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Senate
File
550
-
Introduced
SENATE
FILE
550
BY
COMMITTEE
ON
STATE
GOVERNMENT
(SUCCESSOR
TO
SSB
1088)
A
BILL
FOR
An
Act
relating
to
voter
registration,
including
voter
1
registration
file
maintenance,
applications
for
voter
2
registration,
and
verification
of
voter
eligibility.
3
BE
IT
ENACTED
BY
THE
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
OF
THE
STATE
OF
IOWA:
4
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Section
1.
Section
47.7,
subsection
2,
Code
2025,
is
amended
1
to
read
as
follows:
2
2.
a.
On
or
before
January
1,
2006,
the
The
state
registrar
3
of
voters
shall
implement
in
a
uniform
and
nondiscriminatory
4
manner,
a
single,
uniform,
official,
centralized,
interactive
5
computerized
statewide
voter
registration
file
defined,
6
maintained,
and
administered
at
the
state
level
that
contains
7
the
name
and
registration
information
of
every
legally
8
registered
voter
in
the
state
and
assigns
a
unique
identifier
9
to
each
legally
registered
voter
in
the
state.
The
state
voter
10
registration
system
shall
be
coordinated
with
other
agency
11
databases
within
the
state,
including
,
but
not
limited
to
,
12
state
department
of
transportation
driver’s
license
records,
13
judicial
records
of
convicted
felons
and
persons
declared
14
incompetent
to
vote,
and
department
of
health
and
human
15
services
records
of
deceased
persons.
16
b.
On
or
after
January
1,
2007,
a
A
county
shall
not
17
establish
or
maintain
a
voter
registration
system
separate
18
from
the
state
voter
registration
system.
Each
county
shall
19
provide
to
the
state
registrar
the
names,
voter
registration
20
information,
and
voting
history
of
each
registered
voter
in
the
21
county
in
the
form
required
by
the
state
registrar.
22
c.
A
state
or
local
election
official
may
obtain
immediate
23
electronic
access
to
the
information
contained
in
the
24
computerized
voter
registration
file.
All
voter
registration
25
information
obtained
by
a
local
election
official
shall
be
26
electronically
entered
into
the
computerized
voter
registration
27
file
on
an
expedited
basis
at
the
time
the
information
is
28
provided
to
the
local
election
official.
The
state
registrar
29
shall
provide
such
support
as
may
be
required
to
enable
local
30
election
officials
to
electronically
enter
the
information
into
31
the
computerized
voter
registration
file
on
an
expedited
basis.
32
The
list
generated
from
the
computerized
file
shall
serve
as
33
the
official
voter
registration
list
for
the
conduct
of
all
34
elections
for
federal
office
in
the
state.
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d.
The
state
registrar
shall
prescribe
by
rule
the
1
procedures
for
access
to
the
state
voter
registration
file,
2
including
all
of
the
following:
3
(1)
Access
protocols
for
adding,
changing,
or
deleting
4
information
from
the
state
voter
registration
file.
5
(2)
Training
requirements
for
all
state
voter
registration
6
file
users.
7
(3)
Technology
safeguards,
including
county
information
8
technology
network
requirements,
necessary
to
access
the
state
9
voter
registration
file.
10
(4)
Breach
incident
response
requirements
and
protocols
on
11
all
matters
related
to
elections.
12
e.
The
state
registrar
may
rescind
access
to
the
statewide
13
voter
registration
file
from
a
user
who
is
not
in
compliance
14
with
the
prescribed
rules.
15
f.
(1)
The
state
registrar
shall,
in
the
first
quarter
16
of
each
calendar
year,
conduct
a
verification
of
all
voters
17
in
the
statewide
voter
registration
file,
which
shall
18
include
cross-referencing
the
records
in
the
statewide
voter
19
registration
file
with
similar
records
maintained
by
other
20
states.
The
state
registrar
of
voters
shall
cancel
the
21
registration
of
a
voter
found
to
be
ineligible
pursuant
to
22
section
48A.30
.
The
state
registrar
shall
submit
a
report
23
to
the
general
assembly
by
April
30
of
each
year
regarding
24
the
number
of
voter
registrations
canceled
pursuant
to
this
25
paragraph.
The
state
registrar
shall
also
publish
this
report
26
on
the
internet
site
of
the
state
registrar.
27
(2)
g.
