Bill > H5137

This bill amends the state's voter registration laws to strengthen citizenship verification requirements for voting. Specifically, the bill requires the state board of elections to verify the citizenship status of all voters by cross-referencing voter registration lists with databases from the department of motor vehicles, the Help America Vote Verification (HAVV) information system, and other available citizenship data sources. The bill explicitly states that only U.S. citizens are allowed to vote in any public election, including primary, general, federal, state, and local elections, as well as votes on constitutional amendments, ballot initiatives, and referenda. If a voter's citizenship cannot be confirmed through database checks, they will be removed from the voter registration list and notified in writing, with an opportunity to provide proof of citizenship to be reinstated. Before any new voter registration is accepted, the applicant's citizenship must first be verified through these databases. The bill makes willful violations of these citizenship voting requirements a crime of fraudulent voting, and it will take effect immediately upon passage.

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