HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 1073

             As Reported By House Committee on:

                      State Government

Title:  An act relating to voter registration for high school students.

Brief Description:  Dealing with voter registration for high school students.

Sponsor(s):  Representatives O'Brien, Anderson, Pruitt, Wineberry, Rasmussen, Franklin, P. Johnson, Casada and Tate.

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

State Government, February 6, 1991, DP.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

STATE GOVERNMENT

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 10 members:  Representatives Anderson, Chair; Pruitt, Vice Chair; McLean, Ranking Minority Member; Bowman, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Chandler; R. Fisher; Grant; Moyer; O'Brien; and Sheldon. 

Staff:  Kenneth Hirst (786-7105).

Background:  The county auditor is the chief voter registrar in the county.  He or she must appoint a deputy registrar for each precinct or group of precincts in the county and must designate a school official or school employee of each common school as a deputy registrar.

Summary of Bill:  The Superintendent of Public Instruction must develop, with the assistance of the Secretary of State and county auditors, a voter registration and education program for high school students.  Information regarding the program must be disseminated by the Superintendent to all high schools in the state.

The Secretary of State and county auditors must design and provide a standard notice informing students of the availability of voter registration.  The notice must be posted in each high school.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  Programs for registering high school students are disjointed and ineffective.  The bill provides a coordinated effort.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  Sam Reed, County Auditors Association (in favor).