SENATE BILL No. 438

 

 

April 25, 2007, Introduced by Senators McMANUS, RICHARDVILLE, BIRKHOLZ, KUIPERS, VAN WOERKOM, PATTERSON, KAHN, JANSEN, STAMAS and PRUSI and referred to the Committee on Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs.

 

 

 

     A bill to amend 1954 PA 116, entitled

 

"Michigan election law,"

 

by amending section 509u (MCL 168.509u), as added by 1994 PA 441,

 

and by adding section 499a.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 499a. (1) Unless an applicant specifically declines to

 

register to vote or fails to sign the voter registration portion of

 

the application, each application to obtain a resident hunting,

 

fishing, or fur harvester's license under part 435 of the natural

 

resources and environmental protection act, 1994 PA 451, MCL

 

324.43501 to 324.43561, by an applicant who is not less than 18

 

years of age or will be not less than 18 years of age by the next

 

election or primary election shall also serve as an application for


 

voter registration.

 

     (2) The secretary of state and the director of the department

 

of natural resources shall develop procedures and forms necessary

 

to comply with this section.

 

     (3) The forms developed under subsection (2) shall meet all of

 

the following requirements:

 

     (a) Include any information required on other voter

 

registration applications under this act.

 

     (b) Not require an applicant to duplicate any information

 

required in the resident hunting, fishing, or fur harvester's

 

portion of the application with the exception of a second

 

signature.

 

     (c) State each eligibility requirement contained in section

 

492.

 

     (d) Include the penalties provided by law for submitting false

 

information on a voter registration application.

 

     (e) Include a statement that if an applicant declines to

 

register to vote, the fact that the applicant has declined to

 

register will remain confidential.

 

     (4) When an application is received, the department of natural

 

resources and those persons designated by the department of natural

 

resources to issue and sell a resident hunting, fishing, or fur

 

harvester's license under part 435 of the natural resources and

 

environmental protection act, 1994 PA 451, MCL 324.43501 to

 

324.43561, shall do all of the following:

 

     (a) Validate the application in the manner prescribed by the

 

secretary of state.


 

     (b) Issue a receipt to the applicant verifying the acceptance

 

of the application.

 

     (5) A person designated by the department of natural resources

 

to issue and sell a resident hunting, fishing, or fur harvester's

 

license under part 435 of the natural resources and environmental

 

protection act, 1994 PA 451, MCL 324.43501 to 324.43561, shall not

 

do any of the following:

 

     (a) Seek to influence an applicant's political preference.

 

     (b) Display on his or her person any political preference or

 

allegiance to any political party or group.

 

     (c) Make any statement to an applicant or take any action the

 

purpose or effect of which is to discourage the applicant from

 

applying to register to vote.

 

     (d) Make any statement to an applicant or take any action the

 

purpose or effect of which is to lead the applicant to believe that

 

a decision to apply or not to apply to register to vote has any

 

bearing on the availability of services or benefits.

 

     (6) The department of natural resources and those persons

 

designated by the department of natural resources to issue and sell

 

a resident hunting, fishing, or fur harvester's license under part

 

435 of the natural resources and environmental protection act, 1994

 

PA 451, MCL 324.43501 to 324.43561, shall transmit the completed

 

applications for voter registration to the secretary of state at

 

the end of each business day. The secretary of state shall forward

 

the applications to the appropriate local clerk to determine

 

eligibility of the applicant and, if the applicant is found

 

eligible, to add the applicant's name to the qualified voter file.


 

     (7) The department of natural resources shall maintain

 

statistical records on the number of voter registrations and

 

declinations as requested by the secretary of state.

 

     (8) Information relating to an applicant declining to sign a

 

voter registration application shall not be used for any purpose

 

other than voter registration and is subject to the provisions of

 

section 509gg.

 

     Sec. 509u. (1) Not later than the thirtieth day after the

 

effective date of this section February 9, 1995, the governor shall

 

provide a list to the secretary of state designating the executive

 

departments, state agencies, or other offices that will perform

 

voter registration activities in this state.

 

     (2) Pursuant to the national voter registration act of 1993, a

 

recruitment office of the armed forces of the United States is a

 

designated voter registration agency under this act.

 

     (3) Pursuant to the requirements of section 499a, the

 

department of natural resources and those persons designated by the

 

department of natural resources to issue and sell a resident

 

hunting, fishing, or fur harvester's license under part 435 of the

 

natural resources and environmental protection act, 1994 PA 451,

 

MCL 324.43501 to 324.43561, may perform voter registration

 

activities in this state.