The
state
registrar
may
contract
with
a
third-party
28
vendor
,
including
state
and
federal
government
agencies
and
29
private
entities,
to
develop
or
provide
a
program
to
allow
30
the
state
registrar
to
verify
the
status
of
records
in
the
31
statewide
voter
registration
file
and
identify
ineligible
32
voters
on
an
ongoing
basis.
33
h.
The
state
registrar
may
adopt
rules
pursuant
to
chapter
34
17A
for
the
use
of
federal
and
other
state
agency
sources
of
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information.
The
state
registrar
and
county
commissioners
1
of
elections
may
use
those
sources
of
information
for
voter
2
registration
file
maintenance.
3
i.
The
department
of
transportation
shall
transmit
to
the
4
state
registrar
a
list
of
each
person
seventeen
years
of
age
or
5
older
in
the
state
who
has
submitted
documentation
indicating
6
that
the
person
is
not
a
citizen
of
the
United
States.
7
Sec.
2.
Section
48A.10A,
subsections
1
and
2,
Code
2025,
are
8
amended
to
read
as
follows:
9
1.
The
state
registrar
shall
compare
lists
of
persons
who
10
are
registered
to
vote
with
the
department
of
transportation’s
11
driver’s
license
and
files,
nonoperator’s
identification
12
card
files
,
and
noncitizen
identification
files,
and
shall,
13
on
an
initial
basis,
issue
a
voter
identification
card
to
14
each
active,
registered
voter
whose
name
does
not
appear
15
in
the
department
of
transportation’s
files.
The
voter
16
identification
card
shall
include
the
name
of
the
registered
17
voter,
a
signature
line
above
which
the
registered
voter
shall
18
sign
the
voter
identification
card,
the
registered
voter’s
19
identification
number
assigned
to
the
voter
pursuant
to
20
section
47.7,
subsection
2
,
an
additional
four-digit
personal
21
identification
number
assigned
by
the
state
commissioner,
and
22
the
times
during
which
polling
places
will
be
open
on
election
23
days.
24
2.
The
commissioner
shall
issue
voter
identification
cards
25
on
an
ongoing
basis
as
prescribed
by
the
state
registrar.
The
26
commissioner
shall,
as
a
part
of
the
voter
acknowledgment
27
process
required
under
sections
48A.26
and
48A.26A
,
issue
28
a
voter
identification
card
to
a
registered
voter
under
29
this
subsection
at
the
time
of
registration
or
update
to
30
registration
if
the
registered
voter’s
name
does
not
appear
31
in
the
department
of
transportation’s
driver’s
license
,
or
32
nonoperator’s
identification
card
,
or
noncitizen
identification
33
files.
A
registered
voter
whose
name
appears
in
the
department
34
of
transportation’s
driver’s
license
,
or
nonoperator’s
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identification
card
,
or
noncitizen
identification
files
shall
1
not
be
issued
a
voter
identification
card
pursuant
to
this
2
section
.
3
Sec.
3.
Section
48A.18,
subsection
1,
Code
2025,
is
amended
4
to
read
as
follows:
5
1.
a.
Each
Except
as
provided
in
paragraph
“b”
,
each
6
state
motor
vehicle
driver’s
license
application,
including
7
any
renewal
application
or
application
for
a
nonoperator’s
8
identification
card,
submitted
to
the
office
of
driver
services
9
of
the
state
department
of
transportation
shall
serve
as
10
an
application
for
voter
registration
unless
the
applicant
11
declines
to
register
to
vote.
A
completed
voter
registration
12
form
submitted
to
the
office
of
driver
services
of
the
state
13
department
of
transportation
shall
be
considered
to
update
any
14
previous
voter
registration
by
the
registrant.
15
b.
An
application
for
a
state
motor
vehicle
driver’s
license
16
or
nonoperator’s
identification
card
shall
not
serve
as
an
17
application
for
voter
registration
if
the
applicant
submits
18
documentation
demonstrating
that
the
applicant
is
not
a
citizen
19
of
the
United
States.
20
Sec.
4.
Section
48A.19,
subsection
3,
Code
2025,
is
amended
21
to
read
as
follows:
22
3.
The
Except
as
provided
in
subsection
7,
the
voter
23
registration
agency
shall
provide
voter
registration
services
24
with
each
application
for
services
or
assistance
and
with
each
25
recertification,
renewal,
or
change
of
address
form
completed
26
relating
to
the
agency’s
services.
The
secretary
of
state
27
shall
adopt
administrative
rules
in
cooperation
with
voter
28
registration
agencies
to
carry
out
the
requirements
of
this
29
section
.
30
Sec.
5.
