On the Home Rule Petition, referred on May 25, 2022, Docket #0682, regarding Electronic Application and Transmission of Absentee Ballots for Absent Uniformed Services Voters, the committee submitted a report recommending that the petition ought to pass in a new draft. The report was accepted; the petition was passed in a new draft; yeas 12 (Absent Mejia).
Thank you. Consultation. Consultation seeks acceptance of the committee report and passage of docket 0351. All those in favor say I am opposed. Say no. Docket 0351 is passed. Mr. Court, can you please read docket. 0682068 to the Committee on Government Operations, to which was referred on May 25th, 2022, docket number 0682. Or for a home rule petition regarding electronic application and transmission of absentee ballots for absent uniformed service services voters submits a report recommending that the home rule petition are to pass in a new draft. Thank you. The Chair recognizes Counsel Arroyo, chair of the Committee on Government Operations Counsel. Arroyo You have the floor. Thank you. Counsel President Flynn The Committee on Government Operations had a working session on July 14, 2022, on Docket 0682, a petition for a special law relative to an act on electronic application and transmission of absentee ballots for absent uniformed uniformed services voters, which was sponsored by Councilor Evan Murphy. And at Flynn, I would like to thank my council colleagues for attending Counsel Murphy and Counsel Louie ten. I'd also like to thank members of the administration Robert Santiago, Commissioner of the Mayor's Office of Veteran Services. Anita Tavares, Commissioner of the Boston Election Department. And Sabino Piemonte, head assistant Registrar of Voters for the Boston Elections Department for their participation, as well as the law department for reviewing and providing language suggestions in preparation for the working session. This home rule petition would authorize the city of Boston to allow absent uniform services voters defined as those located outside of their voting district. For absentee ballots electronically. During the working session, we heard from the administration on the limitations of snail mail when sending ballots to uniformed services voters, including the amount of time and the potential changes in assignments and locations. Additionally, to ensure we included all branches of our armed forces, the Air National Guard and the Army National Guard were added to the second whereas clause as well as including overseas citizens. So the title to the title as did not exclude similarly situated individuals protected under the federal law the Uniformed and Overseas Citizen Absentee Voting Act. Lastly, the Committee reviewed the changes by the law department, which was only adding the phrase a secure electronic voting system. In the second section of the second sentence of section one before the word email. As Chair of the Committee on Government Operations, I recommend that this docket ought to pass in a new draft. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Counsel Royal. The chair recognizes counsel and Murphy. Counsel. Murphy. You have the floor. Thank you, President Flynn. And thank you, Chair Arroyo, for your leadership. And I won't repeat what you said. We did have a great session to work through the language and make sure that, as you know, Massachusetts citizens have a right to vote in all elections, even if they're deployed or stationed overseas. And this is going to help those who are overseas make sure they're able to vote. So the uniformed and Overseas Citizen Absentee Voting Act is a federal law that guarantees voting rights for the United States military, who are known as uniformed service voters. So I am also urging our my colleagues that we pass this home rule petition so that we are allowing our military to vote when they're out of their district. So thank you very much. Thank you, Councilor Murphy. I will speak very briefly on this. I just want to echo what Counsel Murphy, Counselor Arroyo, highlighted the importance of making sure that military personnel serving overseas have the same rights as anyone else does in the state. So this would be a tremendous opportunity accomplishment for service members so that they can vote electronically while they're in various other locations outside of the United States. I want to thank my city council colleagues for supporting this. I want to say thank you to my city council colleagues for supporting veterans issues. I want to say thank you also to may as well as well and Commissioner Santiago for their important work as well. Counsel Arroyo seeks acceptance of the committee report and a new draft and passage of Docket 068. To all those in favor, say I like you. Mr. Clerk, can we take a roll call? Vote, please. Roll Call vote on docket 0682. Councilor Arroyo. Yes. Councilor Arroyo. Yes. Councilor Baker. Councilor Baker. A council book. Councilor book. Councilor Brady. Councilor Brady. Councilor Coletta. Councilor Coletta. Yes. Councilor Fernando Sanderson. Councilor for an sense. And yes. Council 30. Yes. Council three. Yes. Councilor Flynn. Yes. Councilor Flynn. Yes. Council Lara. Lara yes. Council Illusion Councilors and yes. Council. Let me here. Councilor Murphy. Councilor Murphy. Yes. And Council. World. Yes. Council. World. Yes. You. Thank you, Doctor. 0682 has passed and a new draft. Mr. Clark, can you please. 3086240685 together, please. Economy 060862 The Canadian Suit City Services Innovation Technology, to which was referred on July 13, 2022. Docket number 086 to message in order for your approval in order to reduce the fiscal year 22 appropriation for the reserve for collective bargaining by $145,115.