Legislature(2025 - 2026)GRUENBERG 120
02/13/2025 03:15 PM House STATE AFFAIRS
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB10 | |
| HB21 | |
| HB43 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 21 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 43 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 10 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
HB 21-VOTER PREREGISTRATION FOR MINORS
3:29:42 PM
CHAIR CARRICK announced that the next order of business would be
HOUSE BILL NO. 21, "An Act relating to voter preregistration for
minors at least 16 years of age; and relating to confidentiality
of voter registration and preregistration records of minors at
least 16 years of age."
3:30:01 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT moved to adopt the proposed committee
substitute (CS) for HB 21, Version 34-LS0241\N, Dunmire,
2/11/25, as a working document.
3:30:10 PM
CHAIR CARRICK objected for purposes of discussion.
3:30:21 PM
STUART RELAY, Staff, Representative Ashley Carrick, presented
the summary of changes [included in the committee file] to the
proposed CS for HB 21. The summary of changes read as follows
[original punctuation provided]:
* Section 1. AS 15.07.040 is amended by adding new
subsections to read:
(b) A person who is at least 16 years of age and
under 18 years of age may preregister to vote. To
preregister, a person shall supply the information
required under AS 15.07.060(a) to a registration
official or a voter registration agency, except that,
instead of a declaration that the applicant will be 18
years of age or older within 90 days after the date of
registration under AS 15.07.060(a)(6), the person
shall supply a declaration that the person will be 18
years of age or older within two years after the date
of preregistration.
(c) Ninety days before a person preregistered to vote
under (b) of this section reaches 18 years of age, the
division shall send, by nonforwardable mail to the
person's registration mailing address, a notice
requesting address confirmation or correction. The
notice must include a postage prepaid and pre-
addressed return card on which the person may state
the person's current address. The notice must indicate
that the person should return the card not later than
45 days after the date of the notice and that failure
to return the card by the 45-day deadline could result
in the person not being registered to vote. If the
person returns the card, the division shall register
the person when the person reaches 18 years of age and
forward to the person a registration card.
* Sec. 2. AS 15.07.195 is amended by adding a new
subsection to read:
(e) Notwithstanding another provision of this
section, the address and telephone number of a person
under 18 years of age who registers or preregisters to
vote are confidential and not open to public
inspection.
3:31:13 PM
CHAIR CARRICK noted that bill sponsor, Representative Story, was
available to take questions pertaining to the CS for HB 21.
3:31:22 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE asked if a new fiscal note was available
for the CS.
MR. RELAY responded that the fiscal note has not been received,
and it would be sent to committee members when completed.
3:31:39 PM
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE asked at what point before the election
would the voter card be sent out and whether the Division of
Elections would confirm if they were still an eligible voter.
MR. RELAY directed the question to Ms. Beecher.
3:32:19 PM
CAROL BEECHER, Director, Division of Elections, Office of the
Lieutenant Governor, remarked that when the individual pre-
registers they use the voter registration form which has the
information necessary to register for voting, but in a separate
category and stored in a separate designation on the voter
registration system. The information would be what was provided
on the voter registration form. She said 90 days prior to the
voter's eighteenth birthday, the card would be sent out to
confirm that their resident address is still the same.
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE asked if pre-registered voters would be
verified in the same fashion as adults.
MS. BEECHER responded yes; the division would be confirming the
information much like it does with 17-year-olds when they pre-
register.
3:34:13 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE asked how many 17-year-olds are currently
pre-registered for voting.
MS. BEECHER said she doesn't have the data but can follow-up.
She remarked that it is a fairly small number.
3:34:57 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY remarked that one of the advantages of
dropping the age to 16 is that hopefully more students will be
interested in the democratic process and discuss it with their
families. She remarked that in the first bill hearing
discussions, the three months prior to leaving for post-
secondary activities doesn't allow much time to discuss
registration processes with family.
3:36:01 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE remarked that requirements and checkboxes
with the permanent fund dividend (PFD) form has generated
considerable issues with the voter roll. He remarked about
going to the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) as a 16-year-old
and checking a box to pre-register and was struggling to
understand how to tie voter registration to something else.
3:36:56 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY said that the bill does not propose
automatically registering 16-year-olds when they get their
driver's license, but it would be an opportunity if they chose.
3:37:25 PM
CHAIR CARRICK removed her objection to the motion to adopt the
proposed CS for HB 21, Version 34-LS0241\N, Dunmire, 2/11/25.
There being no further objection, Version N was before the
committee.
3:37:30 PM
CHAIR CARRICK remarked that the CS was adopted and inquired if
there was any further discussion on the bill prior to public
testimony.