Section
48A.19,
Code
2025,
is
amended
by
adding
the
31
following
new
subsection:
32
NEW
SUBSECTION
.
7.
The
voter
registration
agency
shall
not
33
provide
voter
registration
services
to
a
person
submitting
an
34
application
for
services
or
assistance
or
a
recertification,
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renewal,
or
change
of
address
form
completed
relating
to
1
the
agency’s
services
if
the
person
submits
documentation
2
demonstrating
that
the
person
is
not
a
citizen
of
the
United
3
States.
4
Sec.
6.
Section
48A.25A,
Code
2025,
is
amended
by
adding
the
5
following
new
subsection:
6
NEW
SUBSECTION
.
2A.
A
voter
registration
record
shall
be
7
designated
as
unconfirmed
status
if
the
registrant
self-reports
8
to
be
a
noncitizen
on
the
voter
registration
form
and
signs
9
the
portion
of
the
form
affirming
the
person’s
United
States
10
citizenship.
11
Sec.
7.
Section
48A.30,
subsection
1,
Code
2025,
is
amended
12
by
adding
the
following
new
paragraph:
13
NEW
PARAGRAPH
.
h.
The
registered
voter
submits
14
documentation
that
indicates
that
the
registered
voter
is
not
a
15
citizen
of
the
United
States
or
reports
to
a
state
or
federal
16
agency
that
the
registered
voter
is
not
a
citizen
of
the
United
17
States.
18
Sec.
8.
Section
48A.30,
subsection
2,
Code
2025,
is
amended
19
to
read
as
follows:
20
2.
When
a
registration
is
canceled
pursuant
to
subsection
1
,
21
paragraph
“d”
,
“e”
,
or
“g”
,
or
“h”
,
the
commissioner
shall
send
22
a
notice
of
the
cancellation
to
the
registered
voter.
23
Sec.
9.
Section
48A.37,
subsection
2,
Code
2025,
is
amended
24
to
read
as
follows:
25
2.
Electronic
records
shall
include
a
status
code
26
designating
whether
the
records
are
active,
inactive,
27
incomplete,
pending,
unconfirmed,
or
canceled.
28
a.
Inactive
records
are
records
of
registered
voters
to
29
whom
notices
have
been
sent
pursuant
to
section
48A.28
,
and
30
who
have
not
returned
the
card
or
otherwise
responded
to
31
the
notice,
and
those
records
have
been
designated
inactive
32
pursuant
to
section
48A.29
.
Inactive
records
are
also
records
33
of
registered
voters
to
whom
notices
have
been
sent
pursuant
34
to
section
48A.26A
and
who
have
not
responded
to
the
notice.
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Incomplete
records
are
records
missing
required
information
1
pursuant
to
section
48A.11,
subsection
8
.
Pending
records
2
are
records
of
applicants
whose
applications
have
not
been
3
verified
pursuant
to
section
48A.25A
.
Unconfirmed
records
are
4
records
of
registered
voters
about
whom
the
state
registrar
or
5
county
commissioner
has
received
information
from
a
reliable
6
source
indicating
that
the
registered
voter
is
not
qualified.
7
Canceled
records
are
records
that
have
been
canceled
pursuant
8
to
section
48A.30
.
All
other
records
are
active
records.
9
b.
An
inactive
record
shall
be
made
active
when
the
10
registered
voter
requests
an
absentee
ballot,
votes
at
an
11
election,
registers
again,
or
reports
a
change
of
name,
12
address,
telephone
number,
or
political
party
or
organization
13
affiliation.
An
incomplete
record
shall
be
made
active
when
14
a
completed
application
is
received
from
the
applicant
and
15
verified
pursuant
to
section
48A.25A
.
A
pending
record
shall
16
be
made
active
upon
verification
or
upon
the
voter
providing
17
identification
pursuant
to
section
48A.8
.
An
unconfirmed
18
record
shall
be
made
active
upon
the
registered
voter
providing
19
evidence
that
the
registered
voter
is
qualified.
20
Sec.
10.
Section
49.77,
subsection
1,
paragraph
a,
Code
21
2025,
is
amended
to
read
as
follows:
22
a.
Any
person
desiring
to
vote
shall
sign
a
voter’s
23
declaration
provided
by
the
officials,
in
substantially
the
24
following
form:
25
VOTER’S
DECLARATION
26
OF
ELIGIBILITY
27
I
do
solemnly
swear
or
affirm
that
I
am
a
resident
of
the
....
28
precinct,
....
ward
or
township,
city
of
........
