PRINTER'S NO. 2861
No. 2192 Session of 2000
INTRODUCED BY L. I. COHEN, BUNT, COSTA, DALEY, FARGO, FRANKEL,
GEIST, GODSHALL, HENNESSEY, MAJOR, McILHINNEY, McNAUGHTON,
MUNDY, ROSS, WILLIAMS AND WRIGHT, JANUARY 25, 2000
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, JANUARY 25, 2000
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of June 30, 1995 (P.L.170, No.25), entitled "An
2 act providing for voter registration, for registration
3 commissions, for remedies and for absentee ballots; imposing
4 penalties; making appropriations; and making repeals,"
5 further providing for definitions; further providing for
6 regulations; providing for a Statewide central registry of
7 registered qualified electors; and further providing for open
8 records and documents and for preparation and distribution of
9 applications.
10 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
11 hereby enacts as follows:
12 Section 1. The definition of "registration care" in section
13 102 of the act of June 30, 1995 (P.L.170, No.25), known as the
14 Pennsylvania Voter Registration Act, is amended and the section
15 is amended by adding a definition to read:
16 Section 102. Definitions.
17 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
18 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
19 context clearly indicates otherwise:
20 * * *
21 "Registration card." A registration record containing all
1 information required on the registration application, including
2 the elector's signature, and suitable space for the insertion by
3 the appropriate official of the following information:
4 (1) The ward and election district of residence.
5 (1.1) The last four digits of the registrant's Social
6 Security number.
7 (2) The registrant's street address.
8 (3) Data required to be given upon removal from the
9 registrant's residence.
10 (4) The date of each election at which the registrant
11 votes.
12 (5) The number and letter of the stub of the ballot
13 issued to the registrant or the registrant's number in the
14 order of admission to the voting machines.
15 (6) The initials of the election officer who enters the
16 record of voting in the district register.
17 (7) Whether the registrant needs assistance to vote and,
18 if so, the nature of the disability.
19 "Registry." The Statewide central registry of registered
20 qualified electors established under section 301.1.
21 * * *
22 Section 2. Section 301 of the act is amended to read:
23 Section 301. Regulations.
24 The secretary shall promulgate regulations necessary to
25 administer this act. The regulations shall include, but not be
26 limited to, provisions which do all of the following:
27 (1) Provide for applicants to submit their voter
28 registration application to the commission, the Department of
29 Transportation and other agencies designated in section 525.
30 (2) Prescribe a procedure for the return of completed
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1 voter registration applications from the Department of
2 Transportation, the Department of Public Welfare, armed
3 forces recruitment centers, Offices of the Clerk of Orphan's
4 Court and all other offices under this act to the secretary
5 or the appropriate commission.
6 [(3) Prescribe a procedure to conduct a study of the
7 technological needs and other aspects of the development and
8 implementation of a Statewide central registry of registered
9 qualified voters, and the study shall be completed by July 1,
10 1996.]
11 (4) Provide for establishment and administration of the
12 Statewide central registry of registered qualified electors
13 under section 301.1. The regulations shall include uniform
14 standards for the conduct of voter registration transactions
15 among the commissions and the department.
16 Section 3. The act is amended by adding a section to read:
17 Section 301.1. Statewide central registry of registered
18 qualified electors.
19 (a) Establishment.--The secretary shall establish not later
20 than June 30, 2001, a Statewide central registry of registered
21 qualified electors, to which all of the commissions shall be
22 linked.
23 (b) Access to registry.--Commissions shall be authorized to
24 access the registry for the purposes of entering data into the
25 registry and searching registration records as part of a voter
26 removal program established under section 1901.
27 Section 4. Section 307 and 527(a)(1) of the act are amended
28 to read:
29 Section 307. Open records and documents.
30 (a) Scope.--The following documents under this act are open
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1 to public inspection except as otherwise provided in this
2 section:
3 (1) Records of a registration commission and of district
4 registers.
5 (2) Street lists.
6 (3) Official voter registration applications.
7 (4) Petitions and appeals.
8 (5) Witness lists.
9 (6) Accounts and contracts.
10 (7) Reports.
11 (b) Use.--Open material under subsection (a) may be
12 inspected during ordinary business hours subject to the
13 efficient operation of the commission. Public inspection shall
14 only be in the presence of a commissioner or authorized
15 commission employee and shall be subject to proper regulation
16 for safekeeping of the material and subject to this act. Upon
17 request, a photocopy of the record or computer-generated data
18 record shall be provided at cost. The material may not be used
19 for commercial or improper purposes.
20 (c) Disclosure of Social Security numbers.--The commission
21 may not disclose the last four digits of any registrant's Social
22 Security number nor any data containing the last four digits of
23 the registrant's Social Security number.
24 Section 527. Preparation and distribution of applications.
25 (a) Form.--
26 (1) The secretary shall prescribe the form of official
27 voter registration application. The official voter
28 registration application shall provide space for the
29 following information about the applicant:
30 (i) Full name.
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1 (i.i) Last four digits of the Social Security
2 number.
3 (ii) Address of residence. If the residence is a
4 portion only of the house, the location or number of the
5 room, apartment or floor which is occupied.
6 (iii) Mailing address if different than address of
7 residence.
8 (iv) Name and residence address on previous
9 registration and the year of that registration.
10 (v) Designation of political party, for the purpose
11 of voting at a primary election.
12 (vi) Date of birth.
13 (vii) Telephone number. An application shall not be
14 rejected because of noncompliance with this subparagraph.
15 (viii) Race. An application shall not be rejected
16 because of noncompliance with this subparagraph.
17 * * *
18 Section 5. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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