CSSB 64(STA): "An Act relating to elections; relating to voters; relating to voting; relating to voter registration; relating to election administration; relating to the Alaska Public Offices Commission; relating to campaign contributions; relating to the crimes of unlawful interference with voting in the first degree, unlawful interference with an election, and election official misconduct; relating to synthetic media in electioneering communications; relating to campaign signs; relating to public official financial disclosures; relating to the Redistricting Board; and providing for an effective date."
00 CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 64(STA) 01 "An Act relating to elections; relating to voters; relating to voting; relating to voter 02 registration; relating to election administration; relating to the Alaska Public Offices 03 Commission; relating to campaign contributions; relating to the crimes of unlawful 04 interference with voting in the first degree, unlawful interference with an election, and 05 election official misconduct; relating to synthetic media in electioneering 06 communications; relating to campaign signs; relating to public official financial 07 disclosures; relating to the Redistricting Board; and providing for an effective date." 08 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 09 * Section 1. AS 15.05.020 is amended to read: 10 Sec. 15.05.020. Rules for determining residence of voter. For the purpose of 11 determining residence for voting, the place of residence is governed by the following 12 rules: 13 (1) A person may not be considered to have gained a residence solely
01 by reason of presence nor may a person lose it solely by reason of absence while in the 02 civil or military service of this state or of the United States or of absence because of 03 marriage to a person engaged in the civil or military service of this state or the United 04 States, while a student at an institution of learning, while in an institution or asylum at 05 public expense, while confined in public prison, while engaged in the navigation of 06 waters of this state or the United States or of the high seas, while residing on [UPON] 07 an Indian or military reservation, or while residing in the Alaska Pioneers' Home or 08 the Alaska Veterans' Home. 09 (2) The residence of a person is that place in which the person's 10 physical habitation is fixed, and to which, whenever absent, the person has an 11 articulable and reasonable plan [THE INTENTION] to return. If a person resides in 12 one place, but does business in another, the former is the person's place of residence. 13 Temporary work sites do not constitute a dwelling place. 14 (3) [A CHANGE OF RESIDENCE IS MADE ONLY BY THE ACT 15 OF REMOVAL JOINED WITH THE INTENT TO REMAIN IN ANOTHER 16 PLACE.] There can only be one residence. 17 (4) A person does not lose residence if the person leaves home and 18 goes to another country, state, or place in this state for temporary purposes only and 19 with the intent of returning to the person's physical habitation. 20 (5) A person does not gain residence in any place to which the person 21 comes without the present intention to establish a physical habitation 22 [PERMANENT DWELLING] at that place indefinitely. 23 (6) A person loses residence in this state if the person establishes 24 residence in another state or votes in another state's election, either in person or by 25 absentee ballot, and will not be eligible to vote in this state until again qualifying 26 under AS 15.05.010. 27 (7) The term of residence is computed by including the day on which 28 the person's residence begins and excluding the day of election. 29 (8) The address of a voter as it appears on the official voter registration 30 record is presumptive evidence of the person's voting residence. This presumption is 31 negated [ONLY] if the voter notifies the director in writing of a change of voting
01 residence. When a voter's qualification is questioned under AS 15.15.210 or 02 challenged in accordance with the procedure adopted in regulation under 03 AS 15.20.215, the presumption may be rebutted by providing evidence to the 04 division that the voter has established residence in another state or place in this 05 state or evidence that the voter is not a resident under (2) - (7) of this section. 06 (9) Notwithstanding (2) of this section, a person who changes the 07 place in which the person's physical habitation is fixed may continue to vote in 08 the senate district or judicial district that includes the person's former place of 09 physical habitation as provided in AS 15.20.015 if the person has an articulable 10 and reasonable plan to remain in or return to that senate district or judicial 11 district. 12 * Sec. 2. AS 15.07.060(a) is amended to read: 13 (a) Each applicant who requests registration or reregistration shall supply the 14 following information: 15 (1) the applicant's name and sex; 16 (2) if issued, the applicant's State of Alaska driver's license number or 17 State of Alaska identification card number, or the last four digits of the applicant's 18 social security number; 19 (3) the applicant's date of birth; 20 (4) the applicant's Alaska residence address; 21 (5) a statement of whether the applicant has previously been registered 22 to vote in another jurisdiction, and, if so, the jurisdiction and the address of the 23 previous registration; 24 (6) a declaration that the applicant will be 18 years of age or older 25 within 90 days after the date of registration; 26 (7) a declaration that the applicant is a citizen of the United States; 27 (8) the date of application; 28 (9) the applicant's signature, [OR] mark, or electronic signature; 29 (10) any former name under which the applicant was registered to vote 30 in the state; 31 (11) an attestation that the information provided by the applicant in (1)
01 - (10) of this subsection is true; and 02 (12) a certification that the applicant understands that a false statement 03 on the application may make the applicant subject to prosecution for a misdemeanor 04 under this title or AS 11. 05 * Sec. 3. AS 15.07.060(c) is amended to read: 06 (c) Each applicant who requests registration in person before a registration 07 official shall exhibit one form of identification to the official, including a driver's 08 license, state identification card, current and valid photo identification, birth 09 certificate, passport, or identification card issued by a federally recognized tribe 10 [HUNTING OR FISHING LICENSE]. A registration official who knows the identity 11 of the applicant may waive the identification requirement. 12 * Sec. 4. AS 15.07.060(e) is amended to read: 13 (e) For an applicant requesting initial registration by mail, by facsimile or 14 other electronic transmission approved by the director under AS 15.07.050, or by 15 completing a permanent fund dividend application, the director shall verify the 16 information provided in compliance with (a)(2) and (3) of this section through state 17 agency records described in AS 15.07.055(e). If the applicant cannot comply with the 18 requirement of (a)(2) of this section because the applicant has not been issued any of 19 the listed numbers, the applicant may instead submit a copy of one of the following 20 forms of identification: a driver's license, state identification card, current and valid 21 photo identification, birth certificate, passport, or identification card issued by a 22 federally recognized tribe [HUNTING OR FISHING LICENSE]. 23 * Sec. 5. AS 15.07.070(b) is amended to read: 24 (b) To register by mail or by facsimile, scanning, or other electronic 25 transmission approved by the director under AS 15.07.050, the director, the area 26 election supervisor, or a voter registration agency shall furnish, at no cost to the voter, 27 forms prepared by the director on which the registration information required under 28 AS 15.07.060 shall be inserted by the voter, by a person on behalf of the voter if that 29 person is designated to act on behalf of the voter in a power of attorney, or by a person 30 on behalf of the voter if the voter is physically incapacitated. The director shall 31 accept the electronic signature of the voter or a person acting on behalf of the
01 voter. The director may require proof of identification of the applicant as required by 02 regulations adopted by the director under AS 44.62 (Administrative Procedure Act). 03 Upon receipt and approval of the completed registration forms, the director or the 04 election supervisor shall forward to the voter an acknowledgment, and the voter's 05 name shall immediately be placed on the master register. If the registration is denied, 06 the voter shall immediately be informed in writing that registration was denied and the 07 reason for denial. When identifying information has been provided by the voter as 08 required by this chapter, the election supervisor shall forward to the voter a 09 registration card. 10 * Sec. 6. AS 15.07.130(a) is amended to read: 11 (a) Periodically, at times of the director's choosing, but not [NO] less 12 frequently than in January of each calendar year, the director shall examine the master 13 register maintained under AS 15.07.120 and shall send, by forwardable 14 [NONFORWARDABLE] mail to the voter's registration mailing address, and to the 15 voter's electronic mail address, if available, a notice requesting address 16 confirmation or correction. The notice must explain that the voter's registration 17 will be inactivated unless the voter responds to the notice within 45 days after the 18 date the notice is sent. The director shall send the notice to each voter 19 (1) whose mail from the division has been returned to the division in 20 the two years immediately preceding the examination of the register; 21 (2) who has not contacted the division in the two years immediately 22 preceding the examination of the register and [; OR (3)] who has not voted or 23 appeared to vote in the two general elections immediately preceding the examination 24 of the register; 25 (3) who the division has learned, after registering to vote in this 26 state and during the period encompassing the two general elections immediately 27 preceding the examination of the register, has 28 (A) registered to vote in another state; 29 (B) received a driver's license from another state; 30 (C) registered a vehicle in another state; 31 (D) received public assistance from another state;
