One of Secretary Reed’s requested bills for this session cleared a key hurdle when the Senate Government Operations and Elections Committee passed it Monday.

House Bill 2483 would let military and overseas voters return a ballot by fax or email as long as the voter’s signed declaration is returned with the ballot. It would help ensure that our military and overseas voters can send in their ballot in time to be counted. The bill is headed to the Senate Rules Committee.

Just as he did last week on the military voting measure in the Senate, the Secretary of State testified before the House General Government Appropriations Committee this morning on another bill requested by our agency.

Senate Bill 6540 would move the Combined Fund Drive, a popular workplace giving program, from the Department of Personnel to the Office of Secretary of State. The CFD’s transfer would not require any extra funding. Last week, the Senate unanimously passed SB 6540, sending it to the House.

DOP Director Eva Santos joined Secretary Reed in testifying in favor of SB 6540 today.

Secretary Reed was one of the driving forces behind the Combined Fund Drive’s creation in 1984. Since then, it has grown steadily more popular. The CFD raises nearly $6 million per year from about 20,000 public and higher education employees and retirees for local, national and international communities.

UPDATE: The General Government Appropriations Committee passed SB 6540, so now it goes to the House Rules Committee.