Submitted by Jim Womack
Some good news to report. In March & April, we worked our tails off to generate a comprehensive bill addressing Poll Observer authority and permitted activities. We successfully secured sponsors in the House (while the Senate blew us off). The House elections committee chair Grey Mills was one of the four co-sponsors. Our old friend George Cleveland, though, was a primary sponsor as well and he has been pressuring Mills and the others to get the bill moved out of the Elections Committee. After sitting for two full months, the bill moved to the Judiciary Committee yesterday and secured a favorable report. It has been re-referred back to House Rules, Calendar & Operations where it has a good chance of securing passage. I am excited by this movement and hopeful it will proceed next week to the House Floor for 2nd and 3rd readings, then cross over to the Senate for quick consideration.
Here is the action plan-
1. We remain supportive of H772 passing independently through both chambers; and we also support the contents of this bill being rolled into S747 in the House if that's what will be needed to get it passed through both chambers.
2. We will generate a lot of activist calls, faxes, and emails across the House Monday through Thursday of next week to make sure all our targets know the contents of H772 bill are imperative. (We also need to motivate them to move H770 - Cast Vote Records).
3. We will monitor this bill's status at least twice each day so we remain situationally aware of its movement.
4. We will ask George Cleveland, Harry Warren, and Ted Davis to help us keep this bill alive as a top Elections Committee priority.
5. We will work on key House Rules, Calendar & Operations Committee members to ensure they know how important this bill is, as well as H770.
Warm Regards/
Jim Womack
(919) 770-4783