BILL ANALYSIS �
------------------------------------------------------------
|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SJR 29|
|Office of Senate Floor Analyses | |
|1020 N Street, Suite 524 | |
|(916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) | |
|327-4478 | |
------------------------------------------------------------
THIRD READING
Bill No: SJR 29
Author: Yee (D)
Amended: As introduced
Vote: 21
SUBJECT : Voting: disenfranchisement
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This resolution proclaims the Legislature's
support for the investigation by the federal Department of
Justice into whether state legislatures are discriminating
against and suppressing the vote of minorities, senior
citizens, young adults, or those with physical disabilities
or limited economic means. It further denounces any law
that disenfranchises society's most disadvantaged eligible
voters.
ANALYSIS : Legislative findings in the resolution
indicate that following the 2008 election, 30 state
legislatures introduced voter suppression laws that could
have the effect of disenfranchising an estimated five
million voters from registering to vote or casting a ballot
in 2012. Because of the concern over voter fraud, 16
states have enacted voter suppression laws that require
state-issued identification, restrict voter registration
drives, or limit early voting by either mail or in person.
This resolution proclaims the State of California's support
of the United States Department of Justice's investigation
on whether these state legislatures use discriminating
against and suppressing votes of minorities, senior
CONTINUED
SJR 29
Page
2
citizens, young adults, or those with physical disabilities
or limited economic means (groups which could be most
likely affected by these laws).
Voter ID Requirements after the 2011 Legislative Session
1. No vote without photo ID - Alabama, Georgia, Indiana,
Kansas, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin.
2. Photo ID requested but not required - Arkansas,
Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii Idaho, Louisiana,
Michigan, Rhode Island, South Dakota, and Virginia.
3. No regular ballot without photo ID but provisional
ballots counted if voter eligible - Florida and
Oklahoma.
4. No vote without non-photo ID: Arizona, Colorado, and
Missouri.
5. No regular ballot without ID (photo or non-photo) but
provisional ballots counted if voter eligible - Alaska,
Kentucky, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, Utah, and
Washington.
NOTE: For comprehensive information relating to voter
identification requirements of states that have
enacted voter ID laws, refer to the National
Conference of State Legislature's material at:
http://www.ncsl.org/legislatures-elections/elections/
voter-id.aspx.
FISCAL EFFECT : Fiscal Com.: No
DLW:m 7/2/12 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: NONE RECEIVED
**** END ****
SJR 29
Page
3