SB 305-FN - AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE
01/08/2020 2890s
2019 SESSION
19-0975
11/08
SENATE BILL 305-FN
AN ACT relative to the establishment of an election information portal.
SPONSORS: Sen. Gray, Dist 6
COMMITTEE: Election Law and Municipal Affairs
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AMENDED ANALYSIS
This bill authorizes the secretary of state to develop an election information portal.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
01/08/2020 2890s 19-0975
11/08
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Nineteen
AN ACT relative to the establishment of an election information portal.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Purpose. It is the intent of the legislature to modernize the application processes for new voter registration, requesting absentee ballots, and requesting changes to name, domicile, and party affiliation in the statewide voter database.
2 New Subdivision; Election Information Portal. Amend RSA 652 by inserting after section 27 the following new subdivision:
Election Information Portal
652:28 Election Information Portal.
I. The secretary of state is hereby authorized to develop, in consultation with the department of information technology, the department of safety, division of motor vehicles, and city and town clerks and supervisors of the checklist, an online election information portal which citizens may use to:
(a) Complete a new voter application.
(b) Request an absentee ballot.
(c) Request changes to the statewide centralized voter registration database, such as name, domicile address, mailing address, and party affiliation.
II. Voters electing to use the portal shall provide the same information and pursuant to the same time frames as outlined in statutes related to voter registration and maintenance of the statewide centralized voter registration database, including RSA 654:7, RSA 654:8, RSA 654:16 through RSA 654:19, and RSA 654:34, except that the information may be provided in a format the secretary of state deems suitable for electronic submission. Any information submitted to the portal shall be handled in a manner consistent with relevant voter and election laws, including RSA 654, and shall be retrievable and printable at any time including during the processing of the information. In addition, nonpublic data related to individual voter data shall remain confidential.
III. The secretary of state shall not implement any election information portal established pursuant to this section, such that the public can access or otherwise utilize such portal, until January 1, 2021.
3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
19-0975
Amended 1/17/20
SB 305-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE (AMENDMENT #2019-2890s)
AN ACT relative to the establishment of an election information portal.
FISCAL IMPACT: [ X ] State [ ] County [ ] Local [ ] None
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| Estimated Increase / (Decrease) | |||
STATE: | FY 2020 | FY 2021 | FY 2022 | FY 2023 |
Appropriation | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Expenditures | $0 | $300,000 to $600,000 | $50,000 | $50,000 |
Funding Source: | [ X ] General [ ] Education [ ] Highway [ X ] Other - Federal HAVA Funds | |||
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METHODOLOGY:
This bill authorizes the Secretary of State to develop, in consultation with Department of Information Technology, Department of Safety and city and town clerks and supervisors of the checklist, an election information portal. The Secretary of State's Office indicates the bill would authorize the Secretary of State to create an online election information portal for individuals to submit voter registration applications or change their voter information online. The parameters of the portal, in terms of functionality, are still to be determined, but the Office estimates the cost to develop the software would be between $300,000 and $600,000 with additional ongoing annual maintenance and cyber security costs of $50,000. The Office states New Hampshire is eligible to receive an additional $3.5 million in federal funds under the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) which can be used for cyber security and efforts or projects to improve the election process. The Office states, in order to receive these additional HAVA funds, the State would be required to make a 20% match or $700,000.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Department of State
| Date | Body | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Feb. 6, 2019 | Senate | Hearing |
| Senate | Floor Vote | |
| Jan. 8, 2020 | Senate | Floor Vote |
Feb. 13, 2020: Refer to Interim Study, MA, VV; 02/13/2020; SJ 4
Feb. 13, 2020: Committee Report: Referred to Interim Study, 02/13/2020; SC 6
Jan. 8, 2020: Ought to Pass with Amendment 2019-2890s, MA, VV; Refer to Finance Rule 4-5; 01/08/2020; SJ 1
Jan. 8, 2020: Committee Amendment # 2019-2890s, AA, VV; 01/08/2020; SJ 1
Jan. 8, 2020: Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2019-2890s, 01/08/2020; Vote 5-0; CC; SC 47
: Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2019-2890s; Vote 5-0; CC
March 14, 2019: Rereferred to Committee, MA, VV; 03/14/2019; SJ 8
March 14, 2019: Committee Report: Rereferred to Committee, 03/14/2019; SC 13
Feb. 6, 2019: Hearing: 02/06/2019, Room 102, LOB, 10:00 am; SC 9
Jan. 3, 2019: Introduced 01/03/2019 and Referred to Election Law and Municipal Affairs; SJ 4