Absentee voting; witness signature not required. (SB1097)
Introduced By
Sen. Barbara Favola (D-Arlington) with support from co-patrons Del. Patrick Hope (D-Arlington), Del. Kaye Kory (D-Falls Church), Del. Rodney Willett (D-Henrico), Sen. Jennifer McClellan (D-Richmond), and Sen. Scott Surovell (D-Mount Vernon)
Progress
✓ |
Introduced |
✓ |
Passed Committee |
✓ |
Passed House |
✓ |
Passed Senate |
✓ |
Signed by Governor |
☐ |
Became Law |
Description
Absentee voting; witness signature not required during declared state of emergency related to a communicable disease of public health threat. Provides that a voter's failure to have a witness sign the absentee ballot envelope for any election held during a declared state of emergency related to a communicable disease of public health threat shall not be considered a material omission and shall not render the ballot void. The bill directs the Department of Elections to convene a work group to consider and evaluate alternatives to the witness signature requirement for election officials to use to verify that an absentee ballot was cast by the voter identified as having requested and received such ballot. Read the Bill »
Status
03/18/2021: signed by governor
History
| Date | Action |
|---|---|
| 11/09/2020 | Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/13/21 21100137D |
| 11/09/2020 | Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections |
| 01/15/2021 | Impact statement from DPB (SB1097) |
| 01/19/2021 | Reported from Privileges and Elections (9-Y 6-N) (see vote tally) |
| 01/21/2021 | Constitutional reading dispensed (39-Y 0-N) (see vote tally) |
| 01/22/2021 | Read second time and engrossed |
| 01/25/2021 | Read third time and passed Senate (21-Y 18-N) (see vote tally) |
| 02/02/2021 | Placed on Calendar |
| 02/02/2021 | Read first time |
| 02/02/2021 | Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections |
| 02/08/2021 | Continued to Special Session 1 in Privileges and Elections |
| 02/10/2021 | Assigned P & E sub: Election Administration |
| 02/16/2021 | House subcommittee amendments and substitutes offered |
| 02/16/2021 | Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (5-Y 3-N) |
| 02/17/2021 | Reported from Privileges and Elections with substitute (13-Y 9-N) (see vote tally) |
| 02/17/2021 | Committee substitute printed 21200289D-H1 |
| 02/19/2021 | Impact statement from DPB (SB1097H1) |
| 02/19/2021 | Read second time |
| 02/22/2021 | Read third time |
| 02/22/2021 | Committee substitute agreed to 21200289D-H1 |
| 02/22/2021 | Engrossed by House - committee substitute SB1097H1 |
| 02/22/2021 | Passed House with substitute (55-Y 45-N) |
| 02/22/2021 | VOTE: Passage (55-Y 45-N) |
| 02/23/2021 | Reconsideration of House substitute agreed to by Senate (39-Y 0-N) |
| 02/23/2021 | House substitute agreed to by Senate (22-Y 17-N) |
| 02/23/2021 | Title replaced 21200289D-H1 |
| 02/25/2021 | Enrolled |
| 02/25/2021 | Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB1097ER) |
| 02/25/2021 | Signed by President |
| 02/26/2021 | Impact statement from DPB (SB1097ER) |
| 02/26/2021 | Signed by Speaker |
| 03/01/2021 | Enrolled Bill Communicated to Governor on March 1, 2021 |
| 03/01/2021 | G Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 31, 2021 |
| 03/18/2021 | G Approved by Governor-Chapter 235 (effective 7/1/21) |
| 03/18/2021 | G Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0235) |