Bill Text - HB315 (2019)

(Second New Title) relative to the Interstate Voter Registration Crosscheck Program and the accuracy and efficiency of voter registration systems.


Revision: Jan. 13, 2020, 2:50 p.m.

HB 315 - FINAL VERSION

 

7Mar2019... 0516h

05/30/2019   2228s

27Jun2019... 2566-CofC

2019 SESSION

19-0510

11/03

 

HOUSE BILL 315

 

AN ACT relative to the Interstate Voter Registration Crosscheck Program and the accuracy and efficiency of voter registration systems.

 

SPONSORS: Rep. Porter, Hills. 1; Rep. W. Pearson, Ches. 16; Rep. Huot, Belk. 3; Rep. DesMarais, Carr. 6; Rep. Ward, Rock. 28

 

COMMITTEE: Election Law

 

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AMENDED ANALYSIS

 

This bill repeals the authorization of the secretary of state to enter into an agreement to share voter information and data through the Interstate Voter Registration Crosscheck Program and authorizes the secretary of state to enter, by January 1, 2020, into an agreement with a program or organization to share voter information or data from the statewide centralized voter registration database.

 

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

7Mar2019... 0516h

05/30/2019   2228s

27Jun2019... 2566-CofC 19-0510

11/03

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Nineteen

 

AN ACT relative to the Interstate Voter Registration Crosscheck Program and the accuracy and efficiency of voter registration systems.

 

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

 

1  Repeal.  2016, 175:2, relative to the Interstate Voter Registration Crosscheck Program, is repealed.

2  Centralized Voter Registration Database.  Amend 654:45, VIII to read as follows:

VIII.(a)  The secretary of state may [enter into an agreement to share] become a member of a program or organization whose membership is composed of state, local, District of Columbia, or voting territory election officials from the United States and whose purpose is to share and exchange information to improve the accuracy and efficiency of voter registration systems.  The secretary of state may enter into a membership agreement with such program or organization no later than January 1, 2020 and shall remain in good standing with such program or organization thereafter.  On or before January 15, 2020, the secretary of state shall file a report with the speaker of the house of representatives, the president of the senate, and the chairpersons of the appropriate house and senate standing committees with jurisdiction over election law, that outlines the basis for the determination to participate or not participate in such program or organization.  The report shall take into account such factors as standards, policies and procedures, security requirements, and usability.  The secretary of state shall share with such program or organization voter information or data from the statewide centralized voter registration database for the purpose of comparing duplicate voter information with other states or groups of states.  The secretary of state shall only provide information that is necessary for matching duplicate voter information with other states and shall take precautions to make sure that information in the database is secure in a manner consistent with RSA 654:45, VI.  The secretary of state may solicit input from the department of safety and the department of information technology and shall ensure that any information or data shared between the agencies is protected by security processes and protocols and that any information or data that is of a confidential nature remains confidential.

(b)  The secretary of state shall investigate any duplicate matches of voters resulting from any comparisons of the statewide centralized voter registration database and other voter information or data with other states.  If the investigation results in the inability to confirm the eligibility of a person or persons who voted, or there is reason to believe a person or persons voted who were not eligible, the secretary of state shall forward the results to the attorney general for further investigation or prosecution.

(c)  Upon the effective date or subparagraph (a), the secretary of state shall cease any activity or data transfer with the Kansas-based Interstate Voter Registration Crosscheck Program.

(d)  Upon completion of any investigation authorized under RSA 654:45, VIII(b), the attorney general and the secretary of state shall forward a report summarizing the results of the investigation to the speaker of the house of representatives, the president of the senate, and the chairpersons of the appropriate house and senate standing committees with jurisdiction over election law.

3  New Paragraph; Administration of Motor Vehicle Laws; Records and Certification.  Amend RSA 260:14 by inserting after paragraph III-d the following new paragraph:

III-e.  Voter information and data contained in motor vehicle records shall be provided to the secretary of state pursuant to RSA 654:45, VIII.  This information and data may be further transferred or otherwise made available to programs or organizations pursuant to RSA 654:45, VIII(a).

4  Funding.  Funding for implementation of section 2 of this act shall be provided by grants received pursuant to the 2018 Help America Vote Act Election Security Award and section 101 of the Help America Vote Act of 2002, Public Law 107-252.

5  Effective Date.  This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

VETOED September 27, 2019 - Sustained January 8, 2020