Bill Text: NJ S1603 | 2018-2019 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Provides voter registration assistance to persons completing parole, probation, and criminal sentences.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-02-05 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee [S1603 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2018-S1603-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator NELLIE POU
District 35 (Bergen and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Provides voter registration assistance to persons completing parole, probation, and criminal sentences.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning voter registration for persons completing parole, probation, and criminal sentences and supplementing various parts of the statutory law.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The chief probation officer in each county shall:
a. cause copies of the voter registration forms and instructions provided for under section 16 of P.L.1974, c.30 (C.19:31-6.4) and the declination form provided for in subsection b. of section 26 of P.L.1994, c.182 (C.19:31-6.11) to be distributed at each office to each person who is completing probation who appears in person thereat. An employee of the office shall inquire of every such person whether the person wishes to be registered to vote and shall inform the person that the person will become eligible to vote upon completion of probation. The employee shall subsequently review the forms to determine whether or not the person wishes to register to vote. If the person does not wish to register, the employee shall provide the person with any assistance necessary to complete the declination form and then inform the person that the form will be retained by the employee. If the person wishes to register, the employee shall provide the person with any assistance necessary in completing the voter registration form; shall inform the person that the person may leave the completed form with the employee or mail it personally to the Attorney General; and if the person chooses to leave the form, shall accept the completed form, stamp or otherwise mark the lower right hand corner of the document with the date on which it was so received, and forward it to the Attorney General. The employee shall provide to each person who does not decline to register to vote the same degree of assistance with regard to the completion of the voter registration form as is provided by the office with regard to the completion of its own forms, unless the person refuses such assistance;
b. provide for the continuous supply of the forms and instructions specified in subsection a. of this section to every office;
c. provide the forms and instructions specified in subsection a. of this section in both the English and Spanish languages to the offices which are located in any county in which bilingual sample ballots must be provided pursuant to R.S.19:14-21, R.S.19:49-4 or section 2 of P.L.1965, c.29 (C.19:23-22.4);
d. provide for the collection of completed voter registration forms by any employee of the office for the transmittal of the forms to the Attorney General;
e. provide that the forms, instructions and assistance specified in subsection a. of this section shall be provided to any person with a disability at that person's home by an employee of the office;
f. inform each employee of the office who assists in registering a person to vote that employee shall not:
(1) seek to influence an applicant's political preference or party registration;
(2) display any such political preference or party allegiance;
(3) make any statement to an applicant or take any action the purpose or effect of which is to discourage the applicant from registering to vote; and
g. make certain that no information relating to a declination to register to vote by a person is used for any purpose other than voter registration.
2. The State Parole Board shall:
a. cause copies of the voter registration forms and instructions provided for under section 16 of P.L.1974, c.30 (C.19:31-6.4) and the declination form provided for in subsection b. of section 26 of P.L.1994, c.182 (C.19:31-6.11) to be distributed at each office to each person who is completing parole for conviction of a crime under the laws of this State who appears in person thereat. An employee of the office shall inquire of every such person whether the person wishes to be registered to vote and shall inform the person that the person will become eligible to vote upon completion of parole. The employee shall subsequently review the forms to determine whether or not the person wishes to register to vote. If the person does not wish to register, the employee shall provide the person with any assistance necessary to complete the declination form and then inform the person that the form will be retained by the employee. If the person wishes to register, the employee shall provide the person with any assistance necessary in completing the voter registration form; shall inform the person that the person may leave the completed form with the employee or mail it personally to the Attorney General; and if the person chooses to leave the form, shall accept the completed form, stamp or otherwise mark the lower right hand corner of the document with the date on which it was so received, and forward it to the Attorney General. The employee shall provide to each person who does not decline to register to vote the same degree of assistance with regard to the completion of the voter registration form as is provided by the office with regard to the completion of its own forms, unless the person refuses such assistance;
b. provide for the continuous supply of the forms and instructions specified in subsection a. of this section to every office;
c. provide the forms and instructions specified in subsection a. of this section in both the English and Spanish languages to the offices which are located in any county in which bilingual sample ballots must be provided pursuant to R.S.19:14-21, R.S.19:49-4 or section 2 of P.L.1965, c.29 (C.19:23-22.4);
d. provide for the collection of completed voter registration forms by any employee of the office for the transmittal of the forms to the Attorney General;
e. provide that the forms, instructions and assistance specified in subsection a. of this section shall be provided to any person with a disability at that person's home by an employee of the office;
f. inform each employee of the office who assists in registering a person to vote that employee shall not:
(1) seek to influence an applicant's political preference or party registration;
(2) display any such political preference or party allegiance;
(3) make any statement to an applicant or take any action the purpose or effect of which is to discourage the person from registering to vote; and
g. make certain that no information relating to a declination to register to vote by a person is used for any purpose other than voter registration.
3. Whenever any person completes serving a sentence in any State or county correctional facility for a crime without being granted parole, the Commissioner of Corrections shall:
a. cause copies of the voter registration forms and instructions provided for under section 16 of P.L.1974, c.30 (C.19:31-6.4) and the declination form provided for in subsection b. of section 26 of P.L.1994, c.182 (C.19:31-6.11) to be distributed to such person. An employee of the Department of Corrections or of the county correctional facility, as appropriate, shall inquire of every such person whether the person wishes to be registered to vote and shall inform the person that the person will become eligible to vote upon release. The employee shall subsequently review the forms to determine whether or not the person wishes to register to vote. If the person does not wish to register, the employee shall provide the person with any assistance necessary to complete the declination form and then inform the person that the form will be retained by the employee. If the person wishes to register, the employee shall provide the person with any assistance necessary in completing the voter registration form; shall inform the person that the person may leave the completed form with the employee or mail it personally to the Attorney General; and if the person chooses to leave the form, shall accept the completed form, stamp or otherwise mark the lower right hand corner of the document with the date on which it was so received, and forward it to the Attorney General. The employee shall provide to each person who does not decline to register to vote the same degree of assistance with regard to the completion of the voter registration form as is provided by the department or county with regard to the completion of its own forms, unless the applicant refuses such assistance;
b. provide for the continuous supply of the forms and instructions specified in subsection a. of this section to every state and county correctional facility;
c. provide the forms and instructions specified in subsection a. of this section in both the English and Spanish languages to the facilities which are located in any county in which bilingual sample ballots must be provided pursuant to R.S.19:14-21, R.S.19:49-4 or section 2 of P.L.1965, c.29 (C.19:23-22.4);
d. provide for the collection of completed voter registration forms by an employee for the transmittal of the forms to the Attorney General;
e. inform each employee of the agency or office who assists in registering a person to vote that employee shall not:
(1) seek to influence an applicant's political preference or party registration;
(2) display any such political preference or party allegiance;
(3) make any statement to an applicant or take any action the purpose or effect of which is to discourage the applicant from registering to vote; and
f. make certain that no information relating to a declination to register to vote by an individual is used for any purpose other than voter registration.
4. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the chief probation officer in each county, the State Parole Board and the Commissioner of Corrections to assist each person under their jurisdiction who is completing probation, parole, or a criminal sentence and wishes to register to vote in completing a voter registration form.
Currently, an individual who is convicted of a crime of the fourth through first degree is prohibited from voting in any primary, municipal, special or general election while serving a sentence for that crime and while on parole or probation as a result of that conviction.
