Legislature(2023 - 2024)
2024-01-31 House Journal
Full Journal pdf2024-01-31 House Journal Page 1400 HB 129 The following was read the second time: HOUSE BILL NO. 129 "An Act relating to voter registration; and providing for an effective date." with the: Journal Page STA RPT CS(STA) 5DP 2AM 870 FN1: ZERO(GOV) 870 JUD RPT CS(JUD) 4DP 2NR 1AM 1300 FN2: ZERO(GOV) 1300 Representative Saddler moved and asked unanimous consent that the following committee substitute be adopted in lieu of the original bill: CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 129(JUD) (same title) There being no objection, it was so ordered. Amendment No. 1 was offered by Representative Eastman: Page 1, line 1, following "registration;" (title amendement): Insert "relating to absentee voting" Page 4, following line 24: Insert new bill sections to read: "* Sec. 7. AS 15.20.061(b) is amended to read: (b) On receipt of an application in person for an absentee ballot and exhibition of a form of photographic identification prescribed by the division [PROOF OF IDENTIFICATION AS REQUIRED IN AS 15.15.225], the absentee voting official or election supervisor shall issue the ballot to the applicant. * Sec. 8. AS 15.20.081(a) is amended to read: 2024-01-31 House Journal Page 1401 (a) A qualified voter may apply in person, by mail, or by facsimile, scanning, or other electronic transmission to the director for an absentee ballot under this section. Another individual may apply for an absentee ballot on behalf of a qualified voter if that individual is designated to act on behalf of the voter in a written general power of attorney or a written special power of attorney that authorizes the other individual to apply for an absentee ballot on behalf of the voter. The application must include the address or, if the application requests delivery of an absentee ballot by electronic transmission, the telephone electronic transmission number, to which the absentee ballot is to be returned, the applicant's full Alaska residence address, a form of photographic identification prescribed by the division, and the applicant's signature. However, a person residing outside the United States and applying to vote absentee in federal elections in accordance with AS 15.05.011 need not include an Alaska residence address in the application. A person may supply to a voter an absentee ballot application form with a political party or group affiliation indicated only if the voter is already registered as affiliated with the political party or group indicated. The application must be made on a form prescribed or approved by the director. The voter or registration official shall submit the application directly to the division of elections. For purposes of this subsection, "directly to the division of elections" means that an application may not be submitted to any intermediary that could control or delay the submission of the application to the division or gather data on the applicant from the application form. However, nothing in this subsection is intended to prohibit a voter from giving a completed absentee ballot application to a friend, relative, or associate for transfer to the United States Postal Service or a private commercial delivery service for delivery to the division." Renumber the following bill section accordingly. Representative Eastman moved and asked unanimous consent that Amendment No. 1 be adopted. Representative Vance objected. 2024-01-31 House Journal Page 1402 The question being: "Shall Amendment No. 1 be adopted?" The roll was taken with the following result: CSHB 129(JUD) Second Reading Amendment No. 1 YEAS: 1 NAYS: 39 EXCUSED: 0 ABSENT: 0 Yeas: Eastman Nays: Allard, Armstrong, Baker, Carpenter, Carrick, Coulombe, Cronk, Dibert, Edgmon, Fields, Foster, Galvin, Gray, Groh, Hannan, Himschoot, C.Johnson, D.Johnson, Josephson, McCabe, McCormick, McKay, Mears, Mina, Ortiz, Prax, Rauscher, Ruffridge, Saddler, Schrage, Shaw, Stapp, Story, Stutes, Sumner, Tilton, Tomaszewski, Vance, Wright And so, Amendment No. 1 was not adopted. Amendment No. 2 was offered by Representative Eastman: Page 1, line 1, following "Act" (title amendment): Insert "relating to the master register;" Page 1, following line 2: Insert a new bill section to read: "* Section 1. AS 15.07.127 is amended to read: Sec. 15.07.127. Preparation of master register. The director shall prepare both a statewide list and a list by precinct of the names and addresses of all persons whose names appear on the master register and their political party affiliation. The director shall create a daily backup of the master register at 5:00 p.m. each day. Subject to the limitations of AS 15.07.195, any person may obtain a copy of the list, a daily backup of the list, or a part of the list, or an electronic format containing both residence and mailing addresses of voters, by applying to the director and paying to the state treasury a fee as determined by the director." Page 1, line 3: Delete "Section 1" Insert "Sec. 2" 2024-01-31 House Journal Page 1403 Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Representative Eastman moved and asked unanimous consent