North Carolina 2019-2020 Session Status: In Committee Bipartisan · 5 D · 1 R cosponsors

SB 861 — Election Protection During COVID-19 Emergency.

Last action — Passed 1st Reading

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed House
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 2019-2020 Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

16 added · 17 removed

Plain-language change summary

The updated version of Senate Bill 861 includes a specific section that allows individuals at hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, or rest homes to assist registered voters during the 2020 elections. This change adds clarity to who can provide assistance, which is important for ensuring that all voters, especially those in care facilities, can participate in elections without barriers. By explicitly stating this provision, the bill aims to support voting accessibility for individuals who may need help due to health or mobility issues.

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FILED SENATE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA May 28, 2020 S.B.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SESSION 2019 S 1 SENATE BILL 861 Short Title:
861 SESSION 2019 PRINCIPAL CLERK S D SENATE BILL DRS45471-LUa-158B Short Title:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO MAKE VARIOUS CHANGES TO THE LAWS PERTAINING TO 2020 ELECTIONS AND PROVIDE RELIEF IN RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 EMERGENCY.
Rules and Operations of the Senate June 1, 2020 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO MAKE VARIOUS CHANGES TO THE LAWS PERTAINING TO 2020 ELECTIONS AND PROVIDE RELIEF IN RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 EMERGENCY.
*DRS45471-LUa-158B* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2019 (4) Establishing an online portal for absentee ballot requests.
*S861-v-1* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2019 (4) Establishing an online portal for absentee ballot requests.
– Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, for an election held in 2020, if an individual serving as a poll worker is also Page 2 DRS45471-LUa-158B General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2019 receiving unemployment benefits, those unemployment benefits shall not be affected by the individual's service.
– Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, for an election held in 2020, if an individual serving as a poll worker is also Page 2 Senate Bill 861-First Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2019 receiving unemployment benefits, those unemployment benefits shall not be affected by the individual's service.
163-230.2, a completed written request for absentee ballots may be delivered either in person or by mail, DRS45471-LUa-158B Page 3 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2019 e-mail, or fax, to the county board of elections by the voter, the voter's near relative or verifiable legal guardian, or any individual working as part of a multipartisan team trained and authorized by the county board of elections pursuant to G.S.
163-230.2, a completed written request for absentee ballots may be delivered either in person or by mail, Senate Bill 861-First Edition Page 3 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2019 e-mail, or fax, to the county board of elections by the voter, the voter's near relative or verifiable legal guardian, or any individual working as part of a multipartisan team trained and authorized by the county board of elections pursuant to G.S.
Page 4 DRS45471-LUa-158B General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2019 (2) An electronic signature, as defined in G.S.
Page 4 Senate Bill 861-First Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2019 (2) An electronic signature, as defined in G.S.
ALLOW HELP AMERICA VOTE ACT (HAVA) DOCUMENT AS SUBSTITUTE FOR IDENTIFICATION REQUIRED IN SUBMITTING ABSENTEE BALLOT REQUEST FORM SECTION4.6.
ALLOW HELP AMERICA VOTE ACT (HAVA) DOCUMENT AS SUBSTITUTE FOR IDENTIFICATION REQUIRED IN SUBMITTING ABSENTEE BALLOT REQUEST FORM SECTION 4.6.
EXTEND THE NUMBER OF DAYS FOR COUNTING ABSENTEE BALLOTS DRS45471-LUa-158B Page 5 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2019 SECTION 4.8.
EXTEND THE NUMBER OF DAYS FOR COUNTING ABSENTEE BALLOTS Senate Bill 861-First Edition Page 5 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2019 SECTION 4.8.
163-226.3(a)(4), for an election held in 2020, trained and certified employees, also referred to as "designated assistants" for purposes of this section, of a hospital, clinic, nursinghome, or rest home in this State may assist a registered voter who is a patient or resident in that facility in requesting, voting, or returning the voter's absentee ballot, if the voter, the voter's near relative or verifiable legal guardian, or an authorized member ofamultipartisanassistanceteam(MAT),asapplicable,isunabletoassistthevoterinrequesting, voting, or returning the voter's absentee ballot.
163-226.3(a)(4), for an election held in 2020, trained and certified employees, also referred to as "designated assistants" for purposes of this section, of a hospital, clinic, nursinghome, or rest home in this State mayassist a registered voter who is a patient or resident in that facility in requesting, voting, or returning the voter's absentee ballot, if the voter, the voter's near relative or verifiable legal guardian, or an authorized member ofamultipartisanassistanceteam(MAT),asapplicable,isunabletoassistthevoterinrequesting, voting, or returning the voter's absentee ballot.
Page 6 DRS45471-LUa-158B General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2019 The provisions of Article 8 of Chapter 143 of the General Statutes shall not apply to county boards of elections when contracting for necessary supplies and other items needed to conduct elections in 2020 during the COVID-19 emergency.
Page 6 Senate Bill 861-First Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2019 The provisions of Article 8 of Chapter 143 of the General Statutes shall not apply to county boards of elections when contracting for necessary supplies and other items needed to conduct elections in 2020 during the COVID-19 emergency.
DRS45471-LUa-158B Page 7 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2019 Information may be distributed through public service announcements, print, radio, television, online, and social media.
Senate Bill 861-First Edition Page 7 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2019 Information may be distributed through public service announcements, print, radio, television, online, and social media.
Page 8 DRS45471-LUa-158B
Page 8 Senate Bill 861-First Edition
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Action History

  1. Passed 1st Reading

  2. Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate

  3. Filed

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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2 sponsors · 11 co-sponsors · 166 not signed on

Sponsors (2)

Co-sponsors (11)

Not signed on (166)

166 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

public-safety elections healthcare
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors SB 861?
SB 861 is sponsored by Clark, deViere, Fitch, Paul A. Lowe, Jr. (Democratic), Nickel, Van Duyn, Marcus, Jay J. Chaudhuri (Democratic), Foushee, Dan Blue (Democratic), Natalie S. Murdock (Democratic), Mujtaba A. Mohammed (Democratic), and Brent Jackson (Republican).
What is the current status of SB 861?
This bill died with 2019-2020 Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track SB 861?
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