BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  SB 172
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   August 19, 2009

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                Kevin De Leon, Chair

                    SB 172 (Florez) - As Amended:  July 14, 2009 

          Policy Committee:                              ElectionsVote:4-2

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          Yes    Reimbursable:              Yes

           SUMMARY  

          Extends the period of time-between the date that a voter's name  
          is placed on the list of inactive voters and the date that  
          voter's registration is cancelled for failure to appear to vote  
          or offer to vote after any election-from two federal general  
          elections (up to 4 years) to four presidential elections (up to  
          16 years).

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Negligible fiscal impact.

           COMMENTS  

           1)Background  .  Current law provides that if a voter has not  
            voted in any election within the preceding four years, and  
            their voter registration information has not been changed  
            during that time, the county elections official will send an  
            Alternate Residency Confirmation (ARC) card to the voter.  To  
            remain on the active voter list, the voter must respond within  
            15 days by returning the prepaid return postcard.  If the  
            voter does not respond and does not attempt to vote at any  
            election in the period between the date of the notice (ARC  
            card) and the second federal general election after the notice  
            is sent, their voter registration will be canceled and the  
            voter will have to reregister in order to vote.  
           
          2)Purpose  .  SB 172 extends the period of time for a voter to  
            remain on the inactive file from two federal general elections  
            to four presidential elections).  In support of the bill, the  
            Secretary of State indicates that increasing this time period  
            will ensure voters have the ability to participate in future  








                                                                  SB 172
                                                                  Page  2

            elections.  According to the author, during ballot count  
            procedures, the author's staff witnessed a number of otherwise  
            valid ballots not being counted due to the fact that the voter  
            had not voted recently and their registration had been  
            canceled.

           3)Opposition  .  The Orange County Board of Supervisors argues  
            that extending the time an inactive voter must remain in the  
            voter database will damage the quality of data in the voter  
            rolls by creating a substantially larger inactive file with a  
            greater probability that the data contained therein will not  
            be accurate.  The board asserts that, by allowing a voter to  
            remain inactive for 16 years, a voter will be less likely to  
            update their information with the office when they move,  
            change names, change parties, or make other changes to their  
            voter registration.
           Analysis Prepared by  :    Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081