 |
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fifth Legislature, First Regular Session
procedures manual; JLAC approval
Purpose
Requires the Secretary of State's official instructions and procedures manual (elections procedures manual) to be submitted to the Joint Legislative Audit Committee (JLAC) for review and approval prior to issuance.
Background
The Secretary of State must create an elections procedures manual on the procedures for early voting and voting, and of producing, distributing, collecting, counting, tabulating and storing ballots. The elections procedures manual must be issued no later than December 31 of each odd-numbered year immediately preceding the general election. The elections procedures manual must be approved by the Governor and Attorney General prior to issuance by October 1 of the year before each general election (A.R.S. § 16-452).
JLAC is a statutory committee that consists of five members of the Senate who are appointed by the President of the Senate and five members of the House of Representatives who are appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. A member of each chamber's Appropriations Committee must sit on JLAC. JLAC must: 1) oversee all audit functions of the legislature and state agencies; 2) appoint an Auditor General subject to approval by a concurrent resolution of the Legislature; 3) have the power of legislative subpoena; 4) require state agencies to comply with findings and directions of JLAC; and 5) perform all functions required by statute relating to the sunset review of state agencies (A.R.S. § 41-1279).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Requires the elections procedures manual to be approved by JLAC, rather than the Governor and Attorney General, before issuance.
2. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
January 28, 2021
MH/ML/gs