Regular Session 2023-2024 House Bill 1498 P.N. 1706

PRINTER'S NO. 1706

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

No.

1498

Session of

2023

INTRODUCED BY CABELL, KUTZ, HAMM, R. MACKENZIE, M. BROWN, ECKER,

KAUFFMAN, MENTZER, LEADBETER, FLOOD, HEFFLEY, MOUL, GREINER,

BARTON AND GROVE, JUNE 23, 2023

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, JUNE 23, 2023

AN ACT

Amending the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), entitled

"An act concerning elections, including general, municipal,

special and primary elections, the nomination of candidates,

primary and election expenses and election contests; creating

and defining membership of county boards of elections;

imposing duties upon the Secretary of the Commonwealth,

courts, county boards of elections, county commissioners;

imposing penalties for violation of the act, and codifying,

revising and consolidating the laws relating thereto; and

repealing certain acts and parts of acts relating to

elections," in preliminary provisions, further providing for

definitions; in the Secretary of the Commonwealth, further

providing for powers and duties of the Secretary of the

Commonwealth; and, in county boards of elections, further

providing for powers and duties of county boards.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1. Section 102(z.5) of the act of June 3, 1937

(P.L.1333, No.320), known as the Pennsylvania Election Code, is

amended to read:

Section 102. Definitions.--The following words, when used in

this act, shall have the following meanings, unless otherwise

clearly apparent from the context:

* * *

(z.5) The words "proof of identification" shall mean:

[(1) In the case of an elector who has a religious objection

to being photographed, a valid-without-photo driver's license or

a valid-without-photo identification card issued by the

Department of Transportation.

(2) For an elector who appears to vote under section 1210, a

document that:

(i) shows the name of the individual to whom the document

was issued and the name substantially conforms to the name of

the individual as it appears in the district register;

(ii) shows a photograph of the individual to whom the

document was issued;

(iii) includes an expiration date and is not expired,

except:

(A) for a document issued by the Department of

Transportation which is not more than twelve (12) months past

the expiration date; or

(B) in the case of a document from an agency of the Armed

forces of the United States or their reserve components,

including the Pennsylvania National Guard, establishing that the

elector is a current member of or a veteran of the United States

Armed Forces or National Guard which does not designate a

specific date on which the document expires, but includes a

designation that the expiration date is indefinite; and

(iv) was issued by one of the following:

(A) The United States Government.

(B) The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

that municipality.

(D) An accredited Pennsylvania public or private institution

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of higher learning.

(E) A Pennsylvania care facility.

(3) For a qualified absentee elector under section 1301 or a

qualified mail-in elector under section 1301-D:

(i) in the case of an elector who has been issued a current

and valid driver's license, the elector's driver's license

number;

(ii) in the case of an elector who has not been issued a

current and valid driver's license, the last four digits of the

elector's Social Security number;

(iii) in the case of an elector who has a religious

objection to being photographed, a copy of a document that

satisfies paragraph (1); or

(iv) in the case of an elector who has not been issued a

current and valid driver's license or Social Security number, a

copy of a document that satisfies paragraph (2).]

(1) In the case of any elector, at least one of the

following:

(i) the elector's driver's license;

(ii) in the case of an elector who has a religious objection

to being photographed, a copy of a valid-without-photo driver's

license or a valid-without-photo identification card issued by

the Department of Transportation;

(iii) the elector's voter registration card with scannable

identification number and a copy of the elector's signature, as

issued by a county under section 302;

(iv) a document from an agency of the armed forces of the

United States or their reserve components, including the

Pennsylvania National Guard, establishing that the elector is a

current member of or a veteran of the United States Armed Forces

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or National Guard which does not designate a specific date on

which the document expires, but includes a designation that that

expiration date is indefinite;

(v) a document issued by the secretary under section 201(n);

(vi) an affidavit provided to an elector by elections

officers, on which the elector shall affirm his or her identity,

including his or her signature and the last four digits of his

or her Social Security number. The affidavit shall include

disclosure of the penalties under section 1802; or

(vii) a document that shows the name and photograph of the

individual to whom the document was issued, includes an

expiration date and is not expired and is issued by one of the

following:

(A) The United States Government.

(B) The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

that municipality.

(D) An accredited public or private institution of higher

learning located in this Commonwealth.

(E) A care facility located in this Commonwealth.

(2) (Reserved).

* * *

Section 2. Sections 201 and 302 of the act are amended by

adding subsections to read:

Section 201. Powers and Duties of the Secretary of the

Commonwealth.--The Secretary of the Commonwealth shall exercise

in the manner provided by this act all powers granted to him by

this act, and shall perform all the duties imposed upon him by

this act, which shall include the following:

* * *

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(i) To provide to any registered elector upon request, and

free of charge, a durable photo identification card which may be

used for the purposes of voting.

Section 302. Powers and Duties of County Boards.--The county

boards of elections, within their respective counties, shall

exercise, in the manner provided by this act, all powers granted

to them by this act, and shall perform all the duties imposed

upon them by this act, which shall include the following:

* * *

(q) To provide to each registered elector in a county,

within one year of the effective date of this subsection and

upon new or updated registration after the effective date of

this subsection, or at the request of an elector, a durable

voter registration card, including a scannable identification

code and a likeness of a registered elector's signature. A

county board of elections shall investigate the circumstances of

any registration card returned as undeliverable by the United

States Postal Service. The investigation shall include

contacting the applicant, further attempts to have his or her

registration card delivered and the correction or

reconsideration of his or her registration status and registered

address, if they are found to be incorrect.

Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.

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