House Bill 431 Summary

• Establishes a comprehensive recall procedure allowing registered electors to petition for removal of state and local elected officials through election, requiring signatures from at least 10% of voters from the last election for the office.

• Specifies grounds for recall including misconduct in office, malfeasance, oath violations, failure to perform statutory duties, misuse of public funds, and changing political party affiliation while in office.

• Creates a process requiring official sponsors to file applications with election boards, which then issue petition forms; recalls must be completed within 30-90 days depending on the office, with signatures verified by election commissioners.

• Provides for circuit court review of recall application sufficiency within 4 days of filing, with judges reviewing only the legal sufficiency of grounds and facts, not the merits; allows discretionary appeals to the Supreme Court.

• Establishes criminal penalties including misdemeanor charges for accepting payment to sign petitions, forging signatures, signing multiple times, or coercing petition signatories, and repeals existing local official recall provisions.