Bill Text: FL S0228 | 2015 | Regular Session | Comm Sub

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Online Voter Application

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Passed) 2015-05-15 - Chapter No. 2015-36 [S0228 Detail]

Download: Florida-2015-S0228-Comm_Sub.html

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       Florida Senate - 2015                       CS for CS for SB 228
       
       
        
       By the Committees on Appropriations; and Ethics and Elections;
       and Senators Clemens and Richter
       
       
       
       
       576-04236-15                                           2015228c2
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to online voter registration; creating
    3         s. 97.0525, F.S.; requiring the Division of Elections
    4         of the Department of State to develop an online voter
    5         registration system; providing application and
    6         security requirements; requiring the system to compare
    7         information submitted online with Department of
    8         Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles records; providing
    9         for the disposition of voter registration
   10         applications; requiring system compliance with federal
   11         accessibility provisions; providing for construction;
   12         requiring the division to report to the Legislature
   13         regarding online voter registration implementation by
   14         a specified date; providing an appropriation;
   15         providing an effective date.
   16          
   17  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   18  
   19         Section 1. Section 97.0525, Florida Statutes, is created to
   20  read:
   21         97.0525 Online voter registration.—
   22         (1) Beginning October 1, 2017, an applicant may submit an
   23  online voter registration application using the procedures set
   24  forth in this section.
   25         (2) The division shall establish a secure Internet website
   26  to permit an applicant to:
   27         (a) Submit a voter registration application, including
   28  first-time voter registration applications and updates to
   29  existing voter registration records.
   30         (b) Submit information necessary to establish an
   31  applicant’s eligibility to vote, pursuant to s. 97.041, which
   32  must include the information required for the uniform statewide
   33  voter registration application pursuant to s. 97.052(2).
   34         (c) Swear to the oath required pursuant to s. 97.051.
   35         (3) The division shall establish appropriate technological
   36  security measures, including use of a unique identifier for each
   37  applicant, to prevent unauthorized persons from altering a
   38  voter’s registration information.
   39         (4)(a) The online voter registration system shall compare
   40  the Florida driver license number or Florida identification
   41  number submitted pursuant to s. 97.052(2)(n) with information
   42  maintained by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor
   43  Vehicles to confirm that the name and date of birth on the
   44  application are consistent with the records of the Department of
   45  Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
   46         (b) If the applicant’s name and date of birth are
   47  consistent with the records of the Department of Highway Safety
   48  and Motor Vehicles, the online voter registration system shall
   49  transmit, using the statewide voter registration system
   50  maintained pursuant to s. 98.035, the applicant’s registration
   51  application, along with the digital signature of the applicant
   52  on file with the Department of Highway Safety and Motor
   53  Vehicles, to the supervisor of elections. The applicant’s
   54  digital signature satisfies the signature requirement of s.
   55  97.052(2)(q).
   56         (c) If the applicant’s name and date of birth cannot be
   57  verified by the records of the Department of Highway Safety and
   58  Motor Vehicles, or if the applicant indicated that he or she has
   59  not been issued a Florida driver license or Florida
   60  identification card, the online voter registration system shall
   61  populate the applicant’s information into a printable voter
   62  registration application pursuant to s. 97.052(2) and direct the
   63  applicant to print, sign, and date the application and deliver
   64  the application to the supervisor of elections for disposition
   65  pursuant to s. 97.073.
   66         (5) Upon submission of a completed online voter
   67  registration application, the website must generate an immediate
   68  electronic confirmation that the supervisor of elections has
   69  received the application and provide instructions regarding the
   70  ability of a registrant to check the status of the application
   71  thereafter.
   72         (6) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the
   73  supervisor of elections shall process the application pursuant
   74  to s. 97.053.
   75         (7) The online voter registration system must conform to
   76  nationally accepted standards for accessibility for individuals
   77  with disabilities, including s. 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of
   78  1973, s. 255 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, and the Web
   79  Content Accessibility Guidelines of the World Wide Web
   80  Consortium, to ensure equal access for voters with disabilities.
   81         (8) A legal distinction may not be made between online
   82  voter registration under this section and voter registration in
   83  person, by mail, or by other methods provided by general law.
   84         Section 2. No later than January 1, 2016, the Division of
   85  Elections shall submit a report to the President of the Senate
   86  and the Speaker of the House of Representatives regarding the
   87  implementation of online voter registration. In the report, the
   88  division shall summarize progress to date in implementing online
   89  voter registration and expected implementation timeframes, and
   90  shall propose any further legislation needed to facilitate
   91  online voter registration.
   92         Section 3. For the 2015-2016 fiscal year, the sum of $1.8
   93  million in nonrecurring funds from the Federal Grants Trust Fund
   94  is appropriated to the Department of State to implement this
   95  act.
   96         Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2015.