Sep. 12, 2022
HARRISBURG - Continuing its work to improve the election process in Pennsylvania, the House State Government Committee today approve three election-related bills, its chairman, Rep. Seth Grove (R-York) said.
“The bills approved by the committee touch on three facets of elections – securing ballots, proper voter registration list maintenance and equality for all candidates in General Elections,” Grove said. “Each of these bills play a role in further securing our elections and invoking greater trust in the results.”
The bills approved by the committee are:
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House Bill 34, sponsored by Rep. Gary Day (R-Berks/Lehigh), would establish guidelines for the transportation of ballots to ensure election ballots are not misplaced, tampered with, over/under counted or delayed in shipping. It would require ballots to be transported in sealed containers with numbered plastic tags and a Bill of Lading, essentially a manifest and receipt, with each shipment.
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House Bill 143, sponsored by Rep. Russ Diamond (R-Lebanon), would require the Department of Health and the Department of State to work together to streamline the process of removing deceased voters from the rolls. Specifically, it would mandate a monthly report of the names of deceased individuals to be removed from the voter database.
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House Bill 2484, sponsored by Rep. Lori Mizgorski (R-Allegheny), would extend the requirements for filing a statement of financial interests to all candidates, including write-in candidates who advanced in primary elections or who appear on the ballot in a General Election.
All the bills now go to the full House for consideration.
In addition, the committee unanimously approved a request to the Independent Regulatory Review Commission that it review a series of regulations. The move is part of the House of Representatives efforts to reform the state’s regulatory landscape, ensure government is working for the people and to get rid of unnecessary or unhelpful administrative restrictions.