that Amendment No. 2 be adopted. There was objection. The question being: "Shall Amendment No. 2 be adopted?" The roll was taken with the following result: CSHB 129(JUD) Second Reading Amendment No. 2 YEAS: 2 NAYS: 38 EXCUSED: 0 ABSENT: 0 Yeas: Eastman, Ortiz Nays: Allard, Armstrong, Baker, Carpenter, Carrick, Coulombe, Cronk, Dibert, Edgmon, Fields, Foster, Galvin, Gray, Groh, Hannan, Himschoot, C.Johnson, D.Johnson, Josephson, McCabe, McCormick, McKay, Mears, Mina, Prax, Rauscher, Ruffridge, Saddler, Schrage, Shaw, Stapp, Story, Stutes, Sumner, Tilton, Tomaszewski, Vance, Wright And so, Amendment No. 2 was not adopted. Amendment No. 3 was offered by Representative Eastman: Page 1, following line 2: Insert a new bill section to read: * Section 1. AS 15.07.060(a) is amended to read: (a) Each applicant who requests registration or reregistration shall supply the following information: (1) the applicant's name and sex; (2) if issued, the applicant's State of Alaska driver's license number or State of Alaska identification card number, or the last four digits of the applicant's social security number; (3) the applicant's date of birth; (4) the applicant's Alaska residence address; (5) a statement of whether the applicant has previously been registered to vote in another jurisdiction, and, if so, the 2024-01-31 House Journal Page 1404 jurisdiction and the address of the previous registration; (6) a declaration that the applicant will be 18 years of age or older within 90 days after the date of registration; (7) a declaration that the applicant is a citizen of the United States; (8) the date of application; (9) the applicant's signature or mark; (10) any former name under which the applicant was registered to vote in the state; (11) an attestation that the information provided by the applicant in (1) - (10) of this subsection is true; [AND] (12) a certification that the applicant understands that a false statement on the application may make the applicant subject to prosecution for a misdemeanor under this title or AS 11; and (13) verification of United States citizenship, in a manner prescribed by the division in regulation." Page 1, line 3: Delete "Section 1" Insert "Sec. 2" Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Representative Eastman moved and asked unanimous consent that Amendment No. 3 be adopted. Representative Vance objected. The question being: "Shall Amendment No. 3 be adopted?" The roll was taken with the following result: CSHB 129(JUD) Second Reading Amendment No. 3 YEAS: 1 NAYS: 39 EXCUSED: 0 ABSENT: 0 Yeas: Eastman 2024-01-31 House Journal Page 1405 Nays: Allard, Armstrong, Baker, Carpenter, Carrick, Coulombe, Cronk, Dibert, Edgmon, Fields, Foster, Galvin, Gray, Groh, Hannan, Himschoot, C.Johnson, D.Johnson, Josephson, McCabe, McCormick, McKay, Mears, Mina, Ortiz, Prax, Rauscher, Ruffridge, Saddler, Schrage, Shaw, Stapp, Story, Stutes, Sumner, Tilton, Tomaszewski, Vance, Wright And so, Amendment No. 3 was not adopted. Amendment No. 4 was offered by Representative Eastman: Page 1, line 1, following "registration;" (title amendment): Insert "relating to absentee voting;" Page 4, following line 24: Insert new bill sections to read: "* Sec. 7. AS 15.20.203(a) is amended to read: (a) The district absentee ballot counting board shall examine each absentee ballot envelope and shall determine whether the absentee voter is qualified to vote at the election, whether the signature on the certificate is consistent with the voter's signature in voter registration records, and whether the absentee ballot has been properly cast. * Sec. 8. AS 15.20.203(b) is amended to read: (b) An absentee ballot may not be counted if (1) the voter has failed to properly execute the certificate; (2) an official or the witnesses authorized by law to attest the voter's certificate fail to execute the certificate, except that an absentee ballot cast in person and accepted by an absentee voting official or election supervisor may be counted despite failure of the absentee voting official or election supervisor to properly sign and date the voter's certificate as attesting official as required under AS 15.20.061(c); (3) the ballot is not attested on or before the date of the election; (4) the ballot, if postmarked, is not postmarked on or before the date of the election; (5) after the day of election, the ballot was delivered by a means other than mail; [OR] (6) the voter voted 2024-01-31 House Journal Page 1406 (A) in person and is a (i) first-time voter who initially registered by mail or by facsimile or other electronic transmission approved by the director under AS 15.07.050, has not provided the identification required by AS 15.15.225(a), was not eligible for waiver of the identification requirement under AS 15.15.225(b), and has not provided the identifiers required in AS 15.07.060(a)(2) and (3) that can be verified through state agency records described in AS 15.07.055(e); or (ii) voter other than one described in (i) of this subparagraph, did not provide identification described in AS 15.15.225(a), was not personally known by the election official, and has not provided the