SPONSOR: Hinman
COMMITTEE ACTION: Voted "Do Pass" by the Standing Committee on Elections by a vote of 9 to 0. Voted "Do Pass" by the Standing Committee on Rules-Administrative by a vote of 10 to 0.
Currently, the filing time for declarations of candidacy for offices in political subdivisions or special districts not otherwise specified in law or charter is from the 17th Tuesday prior to the election through the 14th Tuesday prior to the election. This bill moves the filing time by one week, from the 16th Tuesday prior to the election to the 13th Tuesday prior to the election.
The bill also provides that if the 13th Tuesday prior to the election is a State or Federal holiday, the closing filing date shall be the next day that is not a State or Federal holiday.
This bill is the same as HB 1604 (2024) and HB 1214 (2023).
PROPONENTS: Supporters say that the filing dates were altered several years ago. Due to an oversight in that bill, State statute does not provide a remedy for a situation in which the last day to file for office coincides with a State or Federal holiday. The current filing period often ends near Christmas Day and New Year's Day, days during which the offices of the political subdivisions tasked with accepting the filing are typically closed. This bill gives candidates another chance to file if the last day falls on a holiday. This will also improve safety for those officials of political subdivisions that do accept filings on days that all other staff are out of the office.
Testifying in person for the bill were Representative Hinman; Deanna L. Jones, City of Berkeley, Missouri City Clerk, and Finance Officers Association; Municipal League Metro St. Louis; Missouri Municipal League; Arnie Dienoff; Eric Fey, St. Louis County Election Board; City of St. Peters.
OPPONENTS: There was no opposition voiced to the committee.
Written testimony has been submitted for this bill. The full written testimony and witnesses testifying online can be found under Testimony on the bill page on the House website.
Statutes affected: