Assigned to JUDE                                                                                               AS PASSED BY COMMITTEE

ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Fifty-Seventh Legislature, First Regular Session

AMENDED

FACT SHEET FOR S.B. 1319

election officer certification training; yearly

Purpose

Specifies that an election officer's certificate, which must be issued by the Secretary of State before June 1 of each general election year, expires on or by December 31 in the year after the general election.

Background

Statute allows a person to perform the duties of an election officer, a clerk of the board of supervisors, or a county recorder if the person is the holder of an election officer's certificate issued by the Secretary of State before January 1 of each general election year. The Secretary of State may not issue a certificate to a person who has not demonstrated competence to perform the duties to the satisfaction of the Secretary of State.

Elected officials, clerical and secretarial personnel, counting center personnel and precinct election board members and city or town election officials are not required to hold certificates to perform election duties (A.R.S. § 16-407).

There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.

Provisions

1. Requires a person to be the holder of an election officer's certificate issued by the Secretary of State before June 1, rather than January 1, of each general election year to perform the duties of an election officer.

2. Specifies that an election officer's certificate expires on or by December 31 in the year after the general election.

3. Requires the Secretary of State to submit the election officer education and certification plan December 31 of each year, rather than each year of a general election.

4. Specifies that the expected education, training and certification activities plan must outline achievements and problems covering the period from the most recent report through the coming year.

5. Makes technical changes.

6. Becomes effective on the general effective date.

Amendments Adopted by Committee

1. Requires a person to be the holder of an election officer's certificate issued by the Secretary of State before June 1, rather than January 1, of each general election year to perform the duties of an election officer.

2. Requires the Secretary of State to submit the election officer education and certification plan December 31 of each year, rather than December 31 of each general election year.

3. Specifies that the expected education, training and certification activities included in the plan must be of the coming year, rather than the coming two-year period.

Senate Action:

JUDE          2/12/25          DPA          6-0-1

Prepared by Senate Research

February 14, 2025

ZD/AW/ci