Commentary: State bills would clarify election law, punish cyber bullies
As a member of the Assembly Republican Caucus, I have fought for everyday Californians all year long.
Now that we are closing out the second half of the 2015-16 legislative year, I would like to share some of the achieved victories that will make our elections and educational environment better for all. Both Assembly Bill 2071 and 2212 have passed the Legislature unanimously and are on the governor’s desk awaiting signature.
AB 2071 provides a missing definition and clarifies that a “bona fide private mail delivery company” is a courier service in the business of accepting and delivering parcels, not from a political machine that harvests Vote by Mail (VBM) ballots from voters.
In 2014, this Legislature passed Senate Bill 29, which requires elections officials to count VBM ballots that are delivered up to three days after the election, if they are delivered by either the U.S. Post Office or by a “bona fide private mail delivery company.”
Unfortunately, SB29 did not define what a “bona fide private mail delivery company” is, and therefore there is no uniform understanding as to what kinds of entities are allowed to handle and deliver VBM ballots on behalf of voters after Election Day.
This omission is very important, because election experts agree that that VBM ballots are far more susceptible to fraud than traditional ballots. In fact, the author of SB29 claimed that he himself was a victim of a VBM fraud scheme after he narrowly lost an election for local office in 2015.
AB 2071 will provide clarity to elections officials, and will help safeguard our elections system.
Also on the governor’s desk, is AB 2212. This bill changes the definition of “bullying” in the Education Code to include the posting of a harassing video online. According to a study by Yale University, victims who have been bullied can be up to nine times more likely to consider suicide.
Almost every teenager has a smartphone that has the ability to record video. It is wrong to allow students who post harassing videos to go unpunished. They need to understand that these tools should not be used for bullying.
AB 2212 is a no-nonsense effort to make sure bullies are held accountable for their actions. This bill would allow the superintendent or principal of a secondary school to recommend suspension or expulsion if a student posts a harassing video amongst students on the Internet.
This bill sends the message that bullying is wrong and will not be tolerated.
Democrats refused to pass my other common sense legislation. My bills would reduce the stigma surrounding mental health and bring awareness to the issue, make higher education more affordable, and create safeguards for our local and state elections. I will continue fighting for your interests in Sacramento and advocate for transparency, accountability, and rationality.
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MATTHEW HARPER is a state assemblyman who represents the 74th District, which includes Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Newport Beach and Laguna Beach.