The bill, Substitute House Bill No. 5309, concerns the provision of absentee ballots in languages other than English. It amends Section 9-135b of the general statutes, effective July 1, 2024, to include new procedures for the preparation and review of such ballots. The bill requires municipal clerks to submit a sample of each ballot that needs to be available in another language, as mandated by federal or state law, to each member of the town's legislative body or the board of selectmen for comments on the translation. This process must not delay the printing and issuing of ballots as prescribed by law. Additionally, the bill maintains the requirement for a layout model of each absentee ballot to be available for public inspection before printing and mandates that the municipal clerk file one printed absentee ballot with the Secretary of the State, along with an affidavit stating the number of ballots printed.

The fiscal impact statement indicates that there is no state impact, but there is a potential cost to municipalities that may arise from the need to re-translate ballots if the town legislative body requires it. The cost of producing translated ballots is estimated to be $5,000 per document translated. The bill analysis clarifies that the bill's requirements apply to absentee ballots that need to be translated under federal or state law, and it specifies that the town clerk must provide drafts of ballot translations to the appropriate municipal body for review, ensuring that this does not impede the timely printing of ballots. The bill is set to take effect on July 1, 2024.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 9-135b
GAE Joint Favorable Substitute: 9-135b
File No. 481: 9-135b