3:37:50 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HOLLAND asked for clarification on voter rolls
and if 16-year-olds, much like 17-year-olds can be pre-
registered. However, nobody would go on the roll unless they
have received the card, returned the card, and confirmed that
they are a real voter. He asked if his understanding of this
was correct.
REPRESENTATIVE STORY remarked that these pre-registered voters
would be in a pending status until they reach the 90-day period
prior to the eighteenth birthday, after which the card would go
to the residence that they pre-registered with. She added that
Version N was important, and it should be spelled out more
clearly to ensure that it was clear how the process would be
done.
3:39:57 PM
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE asked Representative Story why she feels
the bill is necessary when an automatic registration is already
in place with the PFD application. She said this almost feels
unnecessary.
REPRESENTATIVE STORY responded that this is an opportunity to
join 23 other states that have put this into place. She added
that there is modest research that suggests young voters are
more likely to vote following pre-registration. She said the
whole idea is to build civic engagement and instill voter pride.
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE asked for documentation pertaining to other
states and if they have automatic voter enrollment systems. She
reiterated that the PFD automatically registers applicants for
voting. She said this information would be helpful to
understand the bill.
REPRESENTATIVE STORY remarked that one of the research papers
available briefly touch on this, but supplemental information
could be provided later.
3:42:04 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MOORE asked Representative Story whether the
proposed bill had any language that would require that the pre-
registration applicants are American Citizens.
REPRESENTATIVE STORY responded that an attestation would be
required.
3:43:39 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT asked Representative Story, if the
governor's bill passed, which would remove PFD voter
registration, whether it would impact this proposed bill.
REPRESENTATIVE STORY directed the question to Ms. Beecher.
MS. BEECHER remarked that the current way that PFD automatic
registration works is that when an individual applies for the
PFD, who is least 18 and marked that they are a US citizen, then
they are sent a notice providing them the opportunity to opt out
or change address. She responded that it would eliminate the
automatic registration for eighteen-year-olds applying for the
first time.
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT remarked that if the governors bill
passed, then HB 21 would be more important to prepare upcoming
voters without PFD automatic registration at 18.
MS. BEECHER responded that this bill would put these 16-year-
olds in the pending status and when they turn 18 then they would
be registered. It would not be automatic but would allow those
who applied to become registered using this system.
3:47:06 PM
CHAIR CARRICK opened public testimony on HB 21.
3:47:28 PM
ROBERT WELTON, representing self, testified in support of HB 21.
He remarked that when he was a kid in the seventies, he went to
a mock election as a student and found it empowering and
exciting. He said it did help to instill voter engagement. He
said that Version N is an improvement to put some control in.
3:48:40 PM
CHARLIE FRANZ, representing self, testified in opposition to HB
21. He opined that there is already a great deal of difficulty
managing the voter roll and said this adds an additional
workload to the Division of Elections, which is not equipped to
handle it. He said it adds a layer of complexity. He said that
if someone wants to learn about the election process, there are
plenty of opportunities in school. He remarked that it isn't
appropriate to implement the bill just because other states did
so.
3:50:31 PM
ROHN ANDERSON, Member, Alaska Youth Vote, testified in support
of HB 21. He said in the 2024 General Election, Alaska had a
voter turnout of 55.8% percent, and the state has the second
highest age requirement for voter registration. He remarked
that almost every other state has put some pre-registration
standards into law. He remarked that this system fails to
provide necessary education and makes someone an observer not a
participant. He remarked that other states that do this, do it
because it works. Other states see increased civic engagement
and voter turnout.
3:52:49 PM
CHAIR CARRICK after ascertaining there was no one else who
wished to testify, closed public testimony on HB 21.
3:53:15 PM
CHAIR CARRICK set an amendment deadline and announced that HB 21
was held over.
3:53:40 PM
The committee took an at-ease from 3:53 p.m. to 3:56 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| CSHB 21 STA Ver N.pdf |
HSTA 2/13/2025 3:15:00 PM |
HB 21 |
| HB 21 HSTA Summary of Changes Ver A-N.pdf |
HSTA 2/13/2025 3:15:00 PM |
HB 21 |
| HB 43 Written Testimony 2-13-25.pdf |
HSTA 2/13/2025 3:15:00 PM |
HB 43 |
| HB 43 Support LTR GOTNV 2-12-25.pdf |
HSTA 2/13/2025 3:15:00 PM |
HB 43 |
| HB 21 Written Testimony 2-13-25.pdf |
HSTA 2/13/2025 3:15:00 PM |
HB 21 |
| HB 43 Support LTR Muni of Anchorage 2-12-25.pdf |
HSTA 2/13/2025 3:15:00 PM |
HB 43 |