BILL ANALYSIS �
SB 44
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Date of Hearing: June 11, 2013
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON ELECTIONS AND REDISTRICTING
Paul Fong, Chair
SB 44 (Yee) - As Introduced: December 12, 2012
SENATE VOTE : 25-8
SUBJECT : State Internet Web sites: online voter registration.
SUMMARY : Requires each Internet Web site maintained by the
state to include a hyperlink on the site's homepage to the
online voter registration page of the Internet Web site of the
Secretary of State (SOS).
EXISTING LAW :
1)Provides that a person who is qualified to register to vote
and who has a valid California driver's license or state
identification card may submit an affidavit of voter
registration electronically on the SOS's Internet Web site.
2)Require all states to implement a single, uniform,
centralized, computerized statewide voter registration list
and to define, maintain, and administer this list at the state
level, pursuant to the Help America Vote Act of 2002
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Senate Appropriations
Committee, pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8, negligible state costs.
COMMENTS :
1)Purpose of the Bill : According to the author:
California online voter registration system gave
Californians the ability to register to vote through the
Secretary of State's website. The Secretary of State
estimates that over 590,000 utilized the online system to
register to vote in last year's November election, and
increased California's voter rolls to its record high.
Furthermore, information released by Political Data Inc.
(PDI) - California's largest provider of voter information
used by political campaigns - shows that voter turnout of
those who used the online system in the 34 days leading to
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the election was 85%. Online registrants of young voters
age 18-29 had an 80% turnout.
SB 44 will increase opportunities for Californians to
register or re-register to vote and increase voter
participation. Having a voter registration link on every
state website will promote the system, and provide access
to anyone seeking information or services from the state,
especially to some who might otherwise be unaware of the
online option.
2)National Voter Registration Act : The National Voter
Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA) required states to designate
state government agencies and offices that provide public
assistance or services to people with disabilities as voter
registration agencies. In addition, states were required to
designate other offices within the state as voter
registration agencies. These could include schools, city and
county clerks' offices, fishing and hunting license bureaus,
government revenue offices, and unemployment compensation
offices. States also had the option under the NVRA to
designate federal offices as voter registration agencies, but
only with the agreement of those agencies. Finally, each
state was required to work with the U.S. Department of
Defense to develop and implement procedures for voter
registration at Armed Forces recruitment offices.
When an agency is designated as a voter registration agency
under the NVRA, it must offer each person who comes into
contact with the agency the opportunity to register to vote.
If a person declines to register, the agency must ask the
person to fill out a form, which is kept on file at the
agency office.
While this bill does not create new voter registration
agencies pursuant to the NVRA, it is consistent with the
purposes of the NVRA by providing additional voter
registration opportunities when California voters interact
with state government agencies online.
3)Arguments in Support : The American Federation of State,
County and Municipal Employees writes in support, "Increasing
accessibility to voter registration is important to ensure
that all people who have an interest in the affairs of
California and who are eligible to vote have the opportunity
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to do so. The recent online registration option encouraged
thousands of people to register and vote for the very first
time. This bill helps update technological resources to keep
up with the needs of California's diverse and modern
population of voters."
4)Previous Legislation : SB 35 (Padilla), Chapter 505, Statutes
of 2012, added the California Health Benefit Exchange to the
list of public assistance agencies required by the NVRA to
provide voter registration opportunities.
SB 397 (Yee), Chapter 561, Statutes of 2011, authorized the
SOS, in conjunction with the California Department of Motor
Vehicles, to implement online voter registration prior to the
completion of a new statewide voter registration database.
AB 1357 (Swanson), Chapter 192, Statutes of 2011, requires the
SOS, in consultation with county election officials, to design
and make an affidavit of registration available on the SOS's
Internet Web site, among other provisions.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
Advancement Project
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees
(AFSCME), AFL-CIO
California Church Impact
California Common Cause
California Nurses Association
California Teachers Association
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CALPIRG
League of Women Voters of California
Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by : Lori Barber / E. & R. / (916) 319-2094