Absentee voting; eligibility of persons whose polling place prohibits firearms. (SB1441)

Introduced By

Sen. Glen Sturtevant (R-Midlothian)

Progress

Introduced
Passed Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate
Signed by Governor
Became Law

Description

Absentee voting; eligibility of persons whose polling place prohibits firearms. Entitles any person who may otherwise lawfully carry a firearm to vote absentee if his polling place is located in a building or on property where such possession is prohibited by law or is prohibited by the owner of private property. Read the Bill »

Outcome

Bill Has Failed

History

DateAction
01/13/2017Presented and ordered printed 17103337D
01/13/2017Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
01/24/2017Impact statement from DPB (SB1441)
01/24/2017Reported from Privileges and Elections (12-Y 2-N) (see vote tally)
01/26/2017Constitutional reading dispensed (40-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
01/27/2017Read second time and engrossed
01/30/2017Passed by for the day
01/31/2017Passed by for the day
02/01/2017Passed by for the day
02/02/2017Read third time and passed Senate (25-Y 14-N) (see vote tally)
02/06/2017Placed on Calendar
02/06/2017Read first time
02/06/2017Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
02/06/2017Assigned P & E sub: Elections
02/06/2017Impact statement from DPB (SB1441)
02/07/2017Subcommittee recommends laying on the table
02/21/2017Left in Privileges and Elections

Video

This bill was discussed on the floor of the General Assembly. Below is all of the video that we have of that discussion, 2 clips in all, totaling 1 minute.

Transcript

This is a transcript of the video clips in which this bill is discussed.

FOR POWHATAN COUNTY. I HOPE YOU COME BACK AND VISIT US OFTEN. I'D ASK THE MEMBERS OF THE SENATE TO PLEASE JOIN ME IN OFFERING MEMBERS FROM THE POWHATAN LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE THE WARM WELCOME OF THE SENATE. [ APPLAUSE ] THE SENIOR SENATOR FROM RICHMOND CITY. MR. PRESIDENT, JOINING US IN THE GALLERY TODAY ARE MEMBERS OF THE VIRGINIA NURSES ASSOCIATION WHO ARE HERE LOBBYING FOR -- ON ISSUES IMPORTANT TO THEM. FOR MORE THAN A CENTURY, MR. PRESIDENT, THE VIRGINIA NURSES ASSOCIATION HAS HAD A


Sen. Tommy Norment (R-Williamsburg): BODY IS PARTICULARLY PROUD AND APPRECIATIVE OF THE EXTRAORDINARY SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION THAT WE HAVE IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, AND ONE OF THE REAL STALL WORST -- STALLWORTHS IS THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM, AND WE'RE VERY PLEASED TO HAVE US TODAY REPRESENTATIVES FROM THOMAS NELSON COMMUNITY COLLEGE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT ALL OF THE COMMUNITY COLLEGES HAVE BEEN WORKING ON AND PARTICULARLY THOMAS NELSON IS THE WORKFORCE TRAINING PROGRAMS, AND THROUGH VARIOUS INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIPS, THOMAS NELSON HAS BEEN ABLE TO RESPOND TO THE COMMUNITY NEEDS AND EXPAND THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR MULTI-SKILLED TECHNICIANS.

Comments

ACLU-VA Voting Rights, tracking this bill in Photosynthesis, notes:

The ACLU strongly supports legislation that allows all Virginia voters to vote by absentee ballot either by mail or in-person without providing a reason. The ACLU of Virginia continues to be concerned about the effects and limitations of the current excuse-based system and encourages legislators to enact a truly equal “no-excuse” absentee voting law that is available in-person and by mail for all Virginia voters. If Virginia law limits no-excuse absentee voting to in-person only, qualified voters may be excluded from participating based upon a lack of readily accessible transportation, geography, income status, and the constraints of modern-day individuals and families. The “excuse-based” absentee voting law also continues to present concerns that certain classes of voters are being elevated. The excused-based system also continues to threaten the privacy of voters who vote by absentee ballot. The law currently requires voters to disclose private and sensitive information in order to vote by absentee ballot. And, this information is being required by a law that provides no assurance that the information will be held confidential and secure, or that it will be available to defend against allegations of absentee ballot fraud, which is a class 4 felony for which there is no statute of limitations. We strongly advocate that all voters should be permitted to vote by absentee ballot.