01 (E) served on a jury in another state; 02 (F) obtained a resident hunting or fishing license in another 03 state; 04 (G) enrolled in and paid the state resident tuition rate for a 05 public university in another state; 06 (H) received a homestead or residential property tax 07 exemption in another state; or 08 (I) received a benefit available only to residents of another 09 state; 10 (4) who, in the two years immediately preceding the examination 11 of the register, has maintained a physical mailing address located outside the 12 state, unless the division determines that the person was away from the state for a 13 reason permissible under this title or a federal law related to voting in federal 14 elections; a notice sent under this paragraph must include a requirement that the 15 voter respond to the notice with a statement certified under penalty of perjury 16 that the voter 17 (A) is absent from the state but has an articulable and 18 reasonable plan to return to the place of physical habitation on the voter's 19 registration; 20 (B) is absent from the state solely because of a reason listed 21 in AS 15.05.020(1); 22 (C) is no longer a resident of the state and requests to have 23 the voter's registration canceled; 24 (D) is no longer a resident of the state but requests to 25 remain registered in the state to vote solely in federal elections; or 26 (E) has returned to the state. 27 * Sec. 7. AS 15.07.130(b) is amended to read: 28 (b) If a registered voter does [HAS] not respond, or provides an incomplete 29 or ambiguous response, to a notice sent under (a) of this section within 45 days 30 after the date the notice is sent, the director shall inactivate the voter's 31 registration [, WITHIN THE PRECEDING FOUR CALENDAR YEARS,
01 CONTACTED THE DIVISION AND HAS NEITHER VOTED NOR APPEARED 02 TO VOTE IN A LOCAL, REGIONAL SCHOOL BOARD, PRIMARY, SPECIAL, 03 OR GENERAL ELECTION DURING THE LAST FOUR CALENDAR YEARS 04 AND A NOTICE SENT TO THE VOTER UNDER (a) OF THIS SECTION WAS 05 RETURNED AS UNDELIVERABLE, THE VOTER SHALL BE ADVISED BY A 06 NOTICE SENT BY FORWARDABLE MAIL TO THE VOTER'S LAST KNOWN 07 ADDRESS THAT REGISTRATION WILL BE INACTIVATED UNLESS THE 08 VOTER RESPONDS TO THE NOTICE NO LATER THAN 45 DAYS AFTER THE 09 DATE OF THE NOTICE SENT UNDER THIS SECTION]. The director shall 10 maintain on the master register the name of a voter whose registration is inactivated. 11 The director shall cancel a voter's inactive registration in accordance with the 12 procedures set out in 52 U.S.C. 20507 [42 U.S.C. 1973gg-6 (SEC. 8, NATIONAL 13 VOTER REGISTRATION ACT OF 1993)] after the second general election that 14 occurs after the registration becomes inactive if the voter does not contact the division 15 or vote or appear to vote. 16 * Sec. 8. AS 15.07.130(d) is amended to read: 17 (d) The notice sent under (a) [(b)] of this section must include a postage 18 prepaid and pre-addressed return card on which the voter may state the voter's current 19 address. The notice must indicate 20 (1) that the voter should return the card not later than 45 days after the 21 date of the notice if the voter did not change residence; 22 (2) that failure to return the card by the 45-day deadline could result in 23 removal of the voter's name from the official registration list for a subsequent election; 24 (3) that the voter's registration will be cancelled if the voter does not 25 contact the division during, or vote or appear to vote in an election held during, the 26 period beginning on the date of the notice and ending on the day after the last day of 27 the fourth calendar year that occurs after the date of notice; and 28 (4) how the voter can continue to be eligible to vote if the voter has 29 changed residence. 30 * Sec. 9. AS 15.07.130(f) is amended to read: 31 (f) For the purpose of this section, a voter "contacts" the division if the voter
01 notifies the division of a change of address, responds to a notice sent under this 02 section, signs a petition for a ballot measure, requests a new voter registration card, or 03 otherwise communicates with the division other than to vote or register to vote. An 04 individual does not "contact" the division by registering to vote under 05 AS 15.07.070(i) - (m). 06 * Sec. 10. AS 15.07.130 is amended by adding new subsections to read: 07 (g) The division shall adopt regulations to review voter registration records 08 and update the master register. The regulations must include reviews for deceased 09 voters, persons convicted of a felony involving moral turpitude, persons not qualified 10 to vote under AS 15.05, persons registered to vote in another state, whether the 11 number of registered voters on the master register exceeds the number of eligible 12 voters in the state, and voter registration information data breaches. In conducting 13 these reviews, the division shall gather and examine available data from other states 14 and information from the United States Postal Service forwarding databases, motor 15 vehicle records, Department of Corrections records, property and sales tax records, 16 United States Social Security Administration databases, jury duty records, National 17 Change of Address records, and similar records. The division shall also review 18 evidence that a person has undertaken the following activities in another state: 19 (1) registered to vote; 20 (2) obtained a driver's license; 21 (3) registered a vehicle; 22 (4) received public assistance; or 23 (5) obtained a resident hunting or fishing license. 24 (h) The division shall, in consultation with an external, nationally recognized 25 subject-matter expert selected by the division, biennially audit the master register. The 26 division shall consider the subject-matter expert's recommendations. By February 1 of 27 each even-numbered year, the division shall publish a report describing the most 28 recent biennial audit and accounting for the criteria reviewed under (g) of this section. 29 The report must include the expert's recommendations, identify protocols used under 30 (g) of this section, provide election information including the number of voters on the 31 master register and the total population eligible to vote, and highlight voting data
01 problems, irregularities, errors, and vulnerabilities identified in the audit. The division 02 shall submit the report to the senate secretary and the chief clerk of the house of 03 representatives and notify the legislature that the report is available on or before the 04 date the report is published. 05 (i) If the director is required under both (a)(4) of this section and (a)(1), (2), or 06 (3) of this section to send a notice to a voter, the director shall send the notice to the 07 voter under (a)(1), (2), or (3) of this section and may not send a notice to the voter 08 under (a)(4) of this section. 09 (j) A voter making a statement under (a)(4)(D) or (E) of this section shall 10 provide the voter's current address in the sworn statement required under (a)(4) of this 11 section. 12 (k) In addition to a notice required to be sent under this section, the division 13 may contact a voter and request information from the voter to determine the voter's 14 residence. 15 (l) A voter contacted under (a)(4) of this section whose registration is 16 inactivated under (b) of this section who does not reregister and qualify to vote as a 17 resident of the state before the date of an election may still vote in a federal election 18 using an absentee, special needs, or questioned ballot. 19 * Sec. 11. AS 15.07 is amended by adding a new section to read: 20 Sec. 15.07.133. Process to cancel registration. The director shall develop a 21 process to allow a voter to cancel the voter's registration electronically or in person 22 before an election official. The process must include a requirement that the voter 23 verify the voter's identity before the registration may be cancelled. The director shall 24 prominently display instructions for a voter to cancel the voter's registration at each 25 polling place. 26 * Sec. 12. AS 15.10.105 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 27 (c) The director shall employ a rural community liaison. The rural community 28 liaison shall collaborate with tribes, municipalities, corporations incorporated under 29 AS 10.06, regional nonprofit corporations, and other community organizations to 30 facilitate access to early and absentee voting in rural areas of the state and ensure that 31 precincts in rural areas of the state are fully staffed.
