Both houses of the Oklahoma legislature have passed SB 91, which requires birth certificates for presidential candidates running in a presidential primary. However, the House amended the bill, and on May 3, the Senate refused to accept the House amendment. Therefore, the bill has been sent to a conference committee.

The House amendment says that a certified copy is sufficient, for a candidate born abroad who is a child of a citizen of the United States. The original bill demands the original, and does not permit a certified copy.

On May 4, the Florida Senate tabled SB 2086, and passed HB 1355 on second reading. These are similar (but not identical) bills that revise many election laws. Both bills make it almost impossible for a new party, or an old minor party that doesn’t have FEC recognition, to place a presidential nominee on the ballot. However, the House bill is worse. It requires a petition signed by 335,630 signatures to place a presidential candidate on the ballot, whereas the Senate bill requires 167,815.

It seems likely that the Senate will pass HB 1355 on Thursday, May 5. The legislature adjourns on May 6. It is difficult to believe that Florida’s Republican legislators can pass a bill like this, given that the Florida Constitution says, “The requirements for a candidate with no party affiliation or for a candidate of a minor party for placement of the candidate’s name on the ballot shall be no greater than the requirements for a candidate of the party having the largest number of registered voters.” That provision is in Article VI, section 1. The voters passed it in November 1998. All Florida legislators took an oath to support their state’s constitution when they were sworn in.

On May 3, the California Senate Elections Committee passed SB 448. The three Democrats voted “yes” and the two Republicans voted “No.” The bill says that anyone circulating an initiative, referendum or recall petition must wear a badge. If the circulator is being compensated, it must say the circulator is being paid. If the circulator is not being paid, it must say “volunteer.” It also says the badge must name the California county in which the circulator is registered. If the circulator is not registered to vote, the badge must say that. The badge must be worn on the chest and must by clearly visible, with 30-point type.

In 2008 the 9th circuit ruled in Nader v Brewer that states cannot bar out-of-state circulators. That was an Arizona case, but is binding on all the states of the 9th circuit, including California. SB 448 seems to assume that all circulators in California will never been registered to vote in another state.

This bill should not be confused with AB 481, which also requires all circulators to wear a badge indicating paid or volunteer, but which says nothing about the circulator’s registration status.