On February 12, the Kentucky House Elections Committee passed HB 70, which makes it easier for ex-felons to regain voting rights. Current law requires a complicated application by an ex-felon to regain the right to vote; the bill would provide that ex-felons automatically regain the right to vote. The bill excludes ex-felons who had been in prison for murder or sex crimes. Thanks to Ed Still for this news.
On February 8, the Montana Senate defeated SB 290, the National Popular Vote plan for presidential elections. The vote was 30-20. The sponsor, Senator Rick Laible, is a Republican. However, on the Senate floor, he was the only Republican to vote for the bill. All other Republicans, as well as 6 Democrats, voted against it. This is the first instance in any state at which any Democratic state legislators have voted against the plan. If all the Democratic Senators had voted for it, it would have narrowly passed.
On January 24, 2007, the Congressional Research Service issued a report saying HR 328, if enacted, would be unconstitutional. HR 328 is Eleanor Holmes Norton’s bill to give DC a voting member of the US House, plus another seat for Utah. The report can be seen here.
February 13 editions of major newspapers are reporting that legislative leaders in Alabama expect to move the Alabama presidential primary from February 5 to February 2. Also, New York legislative leaders are apparently in agreement on a plan to move New York’s primary from early March to February 5.
On February 22, the Nebraska Senate Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee will hear LB 460. This bill eliminates Nebraska’s presidential primary, which has always been held in May. Instead it would direct political parties to hold precinct caucuses in early February for the ultimate purpose of choosing the state’s delegates to national conventions. Thanks to The Green Papers for this news.