01 * Sec. 13. AS 15.10.170(a) is amended to read: 02 (a) The precinct party committee, where an organized precinct committee 03 exists, or the party district committee where no organized precinct committee exists, 04 or the state party chairperson where neither a precinct nor a party district committee 05 exists, may appoint one or more [PERSONS AS] watchers in each precinct and 06 counting center for any election. A [EACH] candidate may appoint one or more 07 watchers for each precinct or counting center in the candidate's respective district or 08 the state for any election. An [ANY] organization or organized group that sponsors or 09 opposes a ballot proposition [AN INITIATIVE, REFERENDUM,] or question 10 [RECALL] may have one or more [PERSONS AS] watchers at the polls and counting 11 centers after first obtaining authorization from the director. A candidate, or an 12 organization or organized group with authorization from the director, may 13 appoint at least one watcher for each location where ballots or envelopes are 14 reviewed or counted in a precinct or counting center. A state party chairperson, a 15 precinct party committee, a party district committee, or a candidate may not have more 16 than one watcher on duty at a time in any precinct or counting center. A watcher must 17 be a United States citizen. The watcher may be present at a position inside the place of 18 voting or counting that affords a full view of all action of the election officials taken 19 from the time the polls are opened until the ballots are finally counted and the results 20 certified by the election board or the data processing review board. The election board 21 or the data processing review board may require each watcher to present written proof 22 showing appointment by the precinct party committee, the party district committee, 23 the organization or organized group, or the candidate the watcher represents and that 24 is signed by the respective chairperson or chairperson's designee of the precinct 25 party committee or party district committee, the state party chairperson, the 26 organization or organized group, or the candidate or candidate's designee. 27 * Sec. 14. AS 15.13.020(j) is amended to read: 28 (j) The commission shall establish offices [AN OFFICE, WHICH MAY BE 29 CALLED A REGIONAL OFFICE, IN EACH SENATE DISTRICT IN THE STATE 30 TO KEEP ON FILE FOR PUBLIC INSPECTION COPIES OF ALL REPORTS 31 FILED WITH THE COMMISSION BY CANDIDATES FOR STATEWIDE OFFICE
01 AND BY CANDIDATES FOR LEGISLATIVE OFFICE IN THAT DISTRICT; 02 HOWEVER, WHERE ONE MUNICIPALITY CONTAINS MORE THAN ONE 03 HOUSE DISTRICT, ONLY ONE COMMISSION OFFICE SHALL BE 04 ESTABLISHED IN THAT MUNICIPALITY. THE REGIONAL OFFICE SHALL 05 MAKE ALL FORMS AND PERTINENT MATERIAL AVAILABLE TO 06 CANDIDATES. ALL REPORTS SHALL BE FILED BY CANDIDATES, GROUPS, 07 AND INDIVIDUALS DIRECTLY WITH THE COMMISSION'S CENTRAL 08 DISTRICT OFFICE. THE COMMISSION SHALL ENSURE THAT COPIES OF 09 ALL REPORTS BY STATEWIDE AND LEGISLATIVE CANDIDATES IN EACH 10 SENATE DISTRICT ARE FORWARDED PROMPTLY TO THAT DISTRICT OR 11 REGIONAL OFFICE]. 12 * Sec. 15. AS 15.13.400(19) is amended to read: 13 (19) "true source" means, 14 (A) for a contribution made for the purpose of influencing a 15 ballot proposition or question, the person or legal entity that makes the 16 contribution or independent expenditure to support or oppose the 17 proposition or question; or 18 (B) for a contribution made for the purpose of influencing 19 the nomination or election of a candidate, 20 (i) the person or legal entity whose contribution is 21 funded from wages, investment income, inheritance, or revenue 22 generated from selling goods or services; 23 (ii) a person or legal entity who derives [DERIVED] 24 funds via contributions, donations, dues, or gifts is not the true source 25 [,] but is [RATHER] an intermediary for the true source except that, 26 for a contribution from [; NOTWITHSTANDING THE 27 FOREGOING, TO THE EXTENT] a membership organization that 28 receives dues or contributions of less than $2,000 per person per year, 29 the organization itself is [SHALL BE CONSIDERED] the true source. 30 * Sec. 16. AS 15.15.060(a) is amended to read: 31 (a) Immediately following the appointment of the election board, the election
01 supervisor in conjunction with the election board chair shall secure polling places for 02 holding the election, suitable ballot boxes that will ensure [ASSURE] security, and an 03 adequate number of voting booths or screens, national flags, pens, and pencils. At 04 every polling place, at least one voting booth shall be furnished and not less than one 05 voting booth or screen shall be furnished for each 100 votes or fractional part of 100 06 votes cast in the previous election. [AT EVERY POLLING PLACE, AT LEAST 07 ONE-HALF OF THE VOTING BOOTHS USED SHALL BE NOT LESS THAN SIX 08 FEET IN HEIGHT, ENCLOSED ON THREE SIDES, AND PROVIDED WITH A 09 CURTAIN EXTENDING FROM THE TOP OF THE VOTING BOOTH TO 10 WITHIN APPROXIMATELY 30 INCHES OF THE FLOOR. THE CURTAIN OF 11 THE VOTING BOOTH MUST CONCEAL THE VOTER WHILE VOTING.] The 12 election supervisor and the election board chair may, in an emergency, secure an 13 alternate location for a polling place. 14 * Sec. 17. AS 15.15.060(b) is amended to read: 15 (b) To ensure [ASSURE] administrative economy and to protect the secrecy 16 of the ballot, the director may adopt regulations prescribing 17 (1) the type of polling place for holding the election; 18 (2) the requirements regarding ballot boxes, voting screens, national 19 flags, and other supplies; and 20 (3) [SUBJECT TO THE SPECIFICATIONS OF (a) OF THIS 21 SECTION,] the requirements regarding voting booths. 22 * Sec. 18. AS 15.15.060 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 23 (f) At each polling place, the division shall provide language assistance as 24 required under 52 U.S.C. 10503, as amended. An election supervisor shall post at each 25 polling place information regarding the availability of language assistance in English 26 and all other languages for which language assistance is required to be provided in the 27 jurisdiction under federal law. 28 * Sec. 19. AS 15.15.225(a) is amended to read: 29 (a) Before being allowed to vote, each voter shall exhibit to an election official 30 one form of identification, including 31 (1) an official voter registration card, driver's license, state
01 identification card, current and valid photo identification, birth certificate, passport, or 02 identification card issued by a federally recognized tribe [HUNTING OR 03 FISHING LICENSE]; or 04 (2) an original or a copy of a [CURRENT] utility bill, bank statement, 05 paycheck, government check, or other government document; an item exhibited under 06 this paragraph must show the name and current address of the voter and must be 07 dated within the previous 90 days. 08 * Sec. 20. AS 15.15.370 is amended to read: 09 Sec. 15.15.370. Results [COMPLETION] of ballot count [; 10 CERTIFICATE]. When the count of ballots is completed, and in no event later than 11 the day after the election, the election board shall make a certificate in duplicate of the 12 results. The certificate includes the number of votes cast for each candidate, including, 13 for a candidate in a general election, the number of votes at each ranking [ROUND 14 OF THE RANKED-CHOICE TABULATION PROCESS] under AS 15.15.350, the 15 number of votes for and against each proposition, yes or no on each question, and any 16 additional information prescribed by the director. However, a precinct that counts 17 results exclusively by hand may report the number of votes cast for each highest- 18 ranked candidate and need not report the number of second-place or lower 19 ranked votes cast for a candidate. The election board shall, immediately upon 20 completion of the certificate or as soon thereafter as the local mail service permits, 21 send in one sealed package to the director one copy of the certificate and the register. 