SB 1 — Absentee voting; prohibit assistance in preparation of; exceptions provided

SB1 ENGROSSEDENROLLED SB1 6RVBZ13-26864ZZ1-2 By Senators Gudger, Roberts, Allen, Bell, Weaver, Elliott, Barfoot, Shelnutt, Stutts, Waggoner RFD:

09-Jun-23 Page 0 SB1 EngrossedEnrolled 2Enrolled, 4An AAct, BILL3 TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT 9 Relating to absentee ballot applications;

"§17-11-4 (a) The application required in Section 17-11-3 shall Page 1 SB1 Engrossed be filed with the person designated to serve as the absentee election manager.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, handwritten applications can also be accepted at any time Page 2 SB1 Enrolled prior to the five-day deadline to receive absentee ballot applications as provided in Section 17-11-3.

(2) It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly Page 2 SB1 Engrossed distribute an absentee ballot application to a voter that is prefilled with the voter's name or any other information required on the application form,form. other than marking the specific election to which the application applies.

(c)(1) The application may be handed by the applicantCompleted applications may be submitted to the Page 3 SB1 Enrolled absentee election manager or forwarded to him or her by United States in any of the following ways, as further provided by rule of the Secretary of State:

(d)(1) Except in situations governed by Section Page 3 SB1 Engrossed 17-11-3(f), it shall be unlawful for a third party to knowingly receive a payment or gift for distributing, ordering, requesting, collecting, completing, prefilling, obtaining, or delivering a voter's absentee ballot application.

Page 4 SB1 Enrolled (2) Except in situations governed by Section 17-11-3(f), it shall be unlawful for a person to knowingly pay or provide a gift to a third party to distribute, order, request, collect, prefill, complete, obtain, or deliver a 95 voter's absentee ballot application.

(e) Any voter who requires assistance to vote by reason of blindness, disability, or inability to read or write may be given assistance by an individual of the voter’s choice, other than the voter’s employer or agent of that employer or officer 95 or agent of the voter’s union.

Although this bill would have as its purpose or effect the requirement of a new or increased expenditure of local funds, the bill is excluded from further requirements Page 4 SB1 Engrossed and application under Section 111.05 of the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, because the bill defines a new crime or amends the definition of an existing crime.

Page 5 SB1 EngrossedEnrolled Senate________________________________________________ ReadPresident forand thePresiding firstOfficer timeof andthe referredSenate ................06-Feb-24________________________________________________ toSpeaker of the SenateHouse committeeof onRepresentatives StateSB1 GovernmentalSenate Affairs13-Feb-24 ReadI forhereby certify that the secondwithin timeAct andoriginated placedin ................07-Feb-24and onpassed the calendar:Senate, as amended.

0 amendments Read for the third time and passed ................13-Feb-24 as amended Yeas 27 Nays 8 Abstains 0 Patrick Harris, Secretary.

PageHouse 6of Representatives Amended and passed:

07-Mar-24 Senate concurred in House amendment 19-Mar-24 By:

Senator Gudger Page 6