League of Women Voters of Connecticut

CGA Government Administration and Elections Committee:  March 21, 2012 Public Hearing

SB 437, AAC Changes to Election Laws 

Comments provided by: Susan Voris, Election Specialist, League of Women Voters of Connecticut
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My name is Susan Voris. I am the Election Specialist for the League of Women Voters of Connecticut. As an organization, the League has been dedicated to improving the electoral process. I thank you for the opportunity to comment on this bill.

The League supports adequate training and assistance for registrars and all election workers to ensure uniform adherence to federal and state laws. The League also believes that adequate funding and support for state agencies responsible for supervising elections, enforcing election laws, and assuring the integrity of voting technology are fundamental to protecting citizens’ right to vote and having their votes counted accurately.

Section 1 of SB437 ensures that the State Elections Enforcement Committee investigates a complaint against a Registrar of Voter for misconduct, willful and material neglect of duty or incompetence in the conduct of office. This new section is in keeping with the regulations for filing a complaint against a Town Clerk. Under this provision, each individual becomes
accountable for his/her actions.

Sections 2 and 3 relate to the duties and powers of the State Elections Enforcement Committee and appointment to said committee.

Section 5 requires an elector to file a change of address with the Registrar of Voters prior to receiving an absentee ballot from the Town Clerk.

Section 6 ensures that continuing education is a part of the Registrar of Voters and Town Clerks role as it concerns elections. Continuing education means improved support for the electors, the candidates and the public in general.

We urge your support for SB 437.

CGA Government Administration and Elections Committee; March 19, 2012 Public Hearing

Comments Submitted by Pat Reilly, Connecticut League of Women Voters, Ethics Specialist

Comments On:  H.B. 5523 AN ACT ELIMINATING A CONFERENCE ON ETHICAL ISSUES

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I am Pat Reilly, Ethics Specialist for the League of Women Voters of Connecticut. Thank you for the
opportunity to submit comments for House Bill 5523 AN ACT ELIMINATING A CONFERENCE ON ETHICAL ISSUES

The League of Women Voters of Connecticut, a statewide organization with over 1800 members,
believes that the public should have confidence in the integrity of its government. Government officials and employees should be held accountable for carrying out their duties in both an effective and ethically responsible manner. As The Codes of Ethics are the means to accomplish these ends, the League has a keen interest in any efforts to reform, strengthen or clarify The Codes.

While the League believes education and training of public officials, state employees, lobbyists and
other groups about the Code of Ethics is critical to compliance with The Codes and therefore to better
government, we do not oppose HB 5523 for the following reasons.

Significant reductions to the staff and budget of the Office of State Ethics (OSE) resulting from its consolidation into the Office of Accountability mean OSE activities should be revaluated for return on cost and time. The conference may not be the best use of limited staff time and reduced appropriations.  In its HB 5523 testimony, the OSE indicates that current statutory mandate covers its responsibility for education and training and would not prevent the OSE from conducting conferences as needed within available appropriations.

We regret that budget cuts and reorganization are forcing the elimination of this educational program
and we hope that OSE will be able to provide comparable opportunities within their available budget
and resources.

Thank you for your consideration.

CGA Government Administration and Elections Committee for March 12, 2012 Public Hearing

Comments Submitted by Pat Reilly, Connecticut League of Women Voters, Ethics Specialist

Comments On:  SB 256 AN ACT CONCERNING THE TIMING OF FACULTY CONSULTING AGREEMENT
AUDITS UNDER THE CODE OF ETHICS.

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I am Pat Reilly, Ethics Specialist for the League of Women Voters of Connecticut. Thank you for the
opportunity to submit testimony in support of SB 256 AN ACT CONCERNING THE TIMING OF
FACULTY CONSULTING AGREEMENT AUDITS UNDER THE CODE OF ETHICS.

The League of Women Voters of Connecticut, a statewide organization with over 1800 members,
believes that the public should have confidence in the integrity of its government. Government
officials and employees should be held accountable for carrying out their duties in both an effective
and ethically responsible manner. As The Codes of Ethics are the means to accomplish these ends, the
League has a keen interest in any efforts to reform, strengthen or clarify The Codes.

Based on the testimony by the Office of State Ethics for 5279 (please see below), the League supports
the changes contained in SB 256, adding that the change from semiannually to annually will free up all
involved resources giving them more time for other government activities.