22 In addition, all ballots properly cast shall be mailed to the director in a separate, sealed 23 package. Both packages, in addition to an address on the outside, shall clearly indicate 24 the precinct from which they come. Each board shall, immediately upon completion of 25 the certification and as soon thereafter as the local mail service permits, send the 26 duplicate certificate to the respective election supervisor. The director may authorize 27 election boards in precincts in those areas of the state where distance and weather 28 make mail communication unreliable to forward their election results by telephone or 29 radio. The director may authorize the unofficial totaling of votes on a regional basis by 30 election supervisors, tallying the votes as indicated on duplicate certificates. To ensure 31 adequate protection, the director shall prescribe the manner in which the ballots,
01 registers, and all other election records and materials are thereafter preserved, 02 transferred, and destroyed. 03 * Sec. 21. AS 15.15.370 is amended by adding new subsections to read: 04 (b) Each day that the director releases unofficial totals of election results for a 05 general election, the director shall also 06 (1) release an updated ranked-choice tabulation; 07 (2) identify the precincts that have been counted; 08 (3) identify the days on which absentee ballots have been logged and 09 counted, including a summary of the count codes used on ballots in each district each 10 day; 11 (4) identify the districts in which early votes were cast and the days on 12 which votes were cast in each district; and 13 (5) identify the precincts and count codes of questioned ballots that 14 have been counted. 15 (c) Each day that an absentee ballot is reviewed under AS 15.20.201 or a 16 questioned ballot is reviewed under AS 15.20.207, the director shall display on the 17 division's Internet website an updated unofficial total detailing the number of absentee 18 ballots and questioned ballots counted for each count code. 19 (d) In this section, "count code" means a code assigned to a ballot by the 20 division that designates the races in which the ballot is to be counted during a district 21 absentee ballot counting review conducted under AS 15.20.203 or a district questioned 22 ballot review conducted under AS 15.20.207. 23 * Sec. 22. AS 15.15.380 is amended to read: 24 Sec. 15.15.380. Payment of election board members. The director shall pay 25 each election board member for time spent at election duties, including the receiving 26 of instructions. Election board chairpersons and the chairperson and members of the 27 absentee ballot, questioned ballot, and state ballot counting review boards shall be 28 paid for time spent at their election duties. The director shall set the compensation to 29 be paid under this section [BY REGULATION]. 30 * Sec. 23. AS 15.15.420 is amended to read: 31 Sec. 15.15.420. Duty to review the ballot counting. The director shall review
01 the counting of the ballots [WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF AND] in the presence of 02 the appointed representatives from the political parties. A candidate for an office that 03 is on the ballots being counted and appointed representatives from the group 04 supporting and from the group opposing a ballot proposition or question may be 05 present and observe the counting of the ballots. 06 * Sec. 24. AS 15.15.430(a) is amended to read: 07 (a) The review of ballot counting by the director must [SHALL] include 08 [ONLY (1)] a review of the precinct registers, tallies, and ballots cast. The review 09 must include [; (2)] a review of absentee and questioned ballots as prescribed by law. 10 The review must include, for each house district except a house district where all 11 races on the ballot are uncontested [; AND (3) UNLESS THE BALLOT FOR THE 12 HOUSE DISTRICT CONTAINS NOTHING BUT UNCONTESTED OFFICES], a 13 hand count of ballots from one randomly selected precinct in the [EACH] house 14 district that accounts for at least five percent of the ballots cast in that district. The 15 director may adopt regulations prescribing additional review procedures 16 employing statistical methods to limit the risk of certifying an election result that 17 would be inconsistent with the result that would be obtained by conducting a 18 recount. 19 * Sec. 25. AS 15.20.015 is amended to read: 20 Sec. 15.20.015. Moving from house district just before election. 21 Notwithstanding AS 15.20.211, a [A] person who meets all voter qualifications 22 except the requirement in AS 15.05.010(3) is qualified to vote [BY ABSENTEE 23 BALLOT] in the senate district or judicial [HOUSE] district in which the person 24 formerly resided if the person has an articulable and reasonable plan to move to a 25 different place in the same senate district or judicial district [LIVED IN THAT 26 HOUSE DISTRICT FOR AT LEAST 30 DAYS IMMEDIATELY BEFORE 27 CHANGING RESIDENCE], except that the person may vote only for 28 (1) statewide ballot measures and questions; 29 (2) candidates for federal or statewide offices; 30 (3) candidates for the state senate if the voter's former residence and 31 the house district where the person has an articulable and reasonable plan to
01 move to [PRESENT RESIDENCE] are in the same senate district; and 02 (4) candidates for judicial retention if the voter's former residence and 03 the house district where the person has an articulable and reasonable plan to 04 move to [PRESENT RESIDENCE] are in the same judicial district. 05 * Sec. 26. AS 15.20.030 is amended to read: 06 Sec. 15.20.030. Preparation of ballots, envelopes, and other material. The 07 director shall provide ballots for use as absentee ballots in all districts. The director 08 shall provide a secrecy sleeve in which the voter shall initially place the marked ballot 09 [,] and shall provide a postage-paid return [AN] envelope with the prescribed voter's 10 certificate on it, in which the secrecy sleeve with ballot enclosed shall be placed. The 11 director shall prescribe the form of and prepare the voter's certificate, envelopes, and 12 other material used in absentee voting. The voter's certificate shall include a 13 declaration, for use when required, that the voter is a qualified voter in all respects, a 14 blank for the voter's signature, and a space for recording the date that the voter 15 executed the certificate. An envelope may not identify a voter's party affiliation [, 16 A CERTIFICATION THAT THE AFFIANT PROPERLY EXECUTED THE 17 MARKING OF THE BALLOT AND GAVE THE VOTER'S IDENTITY, BLANKS 18 FOR THE ATTESTING OFFICIAL OR WITNESS, AND A PLACE FOR 19 RECORDING THE DATE THE ENVELOPE WAS SEALED AND WITNESSED]. 20 The envelope with the voter's certificate must include a notice that false statements 21 made by the voter [OR BY THE ATTESTING OFFICIAL OR WITNESS] on the 22 certificate are punishable by law. 23 * Sec. 27. AS 15.20.072 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 24 (h) If a voter satisfies the requirements of (d) of this section, the division may 25 not reject a voter's special needs ballot based on an error by an election official or 26 representative on the register under (c) of this section or an error by a representative 27 under (d) of this section. 28 * Sec. 28. AS 15.20.081(d) is amended to read: 29 (d) Upon receipt of an absentee ballot by mail, the voter [, IN THE 30 PRESENCE OF A NOTARY PUBLIC, COMMISSIONED OFFICER OF THE 31 ARMED FORCES INCLUDING THE NATIONAL GUARD, DISTRICT JUDGE
