HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 2678

As Reported by House Committee On:

State Government

Title:  An act relating to voter registration.

Brief Description:  Requiring institutions of higher education to put in place an active prompt on their web sites that link to the secretary of state's voter registration web site.

Sponsors:  Representatives Upthegrove, McDermott, Chase and Kagi.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

State Government:  2/7/02, 2/8/02 [DP].

Brief Summary of Bill

$Requires institutions of higher education to set up a link to the Secretary of State's voter registration web site.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT

Majority Report:  Do pass. Signed by 6 members: Representatives Romero, Chair; Miloscia, Vice Chair; McDermott, Schindler, Schmidt and Upthegrove.

Staff:  Marsha Reilly (786‑7135).

Background:

Certain state agencies are required to provide voter registration services for employees and the public.  The Secretary of State informs the public of the availability of voter registration and provides standard voter registration forms for use by these state agencies.

Institutions of higher education are required by federal law to provide voter registration services to students. 

Summary of  Bill:

Institutions of higher education are required to set up an active prompt on its course registration web site or other web site actively used by students that will link the student to the Secretary of State's voter registration web site.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not Requested.

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

Testimony For:  This addresses the problem of getting young people to register to vote.  Young people do make a difference, and more issues that have an interest to young people need to be addressed.  This bill makes it easier for college students to register to vote.  There is a need to get more youth involvement in politics.  A recent Harvard survey indicated that if voter registration were made easier, more students would register.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  (In support) Representative Upthegrove, prime sponsor; Dean Logan, Office of the Secretary of State;  Russ Carver, Associated Students of Eastern Washington University; and Peter Thein and Stavey Valentin, Washington Student Lobby.