November 10, 2004, Introduced by Rep. Palsrok and referred to the Committee on Local Government and Urban Policy.
A bill to amend 1954 PA 116, entitled
"Michigan election law,"
(MCL 168.1 to 168.992) by adding sections 499a and 499b.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
1 Sec. 499a. (1) Subject to subsection (2), each application
2 to obtain a resident hunting, fishing, or fur harvester's license
3 under part 435 of the natural resources and environmental
4 protection act, 1994 PA 451, MCL 324.43501 to 324.43561, by an
5 applicant who is not less than 18 years of age or will be not
6 less than 18 years of age by the next election or primary
7 election shall also serve as an application for voter
8 registration.
9 (2) Subsection (1) does not apply if 1 or more of the
10 following apply:
11 (a) The applicant specifically declines to register to vote.
1 (b) The applicant fails to sign the voter registration
2 application.
3 (3) The director of the department of natural resources and
4 the secretary of state shall develop and agree upon procedures
5 and forms necessary to comply with this section, including
6 procedures applicable to the processing of applications received
7 by persons approved as license agents for the department of
8 natural resources.
9 (4) The forms developed under subsection (3) shall meet all
10 of the following requirements:
11 (a) Not require the applicant to duplicate any information
12 required in the resident hunting, fishing, or fur harvester's
13 portion of the application with the exception of a second
14 signature.
15 (b) Subject to subdivision (a), include such information as
16 required on other voter registration applications under this
17 chapter.
18 (c) State each eligibility requirement contained in section
19 492.
20 (d) Include, in print that is identical to that used in the
21 registration affidavit under section 495, all of the following:
22 (i) The penalties provided by law for submission of a false
23 voter registration application.
24 (ii) A statement that, if an applicant declines to register
25 to vote, the fact that the applicant has declined to register
26 will remain confidential and will be used only for voter
27 registration purposes.
1 Sec. 499b. (1) A person acting as a license agent for the
2 department of natural resources under part 435 of the natural
3 resources and environmental protection act, 1994 PA 451, MCL
4 324.43501 to 324.43561, shall not do any of the following:
5 (a) Seek to influence a license applicant's political
6 preference.
7 (b) Display on his or her person any political preference or
8 allegiance to any political party or group.
9 (c) Make any statement to an applicant or take any action the
10 purpose or effect of which is to discourage the applicant from
11 applying to register to vote.
12 (d) Make any statement to an applicant or take any action the
13 purpose or effect of which is to lead the applicant to believe
14 that a decision to apply or not to apply to register to vote has
15 any bearing on the availability of services or benefits.
16 (2) The department of natural resources shall transmit the
17 completed applications for voter registration under section 499a
18 to the secretary of state at the conclusion of each business
19 day. The secretary of state shall forward the applications to
20 the appropriate local clerk to determine the eligibility of the
21 applicant and, if the applicant is found eligible, to add the
22 applicant's name to the list of electors and to place the
23 applicant in the correct precinct and voting districts.
24 (3) The department of natural resources shall maintain such
25 statistical records on the number of registrations and
26 declinations as requested by the secretary of state.
27 (4) Information relating to the failure of an applicant for a
1 resident hunting, fishing, or fur harvester's license issued by
2 the department of natural resources to sign a voter registration
3 application shall not be used for any purpose other than voter
4 registration, shall not be disclosed publicly, and is exempt from
5 disclosure under the freedom of information act, 1976 PA 442, MCL
6 15.231 to 15.246.
7 (5) The secretary of state and the director of the department
8 of natural resources may promulgate rules to provide for the
9 electronic transmission of voter registration applications and
10 signatures under this section and section 499a. Such an
11 electronically transmitted signature shall be valid as a
12 signature on the voter registration application and shall be
13 treated in all respects as a manually written original signature.
14 Enacting section 1. This amendatory act takes effect June
15 1, 2005.