Click below to download the full testimony in Word.

Susan Voris, Election Laws Specialist for the League of Women Voters of Connecticut, presented testimony to the Government Administration and Elections Committee in support of three bills on Connecticut's election laws:

• Support for: HB5022 – AA Increasing Penalties for Voter Intimidation and Interference. Read the testimony here.
  
• Support for: HB5024 – AA Concerning Voting Rights.   Read the testimony here. 
  
• Support for:HJ 2 – Resolution Proposing an Amendment to the State Constitution to Allow For No-Excuse Absentee Voting.   Read the testimony here. 
  

To:  CGA Government Administration and Elections Committee : February 27, 2012 Public Hearing

From: Susan Voris, Election Laws Specialist, League of Women Voters of Connecticut

Re:  SB 214 AA Concerning Permanent Absentee Ballot Status For the Pemanently Disabled.

My name is Susan Voris. I am the Election Laws Specialist for the League of Women Voters of
Connecticut. As a state-wide organization with over 1800 members, the League is dedicated to
improving the electoral process.

SB 214 AA Concerning Permanent Absentee Ballot Status For the Pemanently Disabled.

The League supported passage of the law that granted permanent absentee ballot status for the permanently disabled. The League supports SB214, which makes the absentee ballot status permanent. Removal of the application for an absentee ballot lessens the burden on permanently disabled in casting their ballot, while a verification process is in place to determine the elector’s eligibility to vote within a municipality during the year.

The League urges the Committee to support SB214 to protect and support our most vulnerable voters.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment.

To:  CGA Government Administration and Elections Committee--February 27, 2012 Public Hearing

From: Susan Voris, Election Laws Specialist, League of Women Voters of Connecticut

Support for:     SB 212 AA Concerning Provisional Ballots for State and Municipal Elections.

My name is Susan Voris. I am the Election Laws Specialist for the League of Women Voters of Connecticut. As a state-wide organization with over 1800 members, the League is dedicated to improving the electoral process.

The League supports SB212 to make provisional ballots available at state and municipal elections and primaries in addition to their use in federal elections. As in federal elections, provisional ballots enable one to vote  when, for example, a voter is inadvertently taken off the voter registration list, a remedy for which may not be cured on election day or primary day. The use of a provisional ballot has safeguards in that if challenged, it is to be reviewed by the Registrar of Voters within days of the election to determine whether the elector should have been allowed to cast his/her ballot and gives a nearly immediate remedy.

The League urges the Committee to support SB212.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment. 

CGA Government Administration and Elections Committee : February 17, 2012 Public Hearing

Comments Submitted by Pat Reilly, Connecticut League of Women Voters, Ethics Specialist

Comments On:  SB 35 AAC THE OFFICE OF STATE ETHICS AND REVISIONS TO THE STATE CODES OF ETHICS
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I am Pat Reilly, Ethics Specialist for the League of Women Voters of Connecticut. Thank you for the
opportunity to testify in support of SB 35 AAC THE OFFICE OF STATE ETHICS AND REVISIONS
TO THE STATE CODES OF ETHICS.

The League of Women Voters of Connecticut, a statewide organization with over 2100 members,
believes that the public should have confidence in the integrity of its government. Government
officials and employees should be held accountable for carrying out their duties in both an effective
and ethically responsible manner. To accomplish these ends, the League supports efforts to reform,
strengthen and clarify Connecticut’s Code of Ethics for Public Officials, as well as measures to ensure
the existence of a strong, independent and effective Office of State Ethics.

The League generally supports the changes contained in SB 35, believing SB 35 provides the means
to strengthening Connecticut’s Code of Ethics and the effectiveness of the Office of State Ethics,
instilling public trust in government, and ensuring transparency and accountability.

The League highlights its support for the following provisions.