identifiers required in AS 15.07.060(a)(2) and (3); or (B) by mail or electronic transmission, is a first-time voter who initially registered by mail or by facsimile or other electronic transmission approved by the director under AS 15.07.050 to vote, has not met the identification requirements set out in AS 15.07.060, and does not submit with the ballot a copy of a (i) driver's license, state identification card, current and valid photo identification, birth certificate, passport, or hunting or fishing license; or (ii) current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, government check, or other government document; an item described in this sub-subparagraph must show the name and current address of the voter; or (7) the signature on the certificate is inconsistent with the voter's signature in voter registration records. * Sec. 9. AS 15.20.203 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: (k) The district absentee ballot counting board shall determine whether a voter's signature on the certificate is consistent with the voter's signature in voter registration records under (a) of this section using a signature verification process that includes signature comparison software, according to a procedure provided in regulations adopted by the director." Renumber the following bill section accordingly. 2024-01-31 House Journal Page 1407 Representative Eastman moved and asked unanimous consent that Amendment No. 4 be adopted. Representative Prax objected. The question being: "Shall Amendment No. 4 be adopted?" The roll was taken with the following result: CSHB 129(JUD) Second Reading Amendment No. 4 YEAS: 1 NAYS: 39 EXCUSED: 0 ABSENT: 0 Yeas: Eastman Nays: Allard, Armstrong, Baker, Carpenter, Carrick, Coulombe, Cronk, Dibert, Edgmon, Fields, Foster, Galvin, Gray, Groh, Hannan, Himschoot, C.Johnson, D.Johnson, Josephson, McCabe, McCormick, McKay, Mears, Mina, Ortiz, Prax, Rauscher, Ruffridge, Saddler, Schrage, Shaw, Stapp, Story, Stutes, Sumner, Tilton, Tomaszewski, Vance, Wright And so, Amendment No. 4 was not adopted. Amendment No. 5 was offered by Representative Eastman: Page 1, following line 2: Insert new bill sections to read: "* Section 1. AS 15.07.060(a) is amended to read: (a) Each applicant who requests registration or reregistration shall supply the following information: (1) the applicant's name and sex; (2) if issued, the applicant's State of Alaska driver's license number or State of Alaska identification card number, or the last four digits of the applicant's social security number; (3) the applicant's date of birth; (4) the applicant's Alaska residence address; (5) a statement of whether the applicant has previously been registered to vote in another jurisdiction, and, if so, the jurisdiction and the address of the previous registration; (6) a declaration that the applicant will be 18 years of age 2024-01-31 House Journal Page 1408 or older within 90 days after the date of registration; (7) a declaration that the applicant is a citizen of the United States; (8) the date of application; (9) the applicant's signature or mark; (10) any former name under which the applicant was registered to vote in the state; (11) an attestation that the information provided by the applicant in (1) - (10) of this subsection is true; [AND] (12) a certification that the applicant understands that a false statement on the application may make the applicant subject to prosecution for a misdemeanor under this title or AS 11; and (13) for the purpose of voting in state elections only, verification of United States citizenship in a manner prescribed by the division in regulation. * Sec. 2. AS 15.07.125 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: (b) The official registration list must identify whether a voter is registered to vote in state elections under AS 15.07.060(a)(13). * Sec. 3. AS 15.07.127 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: (b) The master register must identify whether a voter is registered to vote in state elections under AS 15.07.060(a)(13)." Page 1, line 3: Delete "Section 1" Insert "Sec. 4" Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Representative Eastman moved and asked unanimous consent that Amendment No. 5 be adopted. There was objection. The question being: "Shall Amendment No. 5 be adopted?" The roll was taken with the following result: 2024-01-31 House Journal Page 1409 CSHB 129(JUD) Second Reading Amendment No. 5 YEAS: 1 NAYS: 39 EXCUSED: 0 ABSENT: 0 Yeas: Eastman Nays: Allard, Armstrong, Baker, Carpenter, Carrick, Coulombe, Cronk, Dibert, Edgmon, Fields, Foster, Galvin, Gray, Groh, Hannan, Himschoot, C.Johnson, D.Johnson, Josephson, McCabe, McCormick, McKay, Mears, Mina, Ortiz, Prax, Rauscher, Ruffridge, Saddler, Schrage, Shaw, Stapp, Story, Stutes, Sumner, Tilton, Tomaszewski, Vance, Wright And so, Amendment No. 5 was not adopted. Amendment No. 6 was not offered. Representative Saddler moved and asked unanimous consent that CSHB 129(JUD) be considered engrossed, advanced to third reading, and placed on final passage. There was objection. CSHB 129(JUD) will advance to third reading on the February 2 calendar.