CHAPTER _______

An act to add Section 2105.7 to the Elections Code, relating to elections.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SB 1063, Block. Voter registration: juvenile detention facilities.

Under existing law, 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 will be at least 18 years of age at the time of the next election.

This bill would require state and local juvenile detention facilities to identify individuals housed in those facilities who are of age to register to vote and not in prison or on parole for the conviction of a felony, to provide affidavits of registration to eligible voters, to assist those individuals with the completion of the affidavits of registration, and to assist individuals in returning the completed cards to the county elections official or to transmit completed voter registration cards to the county elections official.

By requiring local officials to perform additional duties, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.  

Section 2105.7 is added to the Elections Code, to read:

2105.7.  

(a) A state or local juvenile detention facility, including, but not limited to, a juvenile hall, juvenile ranch, juvenile camp, or a facility of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Division of Juvenile Justice, shall do all of the following:

(1) Identify each individual housed in the facility who is of age to register to vote and not in prison or on parole for the conviction of a felony.

(2) Provide an affidavit of registration to each individual housed in the facility who is of age to register to vote and not in prison or on parole for the conviction of a felony by doing either of the following:

(A) Providing the individual a paper affidavit of registration.

(B) Directing the individual to an affidavit of registration provided on the Internet Web site of the Secretary of State.

(3) Assist each individual housed in the facility who is of age to register to vote and not in prison or on parole for the conviction of a felony with the completion of the affidavit of registration, unless the individual declines assistance.

(b) A facility providing paper affidavits of registration pursuant to subdivision (a) shall do either of the following:

(1) Assist the individual who completed the voter registration card in returning the completed card to the county elections official.

(2) Accept any completed voter registration card and transmit the card to the county elections official.

SEC. 2.  

If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.

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