BILL NUMBER: AB 1817	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  JUNE 5, 2014
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MAY 14, 2014

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Gomez
    (   Coauthors:   Assembly Members 
 Ammiano,   Mullin,   Ting,   and
Wieckowski   ) 

                        FEBRUARY 18, 2014

   An act to  amend Section 49040 of, and to  add 
and repeal  Section 49041  of   to,
 the Education Code, relating to voter registration.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1817, as amended, Gomez. Voter registration: high school
pupils. 
   Existing law permits a county elections official to deputize as
registrars of voters qualified citizens, and permits a deputy
registrar to register persons to vote. Existing law requires the last
two full weeks in April and in September to be known as "high school
voter weeks," during which time deputy registrars of voters are
allowed to register to vote students and school personnel on high
school campuses.  
   This bill would instead designate the last two full weeks in April
and in September to be "high school voter education weeks," during
which time persons authorized by the county elections official are
allowed to register to vote students and school personnel on high
school campuses. 
   Under existing law, a person may not be registered as a voter
except by affidavit of registration. A person is entitled to register
to vote if he or she is a United States citizen, a resident of
California, not in prison or on parole for the conviction of a
felony, and at least 18 years of age at the time of the next
election. Existing law requires a properly executed affidavit of
registration to be deemed effective upon receipt of the affidavit by
the county elections official, if received on or before the 15th day
prior to an election, or as otherwise specified.
   Existing law, operative when the Secretary of State certifies that
the state has a statewide voter registration database that complies
with the requirements of the federal Help America Vote Act of 2002,
authorizes a person who is at least 17 years of age and otherwise
meets all voter eligibility requirements to submit his or her
affidavit of registration. The affidavit of registration is deemed
effective as of the date the affiant will be 18 years of age.
   This bill would permit the  governing board of a school
district to authorize a high school pupil 16 years of age or older to
register to vote on his or her high school campus any person who is
qualified to register to vote. This bill, operative when the
Secretary of State certifies that the state has a statewide voter
registration database that complies with the requirements of the
federal Help America Vote Act of 2002, would also permit a pupil to
register to vote any person who is 17 years of age or older and
otherwise meets all voter eligibility requirements.  
school administration of a high school to appoint one or more pupils
who are enrolled at that high school to be voter outreach
coordinators. This bill would permit a voter outreach coordinator to
coordinate voter registration activities on the high school campus
that would encourage eligible persons to apply to register to vote by
submitting an affidavit of registration. This bill would permit the
voter outreach coordinator, with the approval of the school
administration, to coordinate other election-related activities on
his or her high school campus, as specified. 
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   SECTION 1.    Section 49040 of the  
Education Code   is amended to read: 
   49040.  The last two full weeks in April and the last two full
weeks in September shall be known as "high school voter 
education  weeks," during which time  deputy registrars
of voters   persons authorized by the county elections
official  shall be allowed to register students and school
personnel on any high school campus in areas designated by the school
administration, which are reasonably accessible to all students.
   SEC. 2.    Section 49041 is added to the  
Education Code   , to read:  
   49041.  (a) The school administration of a high school may appoint
one or more pupils who are enrolled at that high school to be voter
outreach coordinators.
   (b) A voter outreach coordinator may coordinate voter registration
activities on his or her high school campus that encourage persons
who are eligible to register to vote pursuant to Section 2101 of the
Elections Code, or other persons who may submit an affidavit of
registration pursuant to Section 2102 of the Elections Code, to apply
to register to vote by submitting an affidavit of registration on
paper or electronically on the Secretary of State's electronic voter
registration system.
   (c) A voter outreach coordinator may, with the approval of the
school administration, coordinate election-related activities on his
or her high school campus, including voter registration drives, mock
elections, debates, and other election-related pupil outreach
activities.  
  SECTION 1.    Section 49041 is added to the
Education Code, to read:
   49041.  (a) The governing board of a school district may authorize
a high school pupil 16 years of age or older to register to vote any
person who is entitled to register pursuant to Section 2101 of the
Elections Code. A pupil authorized pursuant to this section shall
conduct voter registration on his or her high school campus only
during high school voter weeks, as described in Section 49040, or at
any other time deemed appropriate by the governing board.
   (b) This section shall remain in effect only until the Secretary
of State certifies that the state has a statewide voter registration
database that complies with the requirements of the federal Help
America Vote Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 15301 et seq.) and as of
that date is repealed.  
  SEC. 2.    Section 49041 is added to the Education
Code, to read:
   49041.  (a) The governing board of a school district may authorize
a high school pupil 16 years of age or older to register to vote any
person who is entitled to register pursuant to Section 2101 of the
Elections Code, or who is 17 years of age or older and otherwise
meets all voter eligibility requirements as specified in subdivision
(d) of Section 2102 of the Elections Code. A pupil authorized
pursuant to this section shall conduct voter registration on his or
her high school campus only during high school voter weeks, as
described in Section 49040, or at any other time deemed appropriate
by the governing board.
   (b) This section shall become operative when the Secretary of
State certifies that the state has a statewide voter registration
database that complies with the requirements of the federal Help
America Vote Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 15301 et seq.).