S.F. No. 323 provides for automatic registration of eligible voters at the time a person applies for a driver’s license, instruction permit, or ID card.

Section 1.  Data derived from driver’s license applications.  Data on an application for a driver’s license, ID card, or learner’s permit that is transferred to the secretary of state are private, as provided in section 2.

Section 2.  Automatic registration of driver’s license, instruction permit, and identification card applicants.  Sets up a process to automatically register eligible voters when they apply for a driver’s license, instruction permit, or ID card.

Subdivision 1.  Automatic registration.  An individual who applies for a new or renewed driver’s license, instruction permit, or ID card, and who is eligible to vote must be registered to vote unless the applicant declines to be registered.

Subdivision 2.  Applications.  The application for a driver’s license, instruction permit, or ID card must contain a box for the applicant to decline to be registered to vote.  Unless the applicant declines to be registered or has designated his or her data as private data, the commissioner of public safety must forward the applicant information to the secretary of state on a daily basis.  In addition to information already required by law, citizenship data must be included.

Subdivision 3.  Registration.  Once the secretary of state receives the information, the secretary of state must determine if the applicant is already registered.  If so and there are no changes, the secretary of state must update the voter’s registration date.  If the applicant is registered but there is a change in information, the secretary of state must transmit that to the county auditor where the applicant lives.  If an applicant is not currently registered, the secretary of state must determine if the individual is eligible to vote.  If so, the secretary of state must send the registration to the county auditor in the county where the applicant lives.  Data on applicants who are not eligible to vote are private data.

Subdivision 4.  Notice.  When an individual is registered, the county auditor must mail to the voter a notice of registration.

Subdivision 5.  Effective date.  An application that is dated during the 20 days before an election is not effective until the day after the election.

Section 3.  Effective date.  This act is not effective until the commissioner of the Department of Public Safety has certified that the department’s systems have been tested and can accurately provide the data and the secretary of state has certified that the automatic registration system has been tested and is capable of determining eligibility.

ACS/syl