB32
Voting procedures; extending days and hours for in-person absentee voting. Effective date.
Floyd(S)

SB86
Voter eligibility; modifying documents satisfying requirement to provide proof of identity. Effective date.
Dahm(S)

SB113
Elections; requiring special runoff primary election under certain conditions. Effective date.
Stanislawski(S)

SB114
Elections; requiring state agencies to provide change of address information to State Election Board. Effective date.
Stanislawski(S)

SB139
County elections; requiring special election to fill county office vacancy. Effective date.
Fields(S)

SB233
Elections; modifying date of Presidential Preferential Primary election. Effective date.
Crain(S)

SB399
Elections; modifying requirements for filing for municipal office. Effective date.
Justice(S)

SB428
Elections; modifying dates upon which certain elections may be held. Effective date.
Crain(S)

SB438
Cities and towns; authorizing certain municipalities to impose lower campaign contribution limits for municipal elections. Emergency.
Sparks(S)

SB664
Voting procedures; modifying days and hours for in-person absentee voting. Effective date.
Floyd(S)

SB775
Elections; modifying period of ineligibility for filing for office after conviction. Effective date.
Bass(S)

SB777
Elections; modifying procedures relating to absentee voting applications. Effective date.
Bass(S)

HB1097
Elections; requiring nonpartisan elections for county sheriff; effective date.
Condit(H)

HB1302
Ethics and elections; creating the Ethics and Elections Reform Act of 2015; effective date.
Wesselhoft(H)

HB1303
Ethics and elections; creating the Ethics and Elections Reform Act of 2015; effective date.
Wesselhoft(H)

HB1306
Initiative and referendum; creating the Initiative and Referendum Reform Act; effective date.
Wesselhoft(H)

HB1307
Initiative and referendum; creating the Initiative and Referendum Reform Act; effective date.
Wesselhoft(H)

HB1308
Initiative and referendum; creating the Initiative and Referendum Reform Act; effective date.
Wesselhoft(H)

HB1309
Initiative and referendum; creating the Initiative and Referendum Reform Act; effective date.
Wesselhoft(H)

HB1310
Elections; creating the Election Act of 2015; effective date.
Wesselhoft(H)

HB1311
Elections; creating the Election Act of 2015; effective date.
Wesselhoft(H)

HB1511
Elections; voter eligibility; modifying documents satisfying requirement to provide proof of identity; effective date.
Virgin(H)

HB1559
Elections; absentee voting; authorizing certain voters to apply for absentee ballots; effective date.
Hall(H)

HB1579
Elections; requiring nonpartisan elections for county sheriff; effective date.
Pruett(H)

HB1686
Elections; establishing agreement among the states to elect President by popular vote; effective date
Denney(H)

HB1805
Elections; creating the Governor and Lieutenant Governor Election Reform Act; effective date.
Banz(H)

HB1842
Elections; creating the Elections Act of 2015; effective date.
Banz(H)

HB1892
Initiative and referendum; creating the Initiative and Referendum Act of 2015; effective date.
Christian(H)

HB1980
Elections; creating the Political Signs Act; effective date.
Roberts(H)

HB1984
Elections; creating the Voter Rights Act of 2015; effective date.
Roberts(H)

HB2075
Elections; creating the Election Reform Act of 2015; effective date.
Roberts(H)

HB2076
Elections; creating the Election Reform Act of 2015; effective date.
Roberts(H)

HB2149
Elections; creating the Election Reform Act of 2015; effective date.
Nelson(H)

HB2201
Initiative and referendum; creating the Initiative Petition Reform Act of 2015; effective date.
Echols(H)

HJR1006
Constitutional amendment; modifying selection process for Supreme Court Justices; ballot title; filing.
Cockroft(H)

HJR1008
Constitutional amendment; changing method for apportionment of the Legislature; ballot title; filing
Lockhart(H)