01 OR MAGISTRATE, UNITED STATES POSTAL OFFICIAL, REGISTRATION 02 OFFICIAL, OR OTHER PERSON QUALIFIED TO ADMINISTER OATHS,] may 03 proceed to mark the ballot in secret, to place the ballot in the secrecy sleeve, to place 04 the secrecy sleeve in the envelope provided, and to sign the voter's certificate on the 05 envelope. The [IN THE PRESENCE OF AN OFFICIAL LISTED IN THIS 06 SUBSECTION WHO SHALL SIGN AS ATTESTING OFFICIAL AND SHALL 07 DATE THE SIGNATURE. IF NONE OF THE OFFICIALS LISTED IN THIS 08 SUBSECTION IS REASONABLY ACCESSIBLE, AN ABSENTEE VOTER 09 SHALL SIGN THE VOTER'S CERTIFICATE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN 10 INDIVIDUAL WHO IS 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER, WHO SHALL SIGN AS 11 A WITNESS AND ATTEST TO THE DATE ON WHICH THE VOTER SIGNED 12 THE CERTIFICATE IN THE INDIVIDUAL'S PRESENCE, AND, IN ADDITION, 13 THE] voter shall certify, as prescribed in AS 09.63.020, under penalty of perjury, that 14 the statements in the voter's certification are true. 15 * Sec. 29. AS 15.20.081(e) is amended to read: 16 (e) An absentee ballot must be marked on or before the date of the election. 17 Except as provided in (h) of this section, a voter who returns the absentee ballot by 18 mail, whether provided to the voter by mail or by electronic transmission, shall use a 19 mail service at least equal to first class and mail the ballot not later than the day of the 20 election to the election supervisor for the house district in which the voter seeks to 21 vote. Except as provided in AS 15.20.480, the ballot may not be counted unless it is 22 received by the close of business on the 10th day after the election. [IF THE BALLOT 23 IS POSTMARKED, IT MUST BE POSTMARKED ON OR BEFORE ELECTION 24 DAY.] After the day of the election, ballots may not be accepted unless received by 25 mail. A ballot received after the day of the election that is not postmarked or is 26 postmarked after the day of the election may not be counted unless the ballot 27 envelope is marked with a United States Postal Service tracking barcode 28 sufficient to verify that the ballot was mailed on or before the day of the election 29 or with a division of elections ballot tracking barcode sufficient to verify that the 30 ballot was mailed on or before the day of the election. 31 * Sec. 30. AS 15.20.081(f) is amended to read:
01 (f) The director shall require a voter casting an absentee ballot by mail to 02 provide proof of identification or other information to aid in the establishment of the 03 voter's identity as prescribed by regulations adopted under AS 44.62 (Administrative 04 Procedure Act). If the voter is a first-time voter who initially registered by mail or by 05 facsimile or other electronic transmission approved by the director under 06 AS 15.07.050 and has not met the identification requirements set out in AS 15.07.060, 07 the voter must provide one of the following forms of proof of identification: 08 (1) a copy of a driver's license, state identification card, current and 09 valid photo identification, birth certificate, passport, or identification card issued by 10 a federally recognized tribe [HUNTING OR FISHING LICENSE]; or 11 (2) an original or a copy of a [CURRENT] utility bill, bank statement, 12 paycheck, government check, or other government document; an item provided under 13 this paragraph must show the name and current address of the voter and must be 14 dated within the previous 90 days. 15 * Sec. 31. AS 15.20.081(h) is amended to read: 16 (h) Except as provided in AS 15.20.480, an absentee ballot returned by mail 17 from outside the United States or from an overseas voter qualifying under 18 AS 15.05.011 that has been marked and mailed not later than election day may not be 19 counted unless the ballot is received by the election supervisor not later than the close 20 of business on the 21 [(1)] 10th day following the [A PRIMARY] election [OR SPECIAL 22 PRIMARY ELECTION UNDER AS 15.40.140; OR 23 (2) 15TH DAY FOLLOWING A GENERAL ELECTION OR 24 SPECIAL ELECTION, OTHER THAN A SPECIAL PRIMARY ELECTION 25 DESCRIBED IN (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION]. 26 * Sec. 32. AS 15.20.081 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 27 (m) An absentee ballot application must include an option for a qualified voter 28 to choose to receive absentee ballots by mail for future regularly scheduled state 29 elections. The division may not require a voter who chooses this option to reapply for 30 an absentee ballot by mail unless 31 (1) the voter has not voted an absentee ballot for a period of four years;
01 or 02 (2) the voter's previous absentee ballot sent under this section was 03 returned to the division as undeliverable. 04 * Sec. 33. AS 15.20.170 is amended to read: 05 Sec. 15.20.170. Disposition of ballots. Each absentee voting official shall 06 transmit the dated envelopes containing the marked ballots by the most expeditious 07 mail service to the election supervisor for the district. Upon receipt of the absentee 08 ballots, the election supervisor shall stamp on the envelope the date on which the 09 ballot is received. In this section, "mail service" includes delivery by optical 10 scanning and electronic transmission. 11 * Sec. 34. AS 15.20.201(a) is amended to read: 12 (a) Not [NO] less than 12 [SEVEN] days preceding the day of election, the 13 election supervisor, in the presence and with the assistance of the district absentee 14 ballot counting board, shall review all voter certificates of absentee ballots received by 15 that date. The review of absentee ballots shall continue at times designated by the 16 election supervisor until completed. 17 * Sec. 35. AS 15.20.203(b) is amended to read: 18 (b) An absentee ballot must be rejected [MAY NOT BE COUNTED] if 19 (1) the voter has failed to properly execute the certificate; 20 (2) [AN OFFICIAL OR THE WITNESSES AUTHORIZED BY LAW 21 TO ATTEST THE VOTER'S CERTIFICATE FAIL TO EXECUTE THE 22 CERTIFICATE, EXCEPT THAT AN ABSENTEE BALLOT CAST IN PERSON 23 AND ACCEPTED BY AN ABSENTEE VOTING OFFICIAL OR ELECTION 24 SUPERVISOR MAY BE COUNTED DESPITE FAILURE OF THE ABSENTEE 25 VOTING OFFICIAL OR ELECTION SUPERVISOR TO PROPERLY SIGN AND 26 DATE THE VOTER'S CERTIFICATE AS ATTESTING OFFICIAL AS REQUIRED 27 UNDER AS 15.20.061(c); 28 (3) THE BALLOT IS NOT ATTESTED ON OR BEFORE THE 29 DATE OF THE ELECTION; 30 (4)] the ballot envelope and certificate, if delivered by mail after the 31 day of the election [POSTMARKED],
