This bill proposes to amend current statutes regarding the Elections Procedures Manual (EPM) by clarifying the authority of the Secretary of State (SOS) in adopting this manual. Specifically, it asserts that the requirement for the SOS to adopt an official instructions and procedures manual shall not be interpreted as an excessive delegation of legislative powers. Additionally, it emphasizes that the EPM will only have the force of law for provisions that the Legislature has explicitly authorized the SOS to include, distinguishing these from sections included under the general authority granted to the SOS.

The bill also includes a new provision that states the EPM's authority is limited to those specific provisions authorized by the Legislature, thereby reinforcing the legislative oversight over election procedures. The current language regarding the force of law of the EPM remains unchanged, but the new language aims to clarify the scope of the SOS's authority in relation to the manual.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 16-452
House Engrossed Version: 16-452