,
county
of
29
........
,
Iowa.
I
am
a
citizen
of
the
United
States.
30
I
am
a
registered
voter.
I
was
born
on
the
....
day
of
....
31
(month)
....
(year).
I
have
not
voted
and
will
not
32
vote
in
any
other
precinct
in
said
election.
33
I
understand
that
any
false
statement
in
this
declaration
is
34
a
criminal
offense
punishable
as
provided
by
law.
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................................
1
Signature
of
Voter
2
................................
3
Address
4
................................
5
Telephone
(optional)
6
Approved:
7
............................................
8
Board
Member
9
Sec.
11.
Section
49.80,
subsection
2,
paragraph
a,
Code
10
2025,
is
amended
by
adding
the
following
new
subparagraph:
11
NEW
SUBPARAGRAPH
.
(5)
The
person’s
citizenship
status.
12
Sec.
12.
Section
50.22,
subsection
2,
Code
2025,
is
amended
13
to
read
as
follows:
14
2.
The
decision
to
count
or
reject
each
ballot
shall
be
15
made
upon
the
basis
of
the
information
given
on
the
envelope
16
containing
the
provisional
ballot,
the
evidence
concerning
17
the
challenge,
the
registration
and
the
returned
receipts
of
18
registration.
Ballots
submitted
to
the
board
pursuant
to
19
section
49.78
or
49.81
that
are
not
cured
by
the
deadline
20
provided
in
section
49.81,
subsection
6,
shall
be
rejected.
21
EXPLANATION
22
The
inclusion
of
this
explanation
does
not
constitute
agreement
with
23
the
explanation’s
substance
by
the
members
of
the
general
assembly.
24
This
bill
relates
to
voter
registration.
25
The
bill
specifies
that
the
state
registrar
of
voters
may
26
contract
with
federal
and
state
agencies
and
private
entities
27
for
voter
registration
verification
purposes
and
allows
the
28
state
registrar
to
adopt
rules
regarding
the
use
of
federal
29
and
state
sources
of
information
for
voter
registration
file
30
maintenance.
31
The
bill
requires
the
department
of
transportation
(DOT)
to
32
share
with
the
state
registrar
of
voters
a
list
of
each
person
33
who
has
submitted
documentation
indicating
that
the
person
34
is
not
a
citizen
of
the
United
States
and
requires
the
state
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S.F.
550
registrar
of
voters
to
compare
the
list
of
registered
voters
1
with
the
noncitizen
identification
information
maintained
by
2
the
DOT.
3
The
bill
prohibits
the
DOT
and
other
voter
registration
4
agencies
from
treating
applications
for
driver’s
licenses,
5
nonoperator’s
identification
cards,
services,
or
assistance
as
6
applications
for
voter
registration
if
the
applicant
submits
7
documentation
demonstrating
that
the
applicant
is
not
a
citizen
8
of
the
United
States.
9
The
bill
requires
a
voter
registration
to
be
marked
as
10
“unconfirmed”
if
a
registrant
marks
on
the
voter
registration
11
form
that
the
registrant
is
a
noncitizen
and
also
signs
12
the
portion
of
the
form
affirming
that
the
registrant
is
a
13
citizen
of
the
United
States
or
if
the
state
registrar
of
14
voters
or
county
commissioner
of
elections
receives
reliable
15
information
that
the
registered
voter
is
not
a
citizen
of
the
16
United
States.
The
bill
requires
a
voter
registration
to
be
17
changed
from
unconfirmed
to
active
if
the
registered
voter
18
provides
evidence
that
the
registered
voter
is
qualified
to
19
vote.
The
bill
adds
a
statement
regarding
citizenship
status
20
to
the
declaration
of
eligibility
signed
by
each
voter
prior
21
to
receiving
a
ballot.
22
The
bill
also
requires
a
voter
registration
to
be
canceled
23
if
the
registered
voter
submits
documentation
that
indicates
24
that
the
registered
voter
is
not
a
citizen
of
the
United
States
25
or
reports
to
a
state
or
federal
agency
that
the
registered
26
voter
is
not
a
citizen
of
the
United
States.
The
bill
allows
27
a
precinct
election
official
to
question
a
person
about
the
28
person’s
citizenship
status
if
the
right
of
the
person
to
vote
29
is
challenged
at
the
time
the
person
is
offering
to
vote.
30
The
bill
requires
the
special
precinct
election
board
to
31
reject
provisional
ballots
that
have
not
been
cured
by
the
32
statutory
deadline.
33
-8-
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