01 (A) is not postmarked or is postmarked after [ON OR 02 BEFORE] the date of the election and is not marked with a United States 03 Postal Service tracking barcode sufficient to verify that the ballot was 04 mailed on or before the day of the election or with a division of elections 05 ballot tracking barcode sufficient to verify that the ballot was mailed on or 06 before the day of the election; 07 (B) has a United States Postal Service tracking barcode 08 verifying that the ballot was mailed after the date of the election or a 09 division of elections ballot tracking barcode verifying that the ballot was 10 mailed after the date of the election; or 11 (C) is executed after the date of the election; 12 (3) [(5)] after the day of election, the ballot was delivered by a means 13 other than mail; or 14 (4) [OR (6)] the voter voted 15 (A) in person and is a 16 (i) first-time voter who initially registered by mail or by 17 facsimile or other electronic transmission approved by the director 18 under AS 15.07.050, has not provided the identification required by 19 AS 15.15.225(a), was not eligible for waiver of the identification 20 requirement under AS 15.15.225(b), and has not provided the 21 identifiers required in AS 15.07.060(a)(2) and (3) that can be verified 22 through state agency records described in AS 15.07.055(e); or 23 (ii) voter other than one described in (i) of this 24 subparagraph, did not provide identification described in 25 AS 15.15.225(a), was not personally known by the election official, 26 and has not provided the identifiers required in AS 15.07.060(a)(2) and 27 (3); or 28 (B) by mail or electronic transmission, is a first-time voter who 29 initially registered by mail or by facsimile or other electronic transmission 30 approved by the director under AS 15.07.050 to vote, has not met the 31 identification requirements set out in AS 15.07.060, and does not submit with
01 the ballot a copy of a 02 (i) driver's license, state identification card, current and 03 valid photo identification, birth certificate, passport, or identification 04 card issued by a federally recognized tribe [HUNTING OR 05 FISHING LICENSE]; or 06 (ii) an original or a copy of a [CURRENT] utility bill, 07 bank statement, paycheck, government check, or other government 08 document; an item described in this sub-subparagraph must show the 09 name and current address of the voter and must be dated within the 10 previous 90 days. 11 * Sec. 36. AS 15.20 is amended by adding a new section to read: 12 Sec. 15.20.215. Rules for challenging ballot. The director shall adopt by 13 regulation a procedure and time frame for a person present at the ballot counting 14 review to challenge the decision of whether to count an absentee, special needs, or 15 questioned ballot. The procedure must provide a reasonable amount of time to submit 16 a challenge. 17 * Sec. 37. AS 15.20.220(b) is amended to read: 18 (b) The state review board shall review and count absentee ballots under 19 AS 15.20.081(e) and (h), absentee ballots properly cured under AS 15.20.222, and 20 questioned ballots that have been forwarded to the director and that have not been 21 reviewed or counted by a district counting board. 22 * Sec. 38. AS 15.20 is amended by adding new sections to read: 23 Sec. 15.20.221. Ballot-tracking system. (a) The director shall establish an 24 online ballot-tracking system. The director may procure the system from a third party. 25 The system must be designed to allow a voter to easily use the system through a 26 mobile electronic device. The system must allow a voter to 27 (1) confirm that the voter's ballot has been sent by the division; 28 (2) track the date of the ballot's delivery to the voter; 29 (3) confirm the division's receipt of the voter's ballot; 30 (4) determine whether the voter's ballot has been counted; and 31 (5) provide the information necessary to cure a rejected ballot.
01 (b) The online ballot-tracking system must 02 (1) verify a voter's identity; and 03 (2) indicate to a voter 04 (A) the process by which the voter may cure the lack of 05 signature or verify the voter's identity, if the signature on the voter's ballot was 06 missing; and 07 (B) the reason the voter's ballot was not counted, if the ballot 08 was not counted. 09 (c) The division may not charge a voter a fee to use the online ballot-tracking 10 system. 11 Sec. 15.20.222. Procedure for curing uncounted ballot. (a) If a voter's ballot 12 is rejected because the certificate is missing a signature or the voter provided 13 insufficient voter identification, the director shall immediately make a reasonable 14 effort to contact the voter, explain the ballot deficiency, explain how the deficiency 15 may be cured, and inform the voter of the deadline to cure the ballot. The director 16 shall, within 24 hours, send a notice of deficiency by electronic mail to the voter's 17 electronic mail address if the voter has provided an electronic mail address. If the 18 voter has provided a telephone number, the director shall, within 24 hours, attempt to 19 notify the voter of the deficiency by telephone call and text message. The director 20 shall, within 48 hours, but not later than five days after election day, send a notice of 21 deficiency by first class, nonforwardable mail to the address in the voter's registration 22 record. 23 (b) A notice of deficiency must include a form for the voter to confirm that the 24 voter returned a ballot to the division, provide a copy of a form of identification 25 accepted by the division under AS 15.15.225(a), and provide a signature. The director 26 shall provide a printed copy of the form with the notice of deficiency mailed to the 27 voter. The director shall also make the form available in a format that can be 28 completed and returned electronically. 29 (c) The rejected ballot of a voter who received a notice of deficiency may be 30 counted only if 31 (1) the voter returns the completed form sent with the notice of
01 deficiency, the division receives the form within 14 days after election day, and the 02 form confirms that the voter returned a ballot to the division; 03 (2) the voter provides a signature and includes a copy of a form of 04 identification accepted by the division under AS 15.15.225(a); and 05 (3) the ballot is otherwise valid. 06 (d) A voter's rejected ballot may not be counted and the director shall, if 07 applicable, send copies of the signature on the voter's return envelope to the attorney 08 general for investigation if the voter returns the form and the form indicates that the 09 voter did not return a ballot to the division. 10 * Sec. 39. AS 15.20.480 is amended to read: 11 Sec. 15.20.480. Procedure for recount. In conducting the recount, the director 12 shall review all ballots, whether the ballots were counted at the precinct or by 13 computer or by the district absentee counting board or the questioned ballot counting 14 board, to determine which ballots, or part of ballots, were properly marked and which 15 ballots are to be counted in the recount, and shall check the accuracy of the original 16 count, the precinct certificate, and the review. [THE DIRECTOR SHALL COUNT 17 ABSENTEE BALLOTS RECEIVED BEFORE THE COMPLETION OF THE 18 RECOUNT.] For administrative purposes, the director may join and include two or 19 more applications in a single review and count of votes. The rules in AS 15.15.360 20 governing the counting of ballots shall be followed in the recount when a ballot is 21 challenged on the basis of a question regarding the voter's intent to vote for the 22 candidate, proposition, or question. The ballots and other election material must 23 remain in the custody of the director during the recount, and the highest degree of care 24 shall be exercised to protect the ballots against alteration or mutilation. The recount 25 shall be completed within 10 days. The director may employ additional personnel 26 necessary to assist in the recount. 27 * Sec. 40. AS 15.20 is amended by adding a new section to read: 28 Article 4A. Ballot Drop Boxes. 29 Sec. 15.20.850. Ballot drop boxes. The director shall provide secure ballot 30 drop boxes. The director shall adopt regulations governing the use and location of 31 ballot drop boxes. The director shall provide a drop box at each division regional
