HF 165 (LSB 1897YH (3) 90)

HOUSE FILE 165

BY  STAED, STECKMAN, KURTH, CROKEN, JACOBY, GJERDE, KRESSIG, BAGNIEWSKI, LEVIN, BAETH, CAHILL, BUCK, AMOS, BROWN-POWERS, EHLERT, WESSEL-KROESCHELL, GAINES, JAMES, and WILSON

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to voter registration activities at schools.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 48A.23, subsection 1, Code 2023, is amended to read as follows:
   1.  At least twice during each school year, the board of directors of each school district operating a high school and the authorities in charge of each accredited nonpublic school shall offer the opportunity to register to vote to each student who is at least seventeen years of age as provided in this subsection.
   a.  The board of directors of each school district operating a high school and the authorities in charge of each accredited nonpublic school shall allow each student who is at least seventeen years of age to register to vote during school hours on the fourth Tuesday in September of each year, or on the next available school day if school is not in session on that day.
   b.  The board of directors of each school district operating a high school and the authorities in charge of each accredited nonpublic school shall coordinate with the commissioner of registration to organize a second opportunity to allow each student who is at least seventeen years of age to register to vote during school hours, which shall occur later than the date provided in paragraph “a”, and shall be conducted by the commissioner or the commissioner’s designee.
   c.  The state registrar of voters shall prepare materials regarding voter registration to be distributed at each voter registration activity conducted pursuant to this subsection.
   d.  The board of directors of each school district operating a high school and the authorities in charge of each accredited nonpublic school shall file a report regarding voter registration activities conducted pursuant to this section with the department of education by December 31 of each year.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill relates to voter registration activities conducted at schools. The bill requires the board of directors of each school district operating a high school and the authorities in charge of each accredited nonpublic school to allow students who are at least 17 years of age to register to vote during school hours on the fourth Tuesday in September of each year, or on the next available school day if school is not in session on that day, and on a second day after that date. The second voter registration opportunity shall be conducted by the county commissioner of registration or the commissioner’s designee. The bill requires the state registrar of voters to prepare materials to be distributed at each such voter registration opportunity. The bill also requires the board of directors of each school district operating a high school and the authorities in charge of each accredited nonpublic school to file a report regarding voter registration activities with the department of education by December 31 of each year.