Sec. 9-192a. Committee to establish programs and procedures for training, examining and certifying registrars, deputies and assistants. Training program for poll workers. - Connecticut Statutes

      Sec. 9-192a. Committee to establish programs and procedures for training, examining and certifying registrars, deputies and assistants. Training program for poll workers. (a) There is created a committee for the purpose of establishing programs and procedures for training, examining and certifying registrars of voters, deputy registrars of voters and permanent assistants, as described in section 9-192. The committee shall consist of six members, one of whom shall be from the office of the Secretary of the State, one of whom shall be from the State Elections Enforcement Commission, and four of whom shall be registrars of voters. The Secretary of the State shall appoint the registrars of voters, in consultation with the Registrars of Voters Association of Connecticut, or its successor organization. The committee members shall serve without pay. The Secretary of the State shall determine the length of the terms of the initial members, in accordance with the following: Two of such members shall serve for a one-year term; two of such members shall serve for a two-year term; and two of such members shall serve for a four-year term. Thereafter, all members shall serve for four-year terms. The committee shall select a chairperson, who shall be one of the registrars who is a member of the committee.

      (b) The committee shall adopt criteria for the training, examination and certification requirements of registrars, deputies and permanent assistants. In the adoption of such criteria, the committee (1) shall consider whether the prescribed training leading to certification may, in part, be satisfied through participation in the required two conferences a year called by the Secretary of the State, pursuant to section 9-6, for purposes of discussing the election laws, procedures or matters related to election laws and procedures, and (2) may recommend programs at one or more institutions of higher education that satisfy such criteria. Any registrar of voters, deputy or permanent assistant may participate in the course of training prescribed by the committee and, upon completing such training and successfully completing any examination or examinations prescribed by the committee, shall be recommended by the committee to the Secretary of the State as a candidate for certification as a certified Connecticut registrar of voters. The Secretary of the State shall certify any such qualified, recommended candidate as a certified Connecticut registrar of voters. The Secretary of the State may rescind any such certificate only upon a finding, by a majority of the committee, of sufficient cause as defined by the criteria adopted pursuant to this subsection. No provision of this subsection shall require any registrar of voters, deputy or permanent assistant to be a certified registrar of voters.

      (c) The committee shall also (1) develop a training program in election procedures for poll workers, and (2) develop an election law and procedures training program and guide for registrars, deputy registrars and assistant registrars. The training program developed under subdivision (2) of this section shall provide for training to be conducted by trained registrars or former registrars hired for such purpose by the Secretary of the State. The committee shall submit such training programs and training guide to the Secretary of the State, who shall approve or modify the programs and guide.

      (P.A. 98-67, S. 6, 10; P.A. 05-235, S. 20; P.A. 06-196, S. 54.)

      History: P.A. 98-67 effective July 1, 1998; P.A. 05-235 divided provisions of existing Subsec. (a) into new Subsecs. (a) and (b), included existing Subsecs. (b) and (c) in new Subsec. (b) and made technical changes therein, and added new Subsec. (c) requiring committee to develop training program in election procedures for poll workers and an election law and procedures training program and guide for registrars, deputies and assistants, effective July 1, 2005; P.A. 06-196 made technical changes in Subsec. (b), effective June 7, 2006.