Bill Text: PA HB1636 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Further providing for standardized forms, for applications and for preparation and distribution of applications; and providing for government service facilitation.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 60-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2009-06-23 - Referred to STATE GOVERNMENT [HB1636 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2009-HB1636-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 2261
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 1636 Session of2009
INTRODUCED BY BARRAR, S. H. SMITH, TURZAI, CIVERA, MAJOR, STERN, PHILLIPS, SAYLOR, ROAE, PAYNE, SCHRODER, MARSHALL, REICHLEY, MUSTIO, KAUFFMAN, ROCK, VEREB, BAKER, BEAR, BOYD, CAUSER, CLYMER, CREIGHTON, CUTLER, DALLY, DENLINGER, EVERETT, FARRY, FLECK, GABLER, GEIST, GINGRICH, GROVE, HARRIS, HELM, HESS, HICKERNELL, M. KELLER, KNOWLES, KRIEGER, MARSICO, MENSCH, METZGAR, MICOZZIE, MILLARD, MILLER, MILNE, MOUL, MURT, O'NEILL, PICKETT, READSHAW, REED, ROHRER, SCAVELLO, STEVENSON, SWANGER, TRUE, VULAKOVICH, WATSON AND HARHART, JUNE 23, 2009
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, JUNE 23, 2009
AN ACT
Amending Title 25 (Elections) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes, further providing for standardized forms, for
applications and for preparation and distribution of
applications; and providing for government service
facilitation.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Sections 1105(a) and 1106(a) of Title 25 of the
Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are amended to read:
§ 1105. Standardized forms.
(a) General rule.--Whenever possible, the secretary shall
prescribe by regulation standardized voter registration or
absentee ballot application forms which may be used, with prior
approval by the secretary, by political bodies, candidates and
organized bodies of citizens in compliance with both the
provisions of this part and the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333,
No.320), known as the Pennsylvania Election Code. The forms
shall include notice to applicants as required under section
1327.1(e) (relating to government service facilitation).
* * *
§ 1106. Applications.
[(a) Registration application.--Voter registration
applications printed under the act of June 30, 1995 (P.L.170,
No.25), known as the Pennsylvania Voter Registration Act, may be
used to apply for registration under this part.]
* * *
Section 2. Section 1327(a)(4) of Title 25 is amended by
adding a subparagraph to read:
§ 1327. Preparation and distribution of applications.
(a) Form.--
* * *
(4) A voter registration application shall be printed on
stock of good quality and shall be of suitable uniform size.
Nothing in this part shall prohibit the design and use of an
electronic voter registration application which includes the
applicant's digitized or electronic signature. The
registration application shall contain the following
information; however, the information may be provided on a
separate form for voter registration made under section 1323
or 1325:
* * *
(xi) Notice to applicants as required under section
1327.1(e) (relating to government service facilitation).
* * *
Section 3. Title 25 is amended by adding a section to read:
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§ 1327.1. Government service facilitation.
(a) Legislative findings.--The General Assembly finds and
declares as follows:
(1) Individuals who move into this Commonwealth or move
from one political subdivision to another in this
Commonwealth often have difficulty accessing government
services and participating fully in the rights and
responsibilities which accrue to residents.
(2) Requiring citizens to stand in multiple lines at
multiple agencies at various levels of government is not an
efficient means to provide necessary services to citizens or
an efficient use of government employee resources.
(3) Failure to make appropriate and timely changes
concerning residency has led to problems for citizens
concerning voting rights and incorrectly transmitted tax
information and withholding.
(4) The General Assembly has, in the past, assisted
individuals with reducing the governmental burdens associated
with geographic moves through methods such as combining the
driver’s license and voter registration processes.
(5) In order to make the government more people
friendly, it is imperative to interconnect systems so that
information provided to the government can be accessed in
such a manner as to provide new residents with appropriate
contact information and the full panoply of government
interaction.
(b) General rule.--Notwithstanding any prohibition found in
any other law, regulation or rule, a commission which processes
a voter registration application shall provide information as
follows:
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(1) Within 14 days of receipt, the commission shall
provide, in the manner prescribed by the secretary, the
department with the applicant's full name, address of
residence and mailing address, if different from the address
of residence. The requirements of this paragraph may be met,
with the approval of the secretary, by current law and
practices concerning transmission of information from a
commission to the department.
(2) Within 14 days of receipt, the commission shall
provide, in the manner prescribed by the secretary, each
political subdivision which contains the applicant's address
of residence with the applicant's full name, address of
residence and mailing address, if different from the address
of residence.
(c) Duties of department.--Notwithstanding any prohibition
found in any other law, regulation or rule, upon receipt of
information from a commission under subsection (b), the
department shall provide the Department of Revenue, the
Department of Public Welfare and the Department of
Transportation with the applicant's full name, address of
residence and mailing address, if different from the address of
residence. The method of providing information shall be
determined by the secretary in conjunction with the Department
of Revenue, the Department of Public Welfare and the Department
of Transportation, and may include electronic mail, facsimile or
other secure method which accomplishes the requirements of this
subsection without undue expense or delay.
(d) Responsibility of recipient agencies.--Any State agency
or political subdivision which receives information regarding an
applicant under subsection (b) or (c) shall determine if an
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applicant meets the residency requirements applicable to the
services provided or duties imposed by that State agency or
political subdivision and shall transmit to the applicant
information concerning the rights and responsibilities of that
applicant which fall within the scope of the authority provided
to the State agency or political subdivision.
(e) Notice on voter registration application.--Each voter
registration application shall contain, in a manner prescribed
by the secretary, notice that the applicant's name, address and
mailing address will be provided to the Department of
Transportation, the Department of Public Welfare, the Department
of Revenue and relevant political subdivisions to ensure the
applicant's full access to the rights and responsibilities
attendant to residence.
(f) Definitions.--The following words and phrases, when used
in this section, shall have the meanings given to them in this
subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Political subdivision." The term shall have the same
meaning as the term is defined in 1 Pa.C.S. § 1991 (relating to
definitions).
Section 4. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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