ESPC Home | 2003 LAP* Book | Background | Legislator Profiles | Key Votes | LAP* Book Home
Numeric List Accountability Health & Human Services Justice System Education State Employees Taxation & Revenue Wildlife & Environment Worker & Public Safety Tribal Affairs Senior Citizens	HB 172: Help America Vote Act 2003 General Session Sponsor: Rep. Tony Ross (R-H7, Cheyenne); co-sponsor Sen. Curt Meier (R-S3, La Grange) Legislator votes by regions Big Horn Basin Casper-Area Cheyenne-Area Gillette-Area Lander/Riverton-Area Northeast/East Central Sheridan-Area South Central Southwest West Central          HB 172 directed the Wyoming Secretary of State to develop and adopt rules and regulations to comply with the federal Help America Vote Act of 2002.          In 2002, the federal government passed the Help America Vote Act, which was designed to reform our election process nationwide. The federal Help America Vote Act called upon states to replace outdated voting systems, to educate voters on voting procedures and their voting rights, to make polling places more accessible to disabled citizens, to create statewide voter registration databases, to improve ballot review procedures, and to develop provisional ballots to guarantee that eligible voters are never turned away at polling places.          To be eligible for major federal grants to implement election process reforms, states must develop an implementation plan and establish a fund in the state treasury dedicated to it. States must provide a five percent match of federal funds.          HB 172 was intended to move Wyoming toward compliance with the federal law, and to qualify Wyoming to receive federal grants to help pay for the reforms.          The bill appropriated $450,000, to meet the five percent state match requirement for the state to receive additional federal funds. Up to $100,000 from this account would be available to the Secretary of State to develop the state plan that is required under the federal legislation.          Supporters pointed to the problems of the 2000 elections to justify the clear need for election process reform.          The House amended the appropriation in the bill down to $200,000, and then passed it, 58-1 (one excused). Representative Bob Brechtel (R-H38, Casper) cast the only vote against the bill.          The Senate amended the bill to specify that its appropriation constituted one-time-only funding, and then passed the bill unanimously.