House File 239 - Introduced



                                       HOUSE FILE       
                                       BY  SMITH


    Passed House,  Date               Passed Senate, Date             
    Vote:  Ayes        Nays           Vote:  Ayes        Nays         
                 Approved                            

                                      A BILL FOR

  1 An Act relating to delivery of absentee ballots to certain health
  2    care facilities and hospitals.
  3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
  4 TLSB 1173HH 83
  5 sc/nh/8

PAG LIN



  1  1    Section 1.  Section 53.22, subsection 1, paragraph a, Code
  1  2 2009, is amended by adding the following new subparagraph:
  1  3    NEW SUBPARAGRAPH.  (1A)  Notwithstanding subparagraph (1)
  1  4 and subsection 3, the commissioner shall, upon receipt of an
  1  5 application under this section, contact the applicant by
  1  6 telephone to determine whether the applicant wishes to have
  1  7 the absentee ballot mailed to the applicant.  If the applicant
  1  8 wishes to have the absentee ballot delivered by mail, the
  1  9 commissioner shall proceed under section 53.8, subsections 1
  1 10 and 2.  If the commissioner is unable to make contact with the
  1 11 applicant by telephone within four days of receiving the
  1 12 application, the applicant shall be delivered the absentee
  1 13 ballot in the manner provided in subparagraph (1).  If section
  1 14 53.8, subsection 3, applies to an application received by the
  1 15 commissioner, the commissioner shall not mail the notice
  1 16 required under section 53.8, subsection 3, until the
  1 17 commissioner has contacted the applicant by telephone or after
  1 18 four days following the receipt of the application, whichever
  1 19 is earlier.
  1 20                           EXPLANATION
  1 21    Under current law, a resident of a health care facility or
  1 22 hospital who makes application for an absentee ballot is, in
  1 23 most circumstances, delivered the ballot by two special
  1 24 precinct election officials appointed by the county
  1 25 commissioner of elections.  This bill provides that, upon
  1 26 receipt of an application for an absentee ballot by a resident
  1 27 of a health care facility or hospital, the commissioner shall
  1 28 attempt to contact the applicant by telephone to determine
  1 29 whether the applicant wishes to have the absentee ballot
  1 30 delivered by mail.  If the commissioner is unable to make
  1 31 telephone contact with the applicant within four days of
  1 32 receipt of the application, the ballot shall be delivered to
  1 33 the applicant by the two special precinct election officials.
  1 34 LSB 1173HH 83
  1 35 sc/nh/8