Senators on Friday approved changes that the House made to the bill that would allow voters stranded off island due to the COVID-19 pandemic to vote in the November 3rd elections.
Earlier Senators had rejected the changes but at a conference committee between the House and Senate led by the Senate President and House Speaker Friday, a compromise was reached to accept the changes made by the House.
The only senator who voiced his objection to the House amendments was Senator Faamausili Mau Mau Jr. who was concerned that the House had deleted language in the election law giving the Chief Election Officer the authority to make changes to rules for the conduct of elections according to the Administrative Procedures Act.
However Senator Muagutiti’a Taua’a said lawmakers should not disenfranchise registered voters now stranded off island and the Senate should go along with the changes made by the House.
The conference committee ended with the Senate approving the House amendments to the bill.
In the Senate session that followed, Senators passed the changes and the bill is now being enrolled to be sent to the governor for his review.
