AN
ACT Relating to a statewide voter registration data base; amending RCW
29.07.025; adding a new section to chapter 29.04 RCW; creating a new section;
providing an effective date; providing an expiration date; and declaring an
emergency.
BE IT
ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
*NEW
SECTION. Sec. 1.
The legislature recognizes that national task
forces studying election issues have identified statewide voter registration
systems as important tools for protecting the integrity of elections, and it is
likely that federal funds will be made available for states that employ
statewide voter registration systems. Therefore, the legislature finds a need
for the state of Washington to begin the process of creating such a system.
*Sec. 1 was vetoed. See message at end of chapter.
*NEW
SECTION. Sec. 2.
A new section is added to chapter 29.04 RCW to read as follows:
(1)
The office of the secretary of state shall work in conjunction with the county
auditors of the state of Washington to initiate the creation of a statewide voter
registration data base. The secretary of state shall identify a group of voter
registration experts whose responsibility will be to work on a design for the
voter registration data base system. The secretary of state shall report back
the findings of this group to the legislature no later than February 1, 2003.
(2)
Among the intended goals the voter registration data base must be designed to
accomplish at a minimum, are the following:
(a)
Identify duplicate voter registrations;
(b)
Identify suspected duplicate voters;
(c)
Screen against the department of corrections data base to aid in the
cancellation of voter registration of felons;
(d)
Provide up-to-date signatures of voters for the purposes of initiative
signature checking;
(e)
Provide for a comparison between the voter registration data base and the
department of licensing change of address data base;
(f)
Provide online access for county auditors with the goal of real time duplicate
checking and update capabilities, if sufficient funds are available;
(g)
Provide for the cancellation of voter registration for persons who have moved
to other states and surrendered their Washington state drivers' licenses;
(h)
Ensure that each county shall maintain legal control of the registration
records for that county.
*Sec. 2 was vetoed. See message at end of chapter.
Sec.
3. RCW
29.07.025 and 1994 c 57 s 10 are each amended to read as follows:
(1)
Each state agency designated under RCW 29.07.420 shall provide voter registration
services for employees and the public within each office of that agency.
(2)
The secretary of state shall design and provide a standard notice informing the
public of the availability of voter registration, which notice shall be posted
in each state agency where such services are available.
(3)
The secretary of state shall design and provide standard voter registration
forms for use by these state agencies.
(4)
Each institution of higher education shall put in place an active prompt on its
course registration web site, or similar web site that students actively and
regularly use, that, if selected, will link the student to the secretary of
state's voter registration web site. The prompt must ask the student if he or
she wishes to register to vote.
*NEW
SECTION. Sec. 4.
Sections 1 and 2 of this act are necessary for the immediate preservation of
the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its
existing public institutions, and take effect May 1, 2002.
*Sec. 4 was vetoed. See message at end of chapter.
*NEW
SECTION. Sec. 5.
Sections 1 and 2 of this act expire January 1,
2005.
*Sec. 5 was vetoed. See message at end of chapter.
Note: Governor's
explanation of partial veto is as follows:
"I am returning
herewith, without my approval as to sections 1, 2, 4 and 5, House Bill No. 2332
entitled:
"AN
ACT Relating to a statewide voter registration data base;"
House Bill No. 2332 requires
colleges and universities to place on their course registration web sites a
link to the secretary of state's voter registration web site.
Sections 1, 2, 4 and 5 of
this bill are identical to and duplicative of provisions of Senate Bill No.
6324, which I signed into law on March 12, 2002.
For these reasons, I have
vetoed sections 1, 2, 4 and 5 of House Bill No. 2332.
With
the exception of sections 1, 2, 4 and 5, House Bill No. 2332 is approved."
