HB756 (2007) Detail

Relative to centralized voter registration database information.


HB 756-FN – AS INTRODUCED

2007 SESSION

07-0982

03/10

HOUSE BILL 756-FN

AN ACT relative to centralized voter registration database information.

SPONSORS: Rep. Kurk, Hills 7

COMMITTEE: Election Law

ANALYSIS

This bill eliminates provisions authorizing the secretary of state to provide copies of the statewide voter checklist.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

07-0982 03/10

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Seven

AN ACT relative to centralized voter registration database information.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1 Availability of Checklist; Statewide Checklist. Amend RSA 654:31 to read as follows:

654:31 Availability of Checklist.

I. In this section:

(a) “Checklist information” means the data, in any form, required to be placed on the public checklist by RSA 654:25, when that data is obtained or derived from a checklist or from the statewide centralized voter registration database maintained by the secretary of state.

(b) [“Commercial purposes” means knowingly using, selling, giving, or receiving the checklist information for the purpose of selling or offering for sale any property or service unrelated to an election or political campaign.

(c) “Nonpublic checklist” means the checklist bearing the names of voters who by law are entitled to have their status as a voter kept nonpublic.

(d)] “Public checklist” means the checklist required by RSA 654:25 which contains the names of voters who by law are to be listed on a checklist available to the public in accordance with the restrictions established by this section.

II. In towns and cities, the public checklist as corrected by the supervisors shall be open for the examination of any person at all times before the opening of a meeting or election at which the list is to be used. The supervisors of the checklist shall furnish one or more copies of the most recent public checklist of their town or city to any person requesting such copies. The supervisors of the checklist may only provide checklist information for their town or city. The supervisors of the checklist may charge a fee of up to $25 for each copy of the public checklist for a town or ward. For public checklists containing more than 2,500 names, the supervisors of the checklist may charge a fee of up to $25, plus $0.50 per thousand names or portion thereof in excess of 2,500, plus any shipping costs. The supervisors of the checklist may provide public checklist information on paper, computer disk, computer tape, electronic transfer, or any other form.

III. [Any person may view the data that would be available on the public checklist, as corrected by the supervisors of the checklist, on the statewide centralized voter registration database maintained by the secretary of state at the state records and archives center during normal business hours, but the person viewing data at the state records and archives center may not print, duplicate, transmit, or alter the data. The secretary of state may only provide copies of the most recent public checklist to a political committee of a political party as defined in RSA 664:2, V, or to a candidate who has filed for consideration for any office in any primary or general election or who has been nominated for any office in a general election. The secretary of state may not provide public checklists of less than the entire state. The secretary of state may charge a fee of up to $25 plus $0.50 per thousand names or portion thereof in excess of 2,500 plus shipping charges for each copy of the statewide public checklist. The secretary of state may provide public checklists as prescribed in this section on paper, computer disk, computer tape, electronic transfer, or any other form.

IV. Fees collected by the secretary of state under this section shall be deposited in the election fund established pursuant to RSA 5:6-d. Fees collected by a town or city under this section shall be for the use of the town or city.

V. No person shall use or permit the use of checklist information provided by the secretary of state for commercial purposes. Whoever knowingly violates any of the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor if a natural person or guilty of a felony if any other person.

VI.] This section shall not be construed to restrict the transfer of checklist information to the state or federal courts as required by RSA 654:45 for any lawful purpose.

2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect January 1, 2008.

LBAO

07-0982

1/5/07

HB 756-FN - FISCAL NOTE

AN ACT relative to centralized voter registration database information.

FISCAL IMPACT:

    The Legislative Budget Assistant has determined that this legislation has a total fiscal impact of less than $10,000 in each of the fiscal years 2007 through 2011.