Regular Session 2021-2022 Senate Bill 0510 P.N. 0536

PRINTER'S NO. 536

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

SENATE BILL

No.

510

Session of

2021

INTRODUCED BY COLLETT, SANTARSIERO, HUGHES, STREET, KEARNEY,

MUTH, CAPPELLETTI, COSTA, KANE AND HAYWOOD, APRIL 9, 2021

REFERRED TO STATE GOVERNMENT, APRIL 9, 2021

AN ACT

Amending Title 25 (Elections) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated

Statutes, in preliminary provisions relating to voter

registration, further providing for definitions; in

registration system, further providing for SURE system; in

voter registration, further providing for qualifications to

preregistration data entry and further providing for

preparation and distribution of applications; and, in changes

in records, further providing for death of registrant.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1. Section 1102 of Title 25 of the Pennsylvania

Consolidated Statutes is amended by adding definitions to read:

§ 1102. Definitions.

Subject to additional definitions contained in subsequent

provisions of this part which are applicable to specific

provisions of this part, the following words and phrases when

used in this part shall have the meanings given to them in this

section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

* * *

"Preregistrant." A person who is at least 16 years of age,

but not yet 18 years of age, who is otherwise eligible to

"Preregistration." A process in which a preregistrant

submits the information necessary for voter registration and

inclusion into the SURE system in accordance with this part

prior to the time at which the preregistrant is eligible to

actively register to vote under section 1301 (relating to

qualifications to register).

* * *

Section 2. Section 1222(c) of Title 25 is amended by adding

paragraphs to read:

§ 1222. SURE system.

* * *

single, uniform integrated computer system. All commissions

shall be connected electronically to the SURE system and shall

maintain their registration records in the system. The SURE

system shall, at a minimum, do all of the following:

* * *

(22) Contain a code to enable identification and

tracking of preregistration status.

(23) Automatically activate the registration of a

preregistrant no later than the preregistrant's 18th

birthday.

* * *

Section 3. Section 1301(a) of Title 25 is amended and the

section is amended by adding a subsection to read:

§ 1301. Qualifications to register.

(a) Eligibility.--[An] Except as provided in subsection

(a.1), an individual [who] shall be eligible to register to vote

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if the individual:

(1) will be at least 18 years of age on the day of the

next election[, who];

(2) has been a citizen of the United States for at least

one month prior to the next election and [who] has resided in

this Commonwealth and the election district where the

individual offers to vote for at least 30 days prior to the

next ensuing election; and

(3) has not been confined in a penal institution for a

conviction of a felony within the last five years shall be

eligible to register as provided in this chapter.

(a.1) Preregistration.--Notwithstanding subsection (a)(1), a

preregistrant may preregister to vote, provided that the

preregistrant may not vote in any election before reaching 18

years of age. The department shall provide guidance within 90

days of the effective date of this subsection to assist

commissions in implementing preregistration.

* * *

Section 4. Section 1325(b)(4) of Title 25 is amended to

read:

§ 1325. Government agencies.

* * *

(b) Forms.--An agency designated in subsection (a) shall

provide a form for office visits or, if the agency provides

services to persons with disabilities, for home visits which

contains all of the following:

* * *

(4) The statement "In order to be qualified to register

to vote, you must be at least 18 years of age on the day of

the next election, you must have been a citizen of the United

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States for at least one month prior to the next election and

have resided in Pennsylvania and the election district where

you plan to vote for at least 30 days prior to the next

election, and you must not have been confined in a penal

institution for a conviction of a felony within the last five

years[."]. You may preregister to vote if you are at least 16

years of age, provided you may not vote in an election until

you reach 18 years of age."

* * *

Section 5. Title 25 is amended by adding a section to read:

§ 1326.1. Preregistration data entry.

In the case of preregistration, each commission shall enter

preregistration information into the SURE system upon receipt of

the information and ensure that each preregistrant is actively

registered to vote no later than the preregistrant's 18th

birthday.

Section 6. Sections 1327(a)(4)(iii) and (b)(1)(ii) and

1505(a) of Title 25 are amended 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:

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* * *

(iii) Notice that the applicant must be a citizen of

the United States for at least one month prior to the

next election and a resident of this Commonwealth and the

election district for at least 30 days and must be at

least 18 years of age by the day of the next ensuing

election, unless the individual is at least 16 years of

age and preregisters to vote, and has not been confined

in a penal institution for a conviction of a felony

within the last five years. The notice required in this

subparagraph shall be in print identical to the

declaration under subsection (b).

* * *

(b) Registration declaration.--

(1) The official voter registration application shall

contain a registration declaration. On the declaration, the

applicant shall state all of the following:

* * *

(ii) On the day of the next ensuing election, the

applicant shall be at least 18 years of age[.], unless

the applicant is preregistering to vote in the next

election in which the individual reaches 18 years of age.

* * *

§ 1505. Death of registrant.

(a) Department of Health.--A commission shall cancel the

registration of a registered elector or the preregistration of a

preregistrant reported dead by the Department of Health. The

Department of Health shall, within 60 days of receiving notice

of the death of an individual [18] 16 years of age or older,

send the name and address of residence of that individual to a

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commission in a manner and on a form prescribed by the

department. The commission shall promptly update information

contained in its registration records.

* * *

Section 7. This act shall take effect in 60 days.

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