Bill Text: VA HB2508 | 2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Voter registration; high school registration activities and parental consent.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2025-02-05 - Left in Privileges and Elections [HB2508 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2025-HB2508-Introduced.html
2025 SESSION
INTRODUCED
25103469D
HOUSE BILL NO. 2508
Offered January 8, 2025
Prefiled January 8, 2025
A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 22.1-203.4 and 24.2-418 of the Code of Virginia, relating to voter registration; high school registration activities and parental consent.
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Patron—Griffin
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Committee Referral Pending
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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §§ 22.1-203.4 and 24.2-418 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted as follows:
§ 22.1-203.4. Public high schools; Virginia voter registration.
Each public high school shall provide to any enrolled student who is of voting age or is eligible to register to vote pursuant to § 24.2-403 (i) mail voter registration applications and voter registration information provided by the Department of Elections or (ii) access to the Virginia online voter registration system on a school-owned computing device that is accessible to such student. Each student who is eligible to register to vote shall be provided the opportunity to complete an application form during the normal course of the school day. Any person or organization, except a high school administrator, teacher, or staff person or a general registrar or his staff, is prohibited from facilitating voter registration activities at a public high school.
§ 24.2-418. Application for registration.
A. Each applicant to register shall provide, subject to felony penalties for making false statements pursuant to § 24.2-1016, the information necessary to complete the application to register. Unless physically disabled, he shall sign the application. The application to register shall be only on a form or forms prescribed by the State Board.
The form of the application to register shall require the applicant to provide the following information: full name; gender; date of birth; social security number, if any; whether the applicant is presently a United States citizen; address of residence in the precinct; place of last previous registration to vote; and whether the applicant has ever been adjudicated incapacitated and disqualified to vote or convicted of a felony, and if so, whether the applicant's right to vote has been restored. The form shall contain a statement that whoever votes more than once in any election in the same or different jurisdictions is guilty of a Class 6 felony. Unless directed by the applicant or as permitted in § 24.2-411.2 or 24.2-411.3, the registration application shall not be pre-populated with information the applicant is required to provide.
The form of the application to register shall include a statement of consent that shall be signed by the parent or legal guardian of any applicant who is younger than the age of 18 at the time of his application. Such statement shall include an acknowledgement that the minor applicant's personally identifiable information is required for voter registration.
The form of the application to register shall request that the applicant provide his telephone number and email address, but no application shall be denied for failure to provide such information.
B. The form shall permit any individual, as follows, or member of his household, to furnish, in addition to his residence street address, a post office box address located within the Commonwealth to be included in lieu of his street address on the lists of registered voters and persons who voted, which are furnished pursuant to §§ 24.2-405 and 24.2-406, on voter registration records made available for public inspection pursuant to § 24.2-444, or on lists of absentee voter applicants furnished pursuant to § 24.2-706 or 24.2-710. The voter shall comply with the provisions of § 24.2-424 for any change in the post office box address provided under this subsection.
1. Any active or retired law-enforcement officer, as defined in § 9.1-101 and in 5 U.S.C. § 8331(20), but excluding officers whose duties relate to detention as defined in 5 U.S.C. § 8331(20);
2. Any party granted a protective order issued by or under the authority of any court of competent jurisdiction, including but not limited to courts of the Commonwealth of Virginia;
3. Any party who has furnished a signed written statement by the party that he is in fear for his personal safety from another person who has threatened or stalked him;
4. Any party participating in the address confidentiality program pursuant to § 2.2-515.2;
5. Any active or retired federal or Virginia justice, judge, or magistrate and any active or retired attorney employed by the United States Attorney General or Virginia Attorney General;
6. Any person who has been approved to be a foster parent pursuant to Chapter 9 (§ 63.2-900 et seq.) of Title 63.2;
7. Any person who is or has been one of the Commonwealth's electors for President and Vice President of the United States; and
8. Any person who is or has been a member of the State Board of Elections, the Commissioner of Elections, an employee of the Department of Elections, a member of a local electoral board pursuant to § 24.2-106, a general registrar pursuant to § 24.2-110, a deputy registrar or employee in the office of the general registrar pursuant to § 24.2-112, or an officer of election pursuant to § 24.2-115.
C. If the applicant formerly resided in another state, the general registrar shall send the information contained in the applicant's registration application to the appropriate voter registration official or other authority of another state where the applicant formerly resided, as prescribed in subdivision 15 of § 24.2-114.
