Charleston, W.Va. - Secretary of State Natalie E. Tennant marked her first legislative session in office with many successes. Her office initiated or supported several bills, including one that helps candidates by changing the timeline for recounts and others that will save the state hundreds of thousands of dollars a year.
The bills now need Governor Joe Manchin's signature to become law.
Senate Bill 764 changes the timeline for recounting ballots in races where the candidate runs in more than one county, such as statewide candidates, state legislators, or circuit court judges. Candidates will have 48 hours to call for a recount starting from the time the final county in the race completes the canvassing of its ballots. This will help the candidate make a more informed decision about whether or not to call for a recount, and potentially save resources for counties.
House Bill 2567 requires state agencies with rule making authority to file those rules electronically. This would save the Secretary of State's office and the state more than $100,000 a year in paper and work hours. The e-filing will begin with a pilot program with several state agencies and eventually require all state agencies e-file by July 1, 2011.
House Bill 3074 is another cost saving measure. It allows the secretary of state's office to notify taxpayers who have delinquent taxes by certified mail rather than registered mail.
House Bill 3194 increases penalties for a person who falsely signs and files a record regarding a limited liability corporation (LLC). The bill would make filing a false record a misdemeanor with a possible fine of $1,000 and a jail term of up to one year. This new law adds consistency to state code by providing identical penalties to those already in place for people who falsely file records regarding corporations.
Tennant supported House Bill 2464, a plan that allows county clerks or county commissions to designate a "satellite precinct" for early voting. In most counties, the county court house or the annex will remain the primary location for early voting. The law does not require counties designate satellite precincts, but does allow each county to make their own decision. The goal of the bill is to make early voting more accessible in counties that cover large areas or counties that have large population centers far from the county court house.
Tennant also supported House Bill 3134, the Vote By Mail Pilot Program. Phase one of the pilot program allows small municipalities to conduct a vote by mail program for their municipal elections beginning in 2010. The next phase of the program allows five municipalities that will be selected by the Secretary of State's office to conduct all their voting by mail beginning with the primary election of 2011.
Tennant has a major infrastructure improvement proposal that will be taken up during the special legislative session to finalize the state budget. The proposal includes enhanced security for the Secretary of State's website and other applications that will streamline the services the office provides.
