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Election security bill to address insider threats arising from Mesa County

Senate Bill 153, dubbed the Colorado Election Security Act, seeks to increase basic security measures, such as requiring 24/7 surveillance and key card access.

DENVER — Secretary of State Jena Griswold, along with the Colorado County Clerks Association and Democratic lawmakers, is pushing legislation that seeks to clamp down on the kind of alleged election security breach supporters say led to the grand jury indictment last week of Mesa County Clerk and Recorder Tina Peters.

Senate Bill 153, dubbed the Colorado Election Security Act, seeks to increase basic security measures, such as requiring 24/7 surveillance and key card access to rooms where election equipment is stored. In any county of more than 100,000, the bill would prohibit any elected official or candidate from having key card access to a room with voting equipment or devices without being accompanied by someone else with authorized access. For smaller counties, the bill sets up a $500,000 grant to pay for the round-the-clock surveillance or key card access. 

Introduced last Friday by Senate President Steve Fenberg, D-Boulder and Rep. Susan Lontine, D-Denver, the bill is scheduled for its first hearing on Tuesday in the Senate, State, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee.

"As misinformation and conspiracy theories seep into elections, we must take action," Fenberg said during a Monday news conference, adding, "We have seen how fragmented democratic institutions (have become).

SB 153 would also require in-depth training for election workers and officials.

>9NEWS readers can view the full article at Colorado Politics.

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