The House of Representatives passed House Bill 5219, which is meant to bring clarification for Senate Bill 571 from last year. HB 5219 clarifies that the restriction on using public resources to reference a local ballot question only applies to radio or television advertisements, rather than any communication over television or radio. As a result, public resources would be restricted for the following types of communications: mass mailings, prerecorded telephone messages, radio advertisements, television advertisements. The bill also makes clear that the restriction on the use of public resources to reference a local ballot question does not cover meetings of a public body.

Additionally, the bill deletes the 60 day timeframe and provides that the restriction on using public resources would not preclude an informative communication that consists of any of the following:

· The language of a local ballot question;

· The date of an election;

· Factual and strictly neutral information concerning the direct impact of a local ballot question on a public body or the electorate, except if the communication can reasonably be interpreted as an attempt to influence the outcome of a local ballot question.