10 LC
21 0890S
The
House Committee on Science and Technology offers the following substitute to SB
406:
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
AN ACT
To
amend Chapter 2 of Title 21 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating
to primaries and elections generally, so as to provide for online voter
registration; to provide for procedures; to amend Chapter 5 of Title 40 of the
Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to drivers' licenses, so as to
provide for the use of certain information maintained by the Department of
Driver Services to identify certain voter registration applicants; to provide
for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other
purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
Chapter
2 of Title 21 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to primaries
and elections generally, is amended by revising subsection (a) of Code Section
21-2-219, relating to registration cards, as follows:
"(a)
The registration cards for use by persons in making application to register to
vote shall be in a form as specified by the Secretary of State, which shall
include printed forms, forms made available through electronic means, or
otherwise. Except as provided in subsection (b) of this Code section
and Code
Section 21-2-221.2, only registration
cards issued or authorized for use by the Secretary of State or the national
voter registration card promulgated
by the
Federal Election Commission under the
provisions of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, 42 U.S.C. Section
1973gg-7, shall be accepted for purposes of voter
registration."
SECTION
2.
Said
chapter is further amended by revising subsection (a) of Code Section 21-2-220,
relating to application for registration, as follows:
"(a)
Any person desiring to register as an elector shall apply to do so by making
application to a registrar or deputy registrar of such person's county of
residence in person, by submission of the federal post card application form as
authorized under Code Section 21-2-219, by making application through the
Department of Driver Services as provided in Code Section 21-2-221, by making
application through the Department of Natural Resources as provided in Code
Section 21-2-221.1,
by making
application online as provided in Code Section
21-2-221.2, by making application through
designated offices as provided in Code Section 21-2-222, or by making
application by mail as provided in Code Section 21-2-223."
SECTION
3.
Said
chapter is further amended by adding a new Code section to read as
follows:
"21-2-221.2.
(a)
A person who is qualified to register to vote in this state and who has a valid
Georgia driver's license or identification card may submit a voter registration
application on the Internet website of the Secretary of State. The Secretary of
State shall, in conjunction with the Department of Driver Services, design and
implement a system to allow for such online voter registration.
(b)
An application submitted pursuant to this Code section shall
contain:
(1)
The applicant's name and residence address;
(2)
The applicant's driver's license or identification card number;
(3)
The applicant's date of birth;
(4)
An affirmation by the applicant that the applicant is a citizen of the State of
Georgia and of the United States;
(5)
An affirmation by the applicant that the information provided is truthful and
that the applicant is eligible to vote in the State of Georgia;
(6)
An assent by the applicant to the use of his or her signature from his or her
driver's license or identification card; and
(7)
Such other information the Secretary of State deems necessary to establish the
identity of the applicant.
(c)
Upon the submission of an application through the website pursuant to this Code
section, the software used by the Secretary of State for processing applications
through the website shall provide for immediate verification of all of the
following:
(1)
That the applicant has a valid Georgia driver's license or identification card
and that the number for that driver's license or identification card provided by
the applicant matches the number for the applicant's driver's license or
identification card that is on file with the Department of Driver
Services;
(2)
That the date of birth provided by the applicant matches the date of birth that
is on file with the Department of Driver Services; and
(3)
That the applicant is a citizen of the State of Georgia and of the United States
and that the information provided by the applicant matches the information on
file with the Department of Driver Services.
If
any of these items does not match or if the application is incomplete, the
application shall be void and shall be rejected and the applicant shall be
notified of such rejection either electronically or by mail within five days
after such application is rejected.
(d)
If all of the items enumerated in subsection (c) of this Code section are
verified, the Secretary of State shall obtain an electronic copy of the
applicant's signature from the applicant's driver's license or identification
card directly from the Department of Driver Services. The application shall
then be processed in the same manner as applications under Code
Section 21-2-221. Except as otherwise provided by this Code section, the
application shall be deemed to have been made as of the date that the
information was provided by the applicant through the Internet
website.
(e)
The matching of information pursuant to subsection (c) of this Code section
shall satisfy the requirements of subsection (c) of Code Section 21-2-220
and subsection (g) of Code Section 21-2-216.
(f)
The Secretary of State shall employ security measures to ensure the accuracy and
integrity of voter registration applications submitted electronically pursuant
to this Code section."
SECTION
4.
Chapter
5 of Title 40 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to drivers'
licenses, is amended by revising paragraph (6) of subsection (f) of Code Section
40-5-2, relating to driving records, as follows:
"(6)(A)
The information required to be made available regarding voter registration
pursuant to Code Section 21-2-221 and for the purposes set forth in such Code
section; and
(B)
Information sufficient for use in verifying a registered voter's identity
or the
identity of an applicant for voter
registration by the Secretary of State,
the county election superintendent, or the county registrar, including name,
address, date of birth, gender, driver identification number, photograph, and
signature; and".
SECTION
5.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.