01 office. When selecting drop box locations, the director may consult with 02 municipalities, school districts, tribal organizations, and nonpartisan civic 03 organizations. The director shall include in the regulations the criteria for selecting the 04 locations of drop boxes, the security requirements for the drop boxes, and a 05 requirement that drop boxes be open 24 hours a day in the 10 days before an election 06 day. The regulations must require that each drop box be open on the election day until 07 8:00 p.m. A municipality may provide a drop box under regulations adopted by the 08 director. 09 * Sec. 41. AS 15.56.030(d) is amended to read: 10 (d) For purposes of (a)(2) and (3) of this section, "other valuable thing" 11 (1) includes 12 (A) an entry in a game of chance in which a prize of money or 13 other present or future pecuniary gain or advantage may be awarded to a 14 participant wherein the total of the prizes offered is greater than $2 per 15 participant with a maximum of $100; and 16 (B) government employment or benefits; 17 (2) does not include 18 (A) materials having a nominal value bearing the name, 19 likeness, or other identification of a candidate, political party, political group, 20 party district committee, or organization, or stating a position on a ballot 21 proposition or question; 22 (B) food and refreshments provided incidental to an activity 23 that is nonpartisan in nature and directed at encouraging persons to vote, or 24 incidental to a gathering in support of or in opposition to a candidate, political 25 party, political group, party district committee, organization, or ballot question 26 or proposition; 27 (C) care of the voter's dependents provided in connection with 28 the absence of a voter from home for the purpose of voting; 29 (D) services provided by a person acting as a representative 30 under AS 15.20.072; 31 (E) services provided by an election official as defined in
01 AS 15.80.010; [AND] 02 (F) transportation of a voter to or from the polls without 03 charge; and 04 (G) postage-paid return envelopes required in 05 AS 15.20.030. 06 * Sec. 42. AS 15.56.060(a) is amended to read: 07 (a) A person commits the crime of unlawful interference with an election if 08 the person 09 (1) induces or attempts to induce an election official to fail in the 10 official's duty by force, threat, intimidation, or offers of reward; 11 (2) intentionally changes, attempts to change, or causes to be changed 12 an official election document including ballots, tallies, and returns; 13 (3) intentionally delays, attempts to delay, or causes to be delayed the 14 sending of the certificate, register, ballots, or other materials whether original or 15 duplicate, required to be sent by AS 15.15.370; [OR] 16 (4) is contracted or employed by the state to print or reproduce in any 17 manner an official ballot, and the person knowingly 18 (A) personally appropriates, or gives or delivers to, or permits 19 to be taken by anyone other than a person authorized by the director, official 20 ballots; or 21 (B) prints or reproduces or has printed or reproduced official 22 ballots in a form or with a content other than that prescribed by law or as 23 directed by the director; 24 (5) intentionally opens or tampers with a signed absentee ballot 25 certificate, sealed absentee ballot envelope, or package of ballots without express 26 authorization from the director; or 27 (6) intentionally breaches, hacks, alters, or tampers with election 28 machinery, including a tabulator, a program, a system, a server, or software used 29 to verify identity, count or tabulate, or manage or control an election function. 30 * Sec. 43. AS 15.56.070(a) is amended to read: 31 (a) A person commits the crime of election official misconduct in the first
01 degree if, while an election official, the person 02 (1) intentionally fails to perform an election duty or knowingly does an 03 unauthorized act with the intent to affect an election or its results; 04 (2) knowingly permits or makes or attempts to make a false count of 05 election returns; [OR] 06 (3) intentionally conceals, withholds, destroys, or attempts to conceal, 07 withhold, or destroy election returns; or 08 (4) knowingly discloses, shares, or reports to a person who is not 09 an election official election results, returns, or any confidential election data 10 before the polls close on election day. 11 * Sec. 44. AS 15.80 is amended by adding a new section to read: 12 Sec. 15.80.006. Cybersecurity. The lieutenant governor shall, by regulation, 13 develop a cybersecurity program to defend the voter registration records kept by the 14 division against cyber attacks and data breaches and enable the division to detect and 15 recover from cyber attacks. The program must include cybersecurity training for 16 election officials. 17 * Sec. 45. AS 15.80 is amended by adding a new section to read: 18 Sec. 15.80.009. Synthetic media in electioneering communications. (a) A 19 person may not knowingly use synthetic media in an electioneering communication 20 with the intent to influence an election. 21 (b) An individual who is harmed by an electioneering communication that 22 violates this section may bring an action in the superior court to recover damages, full 23 reasonable attorney fees, and costs from 24 (1) the person who created the electioneering communication or 25 retained the services of another to create the electioneering communication; 26 (2) a person who disseminates an electioneering communication 27 knowing that the electioneering communication includes synthetic media; or 28 (3) a person who removes a disclosure statement described in (d) of 29 this section from an electioneering communication with the intent to influence an 30 election and knowing that the electioneering communication includes synthetic media. 31 (c) An individual who is harmed by an electioneering communication that
01 violates this section may seek injunctive relief in the superior court to prohibit 02 publication of the synthetic media. 03 (d) It is a defense to an action under this section that 04 (1) the electioneering communication included the following 05 disclosure statement: "This (image/video/audio) has been manipulated" and 06 (A) for visual media that included other text, the text of the 07 disclosure statement remained visible throughout the entirety of the 08 communication, was easily readable by the average viewer, and was in a font 09 not smaller than the largest font size of any other text that appeared in the 10 visual component; 11 (B) for visual media that did not include any other text, the 12 disclosure statement was in a font size that was easily readable by the average 13 viewer; 14 (C) for a communication that consisted of only audio, the 15 disclosure statement was read 16 (i) at the beginning of the audio, at the end of the audio, 17 and, if the audio was longer than two minutes in duration, at intervals 18 interspersed within the audio that occurred at least once every two 19 minutes; and 20 (ii) in a clear manner and in a pitch and at a speed that 21 was easily heard by the average listener; or 22 (2) the synthetic media constitutes satire or parody. 23 (e) An interactive computer service, Internet service provider, cloud service 24 provider, telecommunications network, or radio or television broadcaster, including a 25 cable or satellite television operator, programmer, or producer, is not liable under this 26 section for hosting, publishing, or distributing an electioneering communication 27 provided by another person. For purposes of this section, a developer of the 28 technology used to create synthetic media that is in an electioneering communication 29 is not the creator of the electioneering communication. This subsection does not 30 prevent an individual from bringing an action under (b)(3) of this section for removing 31 a disclosure statement.
