THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

INTRODUCED BY BARRAR, CUTLER, BENNINGHOFF, BOBACK, CREIGHTON, GEIST, GOODMAN, HALUSKA, HARHART, HARRIS, HENNESSEY, KILLION, MILLER, MURT, MUSTIO, RAPP, SAYLOR, SIPTROTH AND BEYER, APRIL 29, 2009

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, APRIL 29, 2009  

AN ACT

Amending Title 25 (Elections) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated

Statutes, further providing for standardized forms, for

applications and for preparation and distribution of

applications; and providing for government service

facilitation.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1.  Sections 1105(a) and 1106(a) of Title 25 of the

Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are amended to read:

§ 1105.  Standardized forms.

(a)  General rule.--Whenever possible, the secretary shall

prescribe by regulation standardized voter registration or

absentee ballot application forms which may be used, with prior

approval by the secretary, by political bodies, candidates and

organized bodies of citizens in compliance with both the

provisions of this part and the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333,

No.320), known as the Pennsylvania Election Code. The forms

shall include notice to applicants as required under section

1327.1(e) (relating to government service facilitation).

* * *

§ 1106.  Applications.

[(a)  Registration application.--Voter registration

applications printed under the act of June 30, 1995 (P.L.170,

No.25), known as the Pennsylvania Voter Registration Act, may be

used to apply for registration under this part.]

* * *

Section 2.  Section 1327(a)(4) of Title 25 is amended by

adding a subparagraph to read:

§ 1327.  Preparation and distribution of applications.

(a)  Form.--

* * *

(4)  A voter registration application shall be printed on

stock of good quality and shall be of suitable uniform size.

Nothing in this part shall prohibit the design and use of an

electronic voter registration application which includes the

applicant's digitized or electronic signature. The

registration application shall contain the following

information; however, the information may be provided on a

separate form for voter registration made under section 1323

or 1325:

* * *

(xi) Notice to applicants as required under section

1327.1(e) (relating to government service facilitation).

* * *

Section 3.  Title 25 is amended by adding a section to read:

§ 1327.1.  Government service facilitation.

(a)  Legislative findings.--The General Assembly finds and

declares as follows:

(1) Individuals who move into this Commonwealth, or move

from one political subdivision to another in this

Commonwealth, often have difficulty accessing government

services and participating fully in the rights and

responsibilities which accrue to residents.

(2)  Requiring citizens to stand in multiple lines at

multiple agencies at various levels of government is not an

efficient means to provide necessary services to citizens or

an efficient use of government employee resources.

(3)  Failure to make appropriate and timely changes

concerning residency has led to problems for citizens

concerning voting rights and incorrectly transmitted tax

information and withholding.

(4)  The General Assembly has, in the past, assisted

individuals with reducing the governmental burdens associated

with geographic moves through methods such as combining the

driver’s license and voter registration processes.

(5)  In order to make the government more people

friendly, it is imperative to interconnect systems so that

information provided to the government can be accessed in

such a manner as to provide new residents with appropriate

contact information and the full panoply of government

interaction.

(b)  General rule.--Notwithstanding any prohibition found in

any other law, regulation or rule, a commission which processes

a voter registration application shall provide information as

follows:

(1)  Within 14 days of receipt, the commission shall

provide, in the manner prescribed by the secretary, the

department with the applicant's full name, address of

residence and mailing address, if different from the address

of residence. The requirements of this paragraph may be met,

with the approval of the secretary, by current law and

practices concerning transmission of information from a

commission to the department.

(2)  Within 14 days of receipt, the commission shall

provide, in the manner prescribed by the secretary, each

political subdivision which contains the applicant's address

of residence with the applicant's full name, address of

residence and mailing address, if different from the address

of residence.

(c)  Duties of department.--Notwithstanding any prohibition

found in any other law, regulation or rule, upon receipt of

information from a commission under subsection (b), the

department shall provide the Department of Revenue, the

Department of Public Welfare and the Department of

Transportation with the applicant's full name, address of

residence and mailing address, if different from the address of

residence. The method of providing information shall be

determined by the secretary in conjunction with the Department

of Revenue, the Department of Public Welfare and the Department

of Transportation, and may include electronic mail, facsimile or

other secure method which accomplishes the requirements of this

subsection without undue expense or delay.

(d)  Responsibility of recipient agencies.--Any State agency

or political subdivision which receives information regarding an

applicant under subsection (b) or (c) shall determine if an

applicant meets the residency requirements applicable to the

services provided or duties imposed by that State agency or

political subdivision and shall transmit to the applicant

information concerning the rights and responsibilities of that

applicant which fall within the scope of the authority provided

to the State agency or political subdivision.

(e)  Notice on voter registration application.--Each voter

registration application shall contain, in a manner prescribed

by the secretary, notice that the applicant's name, address and

mailing address will be provided to the Department of

Transportation, the Department of Public Welfare, the

Department of Revenue and relevant political subdivisions to

ensure the applicant's full access to the rights and

responsibilities attendant to residence.

(f)  Definitions.--The following words and phrases, when used

in this section, shall have the meanings given to them in this

subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Political subdivision."  The term shall have the same

meaning as the term is defined in 1 Pa.C.S. § 1991 (relating to

definitions).

Section 4.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.