STATE OF MINNESOTA THIRTY-THIRD MEETING
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES EIGHTY-FOURTH SESSION
CIVIL LAW AND ELECTIONS COMMITTEE
MINUTES
Representative Chris DeLaForest, Vice Chair of the Civil Law and Elections Committee called the thirty-third meeting to order at 12:35 p.m. March 15, 2006 in the Basement Hearing Room, State Office Building, St. Paul, MN.
The Clerk noted the roll.
Members present:
DELAFOREST, Chris, Vice Chair
BROD, Laura
DEAN, Matt
ELLISON, Keith
EMMER, Tom
HILTY, Bill
LESCH, John
NELSON, Peter
SIMON, Steve
SLAWIK, Nora
WESTROM, Torrey
A quorum was not present at 12: 35 p.m.
Excused Member: JOHNSON, J.
Representative Emmer discussed HF 1443.
A quorum was present at 12:38 p.m.
Representative Dean moved approval of the minutes of March 8, 2006. THE MOTION PREVAILED.
Representative Emmer moved HF 1443 to pass and be placed on the General Register.
HF 1443 (Emmer) Voter registration proof of citizenship and picture identification required, and identification cards provided at no charge to specified individuals.
Representative Emmer moved amendment H1443A2. THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.
Testifying before committee on HF 1443:
Michael McCarthy, Secretary of State’s Office;
Ruth Ann Eberle, St. Paul, MN;
Diana Bratlie, Citizen;
Linda Huhn, Citizen;
Ruth Martin, People For The American Way;
Vice Chair DeLa Forest acknowledged 9th Grade Students from St. Louis Park High School.
Additional testifiers on HF 1443:
Beth Fraser, Voting Rights Coalition;
Teresa Nelson, ACLU, Mn;
Marcea Avner, Mn Council of Non-Profits;
Reverend Randolph Statten, Coalition of Black Churches;
Gwen Myers, League of Women Voters, MN;
Brad Lehto, Mn AFL-CIO;
Sunday Alabi, Mn ACORN;
Cindy Reichert, City of Minneapolis.
Meeting recessed at 1:47 p.m.
Meeting re-convened at 1:52 p.m.
Vice Chair DeLaForest renewed his motion that HF 1443 pass, as amended, and be placed on the General Register.
Representative Ellison Requested Rollcall:
Ayes: Nayes:
DeLaForest Ellison
Brod Hilty
Dean Lesch
Emmer Simon
Nelson Slawik
Westrom
Motion Prevailed, 6 Ayes and 5 Nayes. THE MOTION PREVAILED.
Vice Chair DeLaForest moved HF 2608 to be laid over for inclusion in the Elections Omnibus Bill.
HF 2608 (Heidgerken) Voting systems for individuals with disabilities requirements modified.
Vice Chair DeLaForest moved Amendment H2608A1. THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.
Vice Chair DeLaForest moved Amendment H2608A2. THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.
Testifying before committee on HF 2608:
Kent Sulem, Mn Association of Townships;
Nancy Barsness, Polk County Clerk;
Barb Welty, Mn Association of Townships;
Ken Rodgers, State Council on Disability;
Judy Sanders, National Federation of the Blind.
Vice Chair DeLaForest moved that HF 2608 pass, as amended, and be laid over for possible inclusion in the elections omnibus bill. THE MOTION PREVAILED.
Vice Chair DeLaForest moved HF 2746 to pass and be placed on the General Register.
Representative Wilkin discussed HF2746.
Representative DeLaForest moved to amend HF 2746 as follows:
Page Two, Line 2.34 – delete “2005” and insert “2006)
Page Five, Lines 5.23 – 5.24, delete entire lines.
THE MOTION PREVAILED.
Vice Chair DeLaForest moved that HF 2746 pass, as amended, and be placed on the Consent Calendar. THE MOTION PREVAILED.
The meeting was adjourned at 2:30 p.m.
REP. JEFF JOHNSON CHAIR
Rebecca Lowden
Committee Legislative Assistant