01 (f) In this section, 02 (1) "access software provider" means a provider of client, server, or 03 other software or enabling tools that 04 (A) filter, screen, allow, or disallow content; 05 (B) pick, choose, analyze, or digest content; or 06 (C) transmit, receive, display, forward, cache, search, subset, 07 organize, reorganize, or translate content; 08 (2) "artificial intelligence" means a machine-based system that, for 09 explicit or implicit objectives, infers, from the input the system receives, how to 10 generate outputs, including predictions, content, recommendations, and decisions that 11 can influence physical or virtual environments, with different artificial intelligence 12 systems varying in levels of autonomy and adaptiveness after deployment; 13 (3) "electioneering communication" means a communication that 14 (A) directly or indirectly identifies a candidate or political 15 party; 16 (B) is disseminated through a mailing, a newspaper, the 17 Internet, or broadcast media, including radio, television, cable, or satellite, to 18 an audience that includes voters who will have the opportunity to vote on a 19 candidate identified in the communication or on a candidate of a party 20 identified in the communication; and 21 (C) when read as a whole and with limited reference to outside 22 events, is susceptible of no other reasonable interpretation but as an 23 exhortation to vote for or against a specific candidate; 24 (4) "interactive computer service" means an information service, 25 system, or access software provider that provides or enables computer access by 26 multiple users to a computer server, including specifically a service or system that 27 provides access to the Internet and systems operated or services offered by libraries or 28 educational institutions; 29 (5) "synthetic media" 30 (A) means an image, audio recording, or video recording of an 31 individual's appearance, speech, or conduct that is manipulated by artificial
01 intelligence in a manner that creates a realistic but false image, audio 02 recording, or video recording and produces 03 (i) a depiction that a reasonable person would believe is 04 of a real individual in appearance, speech, or conduct but did not 05 actually occur in reality; and 06 (ii) a materially different understanding or impression 07 than a reasonable person would have from the unaltered, original 08 version of the image, audio recording, or video recording; 09 (B) does not include an image, audio recording, or video 10 recording that is minimally edited, adjusted, or enhanced by artificial 11 intelligence without materially altering how the meaning or significance of the 12 depiction would be perceived by a reasonable person. 13 * Sec. 46. AS 19.25.105(a) is amended to read: 14 (a) Outdoor advertising may not be erected or maintained within 660 feet of 15 the nearest edge of the right-of-way and visible from the main-traveled way of the 16 interstate, primary, or secondary highways in this state except the following: 17 (1) directional and other official signs and notices that [WHICH] 18 include [, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO,] signs and notices pertaining to natural 19 wonders, scenic and historic attractions, which are required or authorized by law, and 20 which shall conform to federal standards for interstate and primary systems; 21 (2) signs, displays, and devices advertising the sale or lease of property 22 on [UPON] which they are located or advertising activities conducted on the property; 23 (3) signs determined by the state, subject to concurrence of the United 24 States Department of Transportation, to be landmark signs, including signs on farm 25 structures or natural surfaces of historic or artistic significance, the preservation of 26 which would be consistent with the provisions of this chapter; 27 (4) directional signs and notices pertaining to schools; 28 (5) advertising on bus benches or bus shelters, and adjacent trash 29 receptacles, if the state determines that the advertising conforms to local, state, and 30 federal standards for interstate and primary highways; 31 (6) temporary political campaign signs not larger than 32 square
01 feet in size displayed on private property if the owner or resident of the property 02 is not being compensated for the display, the sign is not a risk to the public, and 03 the sign is outside of an interstate, primary, or secondary highway right-of-way. 04 * Sec. 47. AS 24.45.091 is amended to read: 05 Sec. 24.45.091. Publication of reports. Copies of the statements and reports 06 filed under this chapter shall be made available to the public at the commission's 07 offices and on the commission's Internet website [CENTRAL OFFICE, THE 08 OFFICE OF THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, THE LEGISLATIVE REFERENCE 09 LIBRARY OF THE LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS AGENCY, AND AT THE 10 COMMISSION'S DISTRICT OFFICES PRESCRIBED IN AS 15.13.020(j)] as soon 11 as practicable after each reporting period. 12 * Sec. 48. AS 24.45.111(b) is amended to read: 13 (b) The commission shall preserve the statements and reports required to be 14 filed under this chapter for a period of six years from the date of filing. Copies [IF 15 THE COMMISSION'S CENTRAL OFFICE IS NOT IN THE STATE CAPITAL, 16 COPIES] of all statements and reports filed under this chapter shall be maintained in 17 the commission's offices and be made available on the commission's Internet 18 website [AN OFFICE ESTABLISHED BY THE COMMISSION IN THE STATE 19 CAPITAL OR IN THE OFFICE OF THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR]. 20 * Sec. 49. AS 39.50.020(b) is amended to read: 21 (b) A public official, [OR] former public official, or candidate for municipal 22 office [OTHER THAN AN ELECTED OR APPOINTED MUNICIPAL OFFICER] 23 shall file the statement with the Alaska Public Offices Commission. Candidates for the 24 office of governor and lieutenant governor and, if the candidate is not subject to 25 AS 24.60, the legislature shall file the statement under AS 15.25.030. The Alaska 26 Public Offices Commission shall provide copies of the statements filed by 27 municipal [MUNICIPAL] officers, former municipal officers, and candidates for 28 elective municipal office to [SHALL FILE WITH] the applicable municipal clerk or 29 other municipal official designated to receive the statements [THEIR FILING FOR 30 OFFICE]. All statements required to be filed under this chapter are public records. 31 * Sec. 50. AS 39.50.200(b) is amended by adding a new paragraph to read:
01 (65) Redistricting Board. 02 * Sec. 51. AS 44.62.310(h)(3) is amended to read: 03 (3) "public entity" means an entity of the state or of a political 04 subdivision of the state including an agency, a board or commission, the 05 Redistricting Board, the University of Alaska, a public authority or corporation, a 06 municipality, a school district, and other governmental units of the state or a political 07 subdivision of the state; it does not include the court system or the legislative branch 08 of state government. 09 * Sec. 52. AS 15.10.170(b) is repealed. 10 * Sec. 53. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 11 read: 12 REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE. The division of elections shall provide a report 13 to the legislature by November 1, 2026, recommending options for expanding early voting in 14 rural communities and low-income neighborhoods. The division shall deliver the report to the 15 senate secretary and the chief clerk of the house of representatives and notify the legislature 16 that the report is available. In this section, 17 (1) "low-income neighborhood" means a neighborhood where the median 18 family income is below 80 percent of the statewide median family income; 19 (2) "rural community" means a community with a population of 7,500 or less 20 that is not connected by road or rail to Anchorage or Fairbanks or a community with a 21 population of 3,500 or less that is connected by road or rail to Anchorage or Fairbanks. 22 * Sec. 54. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 23 read: 24 APPLICABILITY. AS 15.56.030(d), as amended by sec. 41 of this Act, 25 AS 15.56.060(a), as amended by sec. 42 of this Act, and AS 15.56.070(a), as amended by sec. 26 43 of this Act, apply to offenses committed on or after the effective date of this Act. 27 * Sec. 55. This Act takes effect July 1, 2026.