PRINTER'S NO. 1854
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
1454
Session of
2017
INTRODUCED BY RABB, DIAMOND, THOMAS, V. BROWN, VAZQUEZ, BARRAR
AND ROZZI, MAY 25, 2017
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, MAY 25, 2017
AN ACT
Amending Title 25 (Elections) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes, in registration system, providing for pilot program
for electronic collection of signatures.
The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:
(1) The Department of Transportation has continually
focused on providing Pennsylvanians with secure driver's
licenses and identification cards as well as continued
improvements to both processes.
(2) If the act of May 8, 2012 (P.L.254, No.38), known as
the REAL ID Nonparticipation Act, is repealed, the Department
of Transportation may soon comply with the provisions of
Division B of the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act
for Defense, the Global War on Terror and Tsunami Relief,
2005 (Public Law 109-13, 119 Stat. 231), commonly known as
the REAL ID Act of 2005, which may further secure driver's
licenses and identification cards issued by the Department of
Transportation.
(3) Pennsylvania driver's licenses and identification
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
cards may represent a secure and effective tool in the
collection of signatures for candidates' nomination petitions
as well as the examination of nomination petitions under the
act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), known as the
Pennsylvania Election Code.
(4) Allowing electors to simply swipe a secure driver's
license or identification card as opposed to requiring
handwritten information may result in a more efficient and
secure nomination petition process for electors, candidates
and the Department of State.
(5) As a public policy matter, the Commonwealth should
utilize the latest technological resources to modernize the
election systems and procedures to make them more efficient
and provide additional safeguards.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Title 25 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
ยง 1208. Pilot program for electronic collection of signatures.
(a) Establishment.--A pilot program is established within
the department to provide for a system involving the electronic
collection of signatures of registered electors for nomination
petitions of primary election candidates.
(b) Administration.--
(1) The department shall administer the pilot program
which shall involve voting districts that are representative
of this Commonwealth and include rural, suburban and urban
districts in diverse geographical locations across this
Commonwealth.
(2) The department shall determine the equipment and
20170HB1454PN1854 - 2 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
software necessary to implement the pilot program and provide
for the security of information provided electronically.
(3) The department may contract with other persons as
necessary to develop the equipment and software and provide
the technical support to administer the pilot program.
(c) Review.--Based on a review of the pilot program, the
department shall consider the costs, benefits and feasibility of
the establishment of a Statewide system involving the electronic
collection of signatures of registered electors for nomination
petitions of primary election candidates.
(d) Effect.--The procedures governing all voting districts
across this Commonwealth shall continue to govern the voting
districts selected for the pilot program. For the voting
districts selected for the pilot program, the department shall
determine how the current system compares to the pilot program
regarding the collection and verification of signatures.
(e) Report.--No later than six months after the expiration
of the pilot program, the department shall issue a report to the
General Assembly containing the findings and recommendations of
the department as a result of the pilot program, including the
costs, benefits and feasibility of a Statewide system.
(f) Expiration.--The pilot program under this section shall
expire three years from the effective date of this section.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
20170HB1454PN1854 - 3 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24