SF 2203 (LSB 5635SV (2) 91)

SENATE FILE 2203

BY  COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT

(SUCCESSOR TO SSB 3045)

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to the verification of United States citizenship of persons registering to vote and registered voters.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  48A.25B  Verification of citizenship.
   1.  a.  The state registrar of voters shall attempt to verify all registered voters’ United States citizenship using the systematic alien verification for entitlements system of the United States citizenship and immigration services, or its successor agency. The state registrar of voters shall provide notice to each county commissioner of registration of the results of the citizenship verification for each registrant in the county commissioner’s county.
   b.  Upon receipt of a notification that a registrant has not been verified as a United States citizen, a county commissioner of registration shall designate the records of the registrant as unconfirmed as provided in section 48A.37, subsection 2.
   2.  A county commissioner of registration shall send notice to a registrant whose record has been designated as unconfirmed pursuant to subsection 1 that includes all of the following:
   a.  An opportunity for the registrant to cancel the registrant’s voter registration.
   b.  Instructions on how the registrant can provide proof of citizenship to the county commissioner of registration.
   c.  Information on how to contact the United States citizenship and immigration services, or its successor agency, to correct information that the registrant believes is inaccurate.
   3.  A registration that has been designated as unconfirmed pursuant to subsection 1 shall be canceled pursuant to section 48A.30 if the registrant does not provide proof of citizenship within ninety days of receiving a notice sent pursuant to subsection 2.
   4.  The state registrar of voters shall, on a monthly basis, verify the United States citizenship of all newly registered voters as provided in subsection 1 and shall, on an annual basis, verify the United States citizenship of all registered voters as provided in subsection 1.
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 the verification of the citizenship status of registered voters and applicants to register to vote. The bill requires the state registrar of voters (registrar) to use the systematic alien verification for entitlements system of the U.S. citizenship and immigration services to verify the U.S. citizenship of all registered voters. The bill requires the registrar to inform each county commissioner of registration (commissioner) of the results of the verification for each registrant in the commissioner’s county.
   Upon the receipt of a notification that the U.S. citizenship of a registrant could not be confirmed, the bill requires a commissioner to designate the records of the registrant as unconfirmed and to send notice to the registrant with information regarding how to cancel the registrant’s voter registration, provide proof of citizenship, and contact the U.S. citizenship and immigration services to correct information that the registrant believes to be inaccurate. If a registrant does not provide proof of citizenship within 90 days of receipt of notice, the bill requires a commissioner to cancel the registration.
   The bill also requires the registrar to verify the U.S. citizenship of all newly registered voters on a monthly basis and to verify the U.S. citizenship of all registered voters on an annual basis.