HF 146 – Prohibited Gambling Activities
HF 506 – Absentee Ballots
COMMITTEE ACTION:
HF 146 makes changes concerning prohibited activities and penalties for gambling games on excursion gambling boats and gambling structures.
Currently, a person who places a bet after acquiring knowledge not available to all players of the outcome of the gambling game commits a class “D” felony regardless of the amount of the bet and is barred for life from excursion gambling boats and gambling structures after a single offense. The bill strikes this provision and provides that a person who places, removes, increases or decreases a bet after acquiring knowledge of the outcome of the gambling game commits the offense of unlawful betting. A person is guilty of a class “D” felony if the potential winnings from the unlawful bet exceed $1,000 in value, an aggravated misdemeanor if they exceed $500 in value but not $1,000 in value, a serious misdemeanor if they exceed $200 in value not $500 in value, or a simple misdemeanor if they do not exceed $200 in value. Two convictions of the offense of unlawful betting will result in being barred for life from excursion gambling boats and gambling structures. The bill passed the House 97-2. [4/1: 14-0 (Bertrand excused)].
HF 506 provides that absentee ballots must be received by the county auditor before the polls close on Election Day, except for military and overseas ballots. Military and overseas ballots must be received by noon on the Monday following the election to be counted.
The State Government Committee adopted an amendment striking everything after the enacting clause and making HF 506 identical to SF 328. The proposed Committee amendment changes the deadlines for absentee ballots. Under current law, an absentee ballot received by a county auditor is valid if it is received before the polls close on Election Day, or if it is clearly postmarked by an officially authorized postal service not later than the day before the election, and is received by the county auditor not later than noon on the Monday following the election. The amendment makes these changes:
- For an absentee ballot to be counted, it must be received through the postal service (but a postmark is not required) at the county auditor office by the close of business (5 p.m.) the day after Election Day; or the absentee ballot must be clearly postmarked by an officially authorized postal service no later than the day before the election and received no later than noon on the Monday following the election.
- Military and overseas absentee ballots will be counted through 12 noon on the Monday following the election.
[4/1: 9-5 party-line (Bertrand excused)].