HB4208 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB099 12124 MGM 34822 b

99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2015 and 2016
HB4208

Introduced , by Rep. Robyn Gabel

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

10 ILCS 5/1A-16.6

Amends the Election Code. Provides that specified government agencies shall assist individuals to register to vote unless the individual chooses to not register. Provides that employees of designated government agencies must inform the applicant of his or her right to opt out of this voter registration. Provides that employees must inform the applicant that if he or she is not a citizen of the United States, he or she must opt out. Provides that applicants opting out of the automatic voter registration shall not be required to disclose whether he or she is a citizen of the United States or his or her reason for opting out.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning elections.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Election Code is amended by changing Section 1A-16.6 as follows:

(10 ILCS 5/1A-16.6)

(This Section may contain text from a Public Act with a delayed effective date)

Sec. 1A-16.6. Government agency voter registration.

(a) By April 1, 2016, the State Board of Elections shall establish and maintain a portal for government agency registration that permits an eligible person to electronically apply to register to vote or to update his or her existing voter registration whenever he or she conducts business, either online or in person, with a designated government agency. The portal shall interface with the online voter registration system established in Section 1A-16.5 of this Code and shall be capable of receiving and processing voter registration application information, including electronic signatures, from a designated government agency. The State Board of Elections shall modify the online voter registration system as necessary to implement this Section.

Voter registration data received from a designated government agency through the online registration system shall be processed as provided for in Section 1A-16.5 of this Code.

Whenever the registration interface is accessible to the general public, including, but not limited to, online transactions, the interface shall allow the applicant to complete the process as provided for in Section 1A-16.5 of this Code. The online interface shall be capable of providing the applicant with the applicant's voter registration status with the State Board of Elections and, if registered, the applicant's current registration address. The applicant shall not be required to re-enter any registration data, such as name, address, and birth date, if the designated government agency already has that information on file. The applicant shall be informed that by choosing to register to vote or to update his or her existing voter registration, the applicant consents to the transfer of the applicant's personal information to the State Board of Elections.

Whenever a government employee is accessing the registration system while servicing the applicant, the government employee shall notify the applicant of the applicant's registration status with the State Board of Elections and, if registered, the applicant's current registration address. Unless the applicant elects not If the applicant elects to register to vote or to update his or her existing voter registration, the government employee shall collect the needed information and assist the applicant with his or her registration. The applicant shall be informed that unless he or she indicates otherwise by choosing to register to vote or to update his or her existing voter registration, the applicant consents to the transfer of the applicant's personal information to the State Board of Elections. Employees of designated government agencies must inform the applicant of his or her right to opt out of this voter registration. Employees must inform the applicant that if he or she is not a citizen of the United States, he or she must opt out. Applicants opting out of the automatic voter registration shall not be required to disclose whether he or she is a citizen of the United States or his or her reason for opting out.

In accordance with technical specifications provided by the State Board of Elections, each designated government agency shall maintain a data transfer mechanism capable of transmitting voter registration application information, including electronic signatures where available, to the online voter registration system established in Section 1A-16.5 of this Code. Each designated government agency shall establish and operate a voter registration system capable of transmitting voter registration application information to the portal as described in this Section by July 1, 2016.

(b) Whenever an applicant's data is transferred from a designated government agency, the agency must transmit a signature image if available. If no signature image was provided by the agency or if no signature image is available in the Secretary of State's database or the statewide voter registration database, the applicant must be notified that their registration will remain in a pending status and the applicant will be required to provide identification and a signature to the election authority on Election Day in the polling place or during early voting.

(c) The State Board of Elections shall track registration data received through the online registration system that originated from a designated government agency for the purposes of maintaining statistics required by the federal National Voter Registration Act of 1993, as amended.

(d) The State Board of Elections shall submit a report to the General Assembly and the Governor by December 1, 2015 detailing the progress made to implement the government agency voter registration portal described in this Section.

(e) The Board shall adopt rules, in consultation with the impacted agencies.

(f) As used in this Section, a "designated government agency" means the Secretary of State's Driver Services and Vehicle Services Departments, the Department of Human Services, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, the Department of Employment Security, and the Department on Aging.

(Source: P.A. 98-1171, eff. 6-1-15.)