Florida Senate - 2016                                     SB 744
       
       
        
       By Senator Bean
       
       
       
       
       
       4-00893-16                                             2016744__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to addresses of legal residence;
    3         amending s. 97.021, F.S.; defining the term “address
    4         of legal residence”; amending ss. 97.053 and 97.057,
    5         F.S.; requiring a voter registration application to
    6         include the applicant’s address of legal residence;
    7         conforming a provision; amending s. 98.015, F.S.;
    8         providing that a list of valid addresses maintained by
    9         a supervisor of elections include certain additional
   10         distinguishing information; providing an effective
   11         date.
   12          
   13  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   14  
   15         Section 1. Present subsections (3) through (44) of section
   16  97.021, Florida Statutes, are renumbered as subsections (4)
   17  through (45), respectively, and a new subsection (3) is added to
   18  that section, to read:
   19         97.021 Definitions.—For the purposes of this code, except
   20  where the context clearly indicates otherwise, the term:
   21         (3) “Address of legal residence” means the legal
   22  residential address of the elector and includes all information
   23  necessary to differentiate one residence from another,
   24  including, but not limited to, a distinguishing apartment,
   25  suite, lot, room, or dormitory room number or other identifier.
   26         Section 2. Paragraph (a) of subsection (5) of section
   27  97.053, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   28         97.053 Acceptance of voter registration applications.—
   29         (5)(a) A voter registration application is complete if it
   30  contains the following information necessary to establish the
   31  applicant’s eligibility pursuant to s. 97.041, including:
   32         1. The applicant’s name.
   33         2. The applicant’s address of legal residence address.
   34         3. The applicant’s date of birth.
   35         4. A mark in the checkbox affirming that the applicant is a
   36  citizen of the United States.
   37         5.a. The applicant’s current and valid Florida driver
   38  license number or the identification number from a Florida
   39  identification card issued under s. 322.051, or
   40         b. If the applicant has not been issued a current and valid
   41  Florida driver license or a Florida identification card, the
   42  last four digits of the applicant’s social security number.
   43  
   44  In case an applicant has not been issued a current and valid
   45  Florida driver license, Florida identification card, or social
   46  security number, the applicant shall affirm this fact in the
   47  manner prescribed in the uniform statewide voter registration
   48  application.
   49         6. A mark in the checkbox affirming that the applicant has
   50  not been convicted of a felony or that, if convicted, has had
   51  his or her civil rights restored.
   52         7. A mark in the checkbox affirming that the applicant has
   53  not been adjudicated mentally incapacitated with respect to
   54  voting or that, if so adjudicated, has had his or her right to
   55  vote restored.
   56         8. The original signature or a digital signature
   57  transmitted by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor
   58  Vehicles of the applicant swearing or affirming under the
   59  penalty for false swearing pursuant to s. 104.011 that the
   60  information contained in the registration application is true
   61  and subscribing to the oath required by s. 3, Art. VI of the
   62  State Constitution and s. 97.051.
   63         Section 3. Subsection (10) of section 97.057, Florida
   64  Statutes, is amended to read:
   65         97.057 Voter registration by the Department of Highway
   66  Safety and Motor Vehicles.—
   67         (10) The department shall provide the Department of Highway
   68  Safety and Motor Vehicles with an electronic database of street
   69  addresses valid for use as an address of the legal residence
   70  address as required in s. 97.053(5). The Department of Highway
   71  Safety and Motor Vehicles shall compare the address provided by
   72  the applicant against the database of valid street addresses. If
   73  the address provided by the applicant does not match a valid
   74  street address in the database, the applicant will be asked to
   75  verify the address provided. The Department of Highway Safety
   76  and Motor Vehicles may shall not reject any application for
   77  voter registration for which a valid match cannot be made.
   78         Section 4. Subsection (12) of section 98.015, Florida
   79  Statutes, is amended to read:
   80         98.015 Supervisor of elections; election, tenure of office,
   81  compensation, custody of registration-related documents, office
   82  hours, successor, seal; appointment of deputy supervisors;
   83  duties.—
   84         (12) Each supervisor shall maintain a list of valid
   85  residential street addresses for purposes of verifying the legal
   86  addresses of voters residing in the supervisor’s county. To the
   87  maximum extent practicable, the list must include information
   88  necessary to differentiate one residence from another,
   89  including, but not limited to, a distinguishing apartment,
   90  suite, lot, room, or dormitory room number or other identifier.
   91  The supervisor shall make all reasonable efforts to coordinate
   92  with county 911 service providers, property appraisers, the
   93  United States Postal Service, or other agencies as necessary to
   94  ensure the continued accuracy of such list. The supervisor shall
   95  provide the list of valid residential addresses to the statewide
   96  voter registration system in the manner and frequency specified
   97  by rule of the department. 
   98         Section 5. This act shall take effect July 1, 2016.