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GAE Committee Hearing Transcript for 02/22/2021

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GAE Committee Hearing Transcript for 02/22/2021 1 February 22, 2021 si/ GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION 10:30 A.M. AND ELECTIONS COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS: Senator Mae Flexer, Representative Daniel Fox SENATORS: Haskell, McCrory, Sampson, Slap REPRESENTATIVES: Blumenthal, Carpino, Fishbein, France, Haddad, Labriola, Mastrofrancesco, McCarthy Vahey, Morrin Bello, Palm, Rosario, Santiago, Thomas REP. FOX (148TH): I'd like to go ahead and call to order today's Government Administration & Elections Public Hearing Agenda for Monday February 22, 2021. Before beginning, any remarks or comments from the Chairs? Senator Flexer, any comments or remarks? SENATOR FLEXER (29TH): No. Thank you, Mr. Chair. REP. FOX (148TH): Senator Sampson or Representative Mastrofrancesco, any opening remarks? SENATOR SAMPSON (16TH): Good morning, Mr. Chairman and good morning to the rest of the Members and members of the public that are here to testify, and everyone watching. I'll just make the same caveat I've made at the beginning of all of our meetings and hearings, which is I'd like to register my objection to the entire Zoom process for hearings and Committee meetings. I do believe that while it is affording some additional access for some folks, it is also limiting access for others in the sense that there are some folks that just don't have the technology to access their state government through Zoom. They either don't understand the technology or they do not possess it or they don't have access to the internet where they are in the state, and I just want to make sure that was on the record. 2 February 22, 2021 si/ GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION 10:30 A.M. AND ELECTIONS COMMITTEE And it's not lost on me today the irony, considering we are talking about expanding access for eligibility in voting, while we are somehow limiting access for folks to petition their government. With that, Mr. Chairman, thank you for your indulgence and I look forward to a good hearing today. REP. FOX (148TH): Thank you, Senator Flexer. Representative Mastrofrancesco, any comments? REP. MASTROFRANCESCO (80TH): Yes, thank you, Mr. Chairman and Senator Flexer. Nice to see everyone and just welcome everybody here today. I think it's really important, whether you agree with an issue or don't agree with an issue that people come out and testify. It's very important for our process and the legislative process. And I would ask that, today, Mr. Chairman, when you're calling the names, would you mind calling them, put the number of order that they are in so it'd be easier for people that are trying to track when they are coming up, to know? REP. FOX (148TH): Of course. REP. MASTROFRANCESCO (80TH): That would be very helpful. I'm looking forward today listening to everybody's testimony on such an important issue. Thank you. REP. FOX (148TH): Thank you very much, Representative. We'll go ahead and do that. For beginners, seeing that it's our first virtual public hearing, a few announcements we want to make in terms of process, so just bear with me. The first that this is a new process for many of us, and there could be some technical difficulties during the hearing. We're asking that everyone be patient and tolerant as we work through the challenges. 3 February 22, 2021 si/ GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION 10:30 A.M. AND ELECTIONS COMMITTEE Number two, please be reminded that public hearings are livestreamed and recorded according to CGA requirements, so this is being recorded. Number three, Committee Members, must raise their virtual hand and wait to be recognized by the Chair when they wish to speak. All microphones must remain on the mute until invited to speak. Number four, if you're joining the hearing from a mobile device, press *6 to mute or unmute, *9 to raise your virtual hand. Number five, Committee staff will indicate when a registrant has reached the three-minutes allotted time for remarks or testimony by playing a school bell sound. Staff will now play this sound so you may recognize it when you're testifying. VALENTINA MEHMETI: Did you hear that? REP. FOX (148TH): Not really. A little better. But regardless, we will notify you when the three- minute mark is over and ask that you wrap up your testimony at that point in time. Number six, registrants will be removed from the hearing platform upon the completion of their testimony or the completion of questions and answers by the Committee. Registrants can continue watching the hearing live on YouTube or CTN. Disruptive or inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated and may result in removal from the hearing. Finally, if your connection drops or you close out of the public hearing by accident, please return to it using the link provided by the Committee. With those notices made, we're going to begin our testimony. First up on our list is Representative Jonathan Steinberg, followed by Denis Merrill, Secretary of the State, followed by Kimberly 4 February 22, 2021 si/ GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION 10:30 A.M. AND ELECTIONS COMMITTEE Fiorello, Representative from Greenwich. Representative Steinberg. REP. STEINBERG (136TH): Thank you, Mr. Chair. Good morning, Chairs, Ranking Members, and all Members of the GA Committee. I am proud to be the first to testify in favor of Joint Resolutions 58, allowing no-excuse absentee voting, and 59, to allow for early voting. Of all the legislation we are considering this year, and there are many important pieces of legislation directly related to the COVID crisis, I view this as perhaps some of the most important legislation we can be considering this year, and I want to commend the Secretary of the State Denise Merrill for her perseverance and commitment to making sure that everyone who is eligible to vote has access to doing so. You know, a year ago we were on the cusp of debating a Bill such of this nature, and then the world changed around us. And if there were concerns about our ability to manage early voting and no-excuse absentee voting, I think we had some of those questions answered. There was, under the most trying of circumstances, no evidence of widespread fraud. Nobody, to my knowledge, caught COVID from any of the ballot depository boxes, or none of them were set on fire. We basically were able to conduct a vote in which we had, in many communities, record turnout. And again, without any of the problems that those who intended to undermine this process suggested would occur. And I would argue that if we could do those things under the most trying of circumstances, we now have confidence we can do this on a regular basis. I would submit that the idea of a single Election Day is a bit of an anachronism in this day and age. With our abilities and technology and ability to verify the suitability of someone to vote, we should be making it possible for everybody who is eligible to vote to make that possible, and not limit it to one week day a year, people may or may not have the 5 February 22, 2021 si/ GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION 10:30 A.M. AND ELECTIONS COMMITTEE day off, and make it possible for them to register their vote in a more straightforward, convenient fashion. Because voting is a privilege and a right and we should make it possible for people to do so. All I'm here to say today is, this is incredibly important legislation. Connecticut lags behind many other states, and we are challenged by having some of these laws enshrined in Constitution, making it much more challenging to do so. I'm eager to see this Legislature vote by significant majority, super majorities, in favor of these two pieces of legislation, so that we can put it to the voters and move forward, giving them the access that they deserve. Thank you, Mr. Chair. SENATOR SAMPSON (16TH): Pardon me, Mr. Chairman. You are muted so nobody's hearing you. REP. FOX (148TH): Might be a good thing. Any questions or comments for Representative Steinberg? Representative, if I may ask you a quick question. Early in your testimony you stated how this, in your opinion, is one of the most important issues that the GA may face this Session. Seeing as you are Chair of a Committee which I understand and appreciate has some significant issues before us as well, could you expand on that a little? REP. STEINBERG (136TH): Thank you, yes. Yes, I would certainly concur with you. The Public Health Committee has a few Bills on its side that may be pretty controversial and important as well. But this speaks to the heart of the franchise for voting in this country. This is an opportunity for every citizen to take that responsibility of participating in government seriously, because this is the means by which we elect the people who are in charge of making decisions, in many ways, for us. It's critically important that everybody, not only have access, but begin to take responsibility for their votes. We want to increase the turnout in every 6 February 22, 2021 si/ GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION 10:30 A.M. AND ELECTIONS COMMITTEE election; again, with appropriate safeguards to make sure that people are eligible. But it's critically important, more important than almost anything else we do, and given the challenges we've faced as a democracy and a republic in the past year or two, to my mind, there's no more important way to get people participating and feeling invested in government than voting on a regular basis.
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