Bill Text: NH HB595 | 2013 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Relative to photo identification of voters.
Sponsorship: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 7-1)
Status: (Passed) 2013-07-25 - II. Remainder Effective 07/24/2013 [HB595 Detail]
Download: New_Hampshire-2013-HB595-Amended.html
HB 595-FN – AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE
05/23/13 1624s
05/23/13 1805s
2013 SESSION
03/09
HOUSE BILL 595-FN
AN ACT relative to photo identification of voters.
SPONSORS: Rep. Weber, Ches 1; Rep. Gale, Hills 28; Rep. Winters, Hills 18; Rep. Hoelzel, Rock�3; Rep. Phillips, Ches 5; Rep. Berch, Ches 1; Sen. Lasky, Dist 13; Sen. Pierce, Dist 5
This bill modifies the forms of identification required of voters under current law and changes the effective date of prospective changes to voter identification requirements from September 1, 2013 to September 1, 2015.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
05/23/13 1624s
05/23/13 1805s
13-0574
03/09
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Thirteen
AN ACT relative to photo identification of voters.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Obtaining a Ballot. RSA 659:13, II is repealed and reenacted to read as follows:
II.(a) A valid photo identification shall show the name of the individual to whom the identification was issued, and the name shall substantially conform to the name in the individual's voter registration record; it also shall show a photograph of the individual to whom the identification was issued; and it shall also have an expiration date that has not been exceeded by a period of more than 5 years from the current date. The following forms of identification bearing a photograph of the voter shall satisfy the identification requirements of paragraph I:
(1) A driver's license issued by any state or the federal government.
(2) A nondriver's identification card issued by the motor vehicles division, department, agency, or office of any state.
(3) A United States armed services identification card.
(4) A United States passport.
(b) In addition to the forms of photo identification authorized in subparagraph (a), the following shall satisfy the identification requirements of paragraph I:
(1) A photo identification not authorized by subparagraph (a) but determined to be legitimate by the supervisors of the checklist, the moderator, or the town or city clerk, provided that if any person authorized to challenge a voter under RSA 659:27 objects to the use of such photo identification, the voter shall be required to execute a challenged voter affidavit as if no identification was presented.
(2) Verification of the person's identity by a moderator or supervisor of the checklist or the town or city clerk, provided that if any person authorized to challenge a voter under RSA 659:27 objects to such verification, the voter shall be required to execute a challenged voter affidavit.
2 Voter Identification; Effective Date Extended. Amend 2012, 284:15, I to read as follows:
I. Sections 7-13 of this act shall take effect September 1, [2013] 2015.
3 Voter Identification; Effective Date Extended. Amend 2012, 289:6, I to read as follows:
I. Section 4 of this act shall take effect September 1, [2013] 2015, at 12:01 a.m.
4 Obtaining a Ballot. Amend RSA 659:13, II to read as follows:
II.(a) A valid photo identification shall show the name of the individual to whom the identification was issued, and the name shall substantially conform to the name in the individual's voter registration record; it also shall show a photograph of the individual to whom the identification was issued; and it shall also have an expiration date that has not been exceeded by a period of more than 5 years from the current date. The following forms of identification bearing a photograph of the voter shall satisfy the identification requirements of paragraph I:
[(a)](1) A driver’s license issued by any state or the federal government.
[(b)](2) A nondriver’s identification card issued by the motor vehicles division, department, agency, or office of any state.
[(c)](3) A United States armed services identification card.
[(d)](4) A United States passport.
[(e)](5) A challenged voter affidavit in accordance with subparagraph I(c).
(b) In addition to the forms of photo identification authorized in subparagraph (a), the identification requirements of paragraph I may be satisfied by verification of the person’s identity by a moderator or supervisor of the checklist or the town or city clerk, provided that if any person authorized to challenge a voter under RSA 659:27 objects to such verification, the voter shall be required to execute a challenged voter affidavit.
5 Effective Date.
I. Section 4 of this act shall take effect September 1, 2015, at 12:02 a.m.
II. The remainder of this act shall take effect upon its passage.
LBAO
13-0574
Revised 01/29/13
HB 595 FISCAL NOTE
AN ACT relative to photo identification of voters.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Department of State indicates this bill, as introduced, will decrease state general fund expenditures by $143,442 in FY 2014, $64,715 in FY 2015, $67,747 in FY 2016, and $70,983 in FY 2017. The New Hampshire Municipal Association states this bill may decrease local expenditures by an indeterminable amount in FY 2014 and each year thereafter. There is no fiscal impact on state, county, or local revenue, or county expenditures.
METHODOLOGY:
The Department of State states this bill would repeal components of the voter ID requirements that would take effect September 1, 2013. The Department states this bill would repeal the requirement to place digital cameras and printers in polling locations so $81,675 in equipment expense would not be needed as well as $10,000 in maintenance expenditures and would also make a Program Assistant II position unnecessary. The table below identifies decreases in expenditures due to this bill.
FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017
Program Assistant II
(Labor Grade 15, Step 1) ($51,767) ($54,715) ($57,747) ($60,983)
Camera & Printers ($81,675) ($0) ($0) ($0)
Equipment Maintenance ($10,000) ($10,000) ($10,000) ($10,000)
($143,442) ($64,715) ($67,747) ($70,983)
The New Hampshire Municipal Association states the repeal of the voter identification process may decrease the time, workload, and costs for local officials but is not able to determine the exact impact on local expenditures.
The Judicial Council states it has not been required to expend funds to provide indigent defense representation to anyone charged with wrongful voting or voter fraud in the past ten years. The Council states this bill will have no fiscal impact.
The Department of Safety, Department of Justice, and Judicial Branch state this bill will have no fiscal impact on their operations.
