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Bills · 2023-2024 Regular Session

AB 476

Vetoed Official bill text Atom feed

Relating to: filling vacancies in elective state offices in the executive branch.

Attorney general Elections Governor — Appointments Legislature Legislature — Committees Secretary of state State superintendent of public instruction Treasurer — State

  1. Introduced, completed
  2. Passes Assembly, completed
  3. Passes Senate, stopped here
  4. Governor signs, not reached
  5. Law, not reached

Unfamiliar terms? Glossary

What this bill does

Plain-language analysis by the nonpartisan Legislative Reference Bureau

Currently, the governor fills by appointment all vacancies in the offices of

secretary of state, treasurer, attorney general, and state superintendent of public

instruction. The person appointed to fill any such vacancy is not subject to senate

confirmation and holds office until a successor is elected by special election and

qualified. If no special election is held, the person appointed by the governor holds

office for the remainder of the unexpired term.

This bill eliminates the ability of the governor to fill vacancies in these offices

by appointment without senate confirmation, instead providing that the vacancies

are filled by special election. However under the bill, if a vacancy occurs in any of

these offices on or after January 1 of a year in which there is a regularly scheduled

election for the office, the vacancy must be filled by nomination of the governor and

appointment with the advice and consent of the senate of a person to serve the

remainder of the unexpired term.

Sponsors

Introduced by: Behnke (R) , Brandtjen (R) , Brooks (R) , Edming (R) , Goeben (R) , Green (R) , Gundrum (R) , Gustafson (R) , Kitchens (R) , Magnafici (R) , Michalski (R) , Murphy (R) , O'Connor (R) , Rozar (R) , Schutt (R) , Steffen (R)

6 cosponsors

Ballweg (R) , Bodden (R) , James (R) , Maxey (R) , Tomczyk (R) , Wichgers (R)

Votes

Assembly: Report passage recommended by Committee on Campaigns and Elections, Ayes 5, Noes 3

Passed 5–3 Nov 7, 2023 official source full page

No individual roll call was recorded for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Senate: Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Government Operations, Ayes 3, Noes 2

Passed 3–2 Feb 6, 2024 official source full page

No individual roll call was recorded for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Senate: CONCURRENCE

Passed 22–10 Feb 20, 2024 official source full page

Full history

  1. Oct 12, 2023 · Assembly

    Introduced by Representatives Magnafici, Behnke, Brandtjen, Brooks, Edming, Goeben, Green, Gundrum, Gustafson, Kitchens, Michalski, Murphy, O'Connor, Rozar, Schutt and Steffen; cosponsored by Senators Tomczyk, Ballweg and James

  2. Oct 12, 2023 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Campaigns and Elections

  3. Oct 30, 2023 · Assembly

    Representative Wichgers added as a coauthor

  4. Oct 31, 2023 · Assembly

    Public hearing held

  5. Nov 7, 2023 · Assembly

    Executive action taken

  6. Nov 7, 2023 · Assembly

    Representative Bodden added as a coauthor

  7. Nov 7, 2023 · Assembly

    Report passage recommended by Committee on Campaigns and Elections, Ayes 5, Noes 3

  8. Nov 7, 2023 · Assembly

    Referred to committee on Rules

  9. Nov 7, 2023 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar 11-9-2023 by Committee on Rules

  10. Nov 8, 2023 · Assembly

    Representative Maxey added as a coauthor

  11. Nov 9, 2023 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  12. Nov 9, 2023 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  13. Nov 9, 2023 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  14. Nov 9, 2023 · Assembly

    Read a third time and passed

  15. Nov 9, 2023 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  16. Nov 10, 2023 · Senate

    Received from Assembly

  17. Nov 13, 2023 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to committee on Government Operations

  18. Feb 1, 2024 · Senate

    Public hearing held

  19. Feb 6, 2024 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  20. Feb 6, 2024 · Senate

    Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Government Operations, Ayes 3, Noes 2

  21. Feb 6, 2024 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  22. Feb 19, 2024 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 2-20-2024 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  23. Feb 20, 2024 · Senate

    Read a second time

  24. Feb 20, 2024 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  25. Feb 20, 2024 · Senate

    Rules suspended to give bill its third reading

  26. Feb 20, 2024 · Senate

    Read a third time and concurred in, Ayes 22, Noes 10

  27. Feb 20, 2024 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  28. Feb 20, 2024 · Assembly

    Received from Senate concurred in

  29. Feb 26, 2024 · Assembly

    Report correctly enrolled on 2-26-2024

  30. Mar 18, 2024 · Assembly

    Presented to the Governor on 3-18-2024

  31. Mar 21, 2024 · Assembly

    Report vetoed by the Governor on 3-21-2024

  32. May 14, 2024 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar 5-14-2024 pursuant to Joint Rule 82 (2)(a)

  33. May 15, 2024 · Assembly

    Failed to pass notwithstanding the objections of the Governor pursuant to Joint Rule 82