• The inclusion of “employer other than the state” in the list of potential conflicts of interests under the Code of Ethics for Public Officials. (C.G.S. §1-85,1-86a ,94h) Public officials and state employees must be prohibited from using their positions to financially benefit their other employers if the public is to have confidence in the integrity of its government.
• The redefinition of lobbyist registration and reporting requirements by those who lobby within the scope of employment. (C.G.S. §1-94(b),(c), 1-96) Disclosure benefits legislation, legislators, candidates for public office, the public and lobbyists.
• The explicit subjugation of board members of the State Health Insurance Exchange to the Code of Ethics. (C.G.S §38a-1081(c)) The board loses all credibility if allowed to exist outside the scope of the Code of Ethics.
• The provision that lobbyists report expenditures for the benefit of candidates for public office.  (C.G.S §1-96 )  With the public increasingly concerned about the role of special interest money in campaigns, providing transparency in campaign contributions is an important measure to help instill confidence in the system.
• The requirement that prospective members of the Citizen's Ethics Advisory Board certify that they are aware of the special restrictions of the code of ethics that would apply to them. (C.G.S §1-80) Such awareness is crucial to the effective functioning and governance of the CEAB.  

Under (C.G.S §1-85 ) a public official who has a substantial conflict may not take official action  on the related matter. However, under SB 35, if the conflict concerns a direct monetary gain or loss  for the official’s other employer, the official may request a waiver of recusal. The League opposes this exemption, believing that is the very type of situation that should preclude participation. If this provision is passed, a timeframe for the waiver request should be included.

Thank you again for the opportunity to testify on this bill.

CGA Government Administration and Elections Committee : February 17, 2012 Public Hearing

Comments Submitted by Pat Reilly, Connecticut League of Women Voters, Ethics Specialist

Comments On:  SB 36 AAC REVISIONS TO THE STATE CODES OF ETHICS

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I am Pat Reilly, Ethics Specialist for the League of Women Voters of Connecticut.  Thank you for the opportunity to testify in support of SB 36 AAC REVISIONS TO THE STATE CODES OF ETHICS.

The League of Women Voters of Connecticut, a statewide organization with over 2100 members, believes that the public should have confidence in the integrity of its government.  Government officials and employees should be held accountable for carrying out their duties in both an effective and ethically responsible manner.  To accomplish these ends, the League supports efforts to reform, strengthen and clarify Connecticut’s Code of Ethics for Public Officials, as well as measures to ensure the existence of a strong, independent, effective Office of State Ethics.  
In general the League is very supportive of Senate Bill 36.  

• Regarding the Citizen’s Ethics Advisory Board (CEAB), minimizing the possibility of a lack of a quorum; staggering terms so that at most two members would be replaced each year; permitting members to continue serving for the limited purpose of adjudicating at a board meeting; allowing justices of the peace and notaries to serve on the CEAB; and restricting the staff of the OSE and members of the CEAB from participating in political campaigns of individuals who are subject to the jurisdiction to the Code of Ethics for Public Officials. These   measures strengthen the functioning and governance of the OSE and the CEAB and will lead to public confidence in the integrity of its government.   
• We welcome measures that apply to state contractors. One such provision adds violations against ethical standards found in C.G.S  Section 1-101nn as grounds for disqualifying a state contractor.  A comprehensive code of ethics applicable to state contractors is crucial to the transparent, efficient, cost effective operation of the state of Connecticut.
• Giving the OSE the ability to enforce existing revolving door provisions that apply to the Gaming Policy Board is a welcome challenge to influence peddling and its negative impact on both government and business.

SB 36 section 6 adds the word “knowingly” to the existing (C.G.S  §1-84 ) provision that prohibits public officials and employees from counseling, authorizing or sanctioning violations of the code of  ethics.   The League does not support this change. The burden of determining whether a code was broken knowingly or unknowingly may undermine enforcement.  

Thank you again for the opportunity to testify on this bill. 

CGA Government Administration and Elections Committee, February 17, 2012 Public Hearing

Comments provided by: Susan Voris, Election Laws Specialist, League of Women Voters of Connecticut

Support for:  HB5026 AAC The Secretary of State’s Authority Following a Declaration of an Emergency or Major Disaster

My name is Susan Voris. I am the Election Laws Specialist for the League of Women Voters of Connecticut. As an organization, the League has been dedicated to improving the electoral process. The League supports HB5026 granting the Secretary of State power to act on behalf of municipalities during a declaration of an emergency or major disaster rather than having an aggrieved party take court action. The recent, intense late-October storm caused the Governor to call such a state of emergency just 10 days before a municipal election. Numerous communities were without power for days due to downed power lines and trees. As such several communities were concerned about their ability to conduct an election for many reasons including the public safety of their electorate. Had this storm occurred just a few days later, the question of whether an election could safely have been conducted in many communities is questionable.

The League urges the Committee to support HB5026.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment.