Florida Senate - 2015 CS for SB 1360
By the Committee on Ethics and Elections; and Senator Lee
582-04200-15 20151360c1
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to election reform; amending s.
3 97.021, F.S.; defining the term “address of legal
4 residence”; amending s. 97.053, F.S.; requiring a
5 voter registration application to include certain
6 additional distinguishing information; specifying that
7 an applicant’s failure to include additional
8 distinguishing information on a voter registration
9 application does not affect his or her qualifications
10 to register or vote; amending s. 98.015, F.S.;
11 providing that a list of valid addresses maintained by
12 a supervisor of elections include certain additional
13 distinguishing information; providing an effective
14 date.
15
16 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
17
18 Section 1. Subsections (3) through (44) of section 97.021,
19 Florida Statutes, are renumbered as subsections (4) through
20 (45), respectively, and a new subsection (3) is added to that
21 section, to read:
22 97.021 Definitions.—For the purposes of this code, except
23 where the context clearly indicates otherwise, the term:
24 (3) “Address of legal residence” means the legal
25 residential address of the elector and includes all information
26 necessary to differentiate one residence from another,
27 including, but not limited to, a distinguishing apartment,
28 suite, lot, room, or dormitory room number or other identifier.
29 Section 2. Paragraph (a) of subsection (5) of section
30 97.053, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
31 97.053 Acceptance of voter registration applications.—
32 (5)(a) A voter registration application is complete if it
33 contains the following information necessary to establish the
34 applicant’s eligibility pursuant to s. 97.041, including:
35 1. The applicant’s name.
36 2. The applicant’s address of legal residence, including a
37 distinguishing apartment, suite, lot, room, or dormitory room
38 number or other identifier, if appropriate address. Failure to
39 include a distinguishing apartment, suite, lot, room, or
40 dormitory room or other identifier on a voter registration
41 application does not impact a voter’s eligibility to register to
42 vote or cast a ballot, and such an omission may not serve as the
43 basis for a challenge to a voter’s eligibility or reason to not
44 count a ballot.
45 3. The applicant’s date of birth.
46 4. A mark in the checkbox affirming that the applicant is a
47 citizen of the United States.
48 5.a. The applicant’s current and valid Florida driver
49 license number or the identification number from a Florida
50 identification card issued under s. 322.051, or
51 b. If the applicant has not been issued a current and valid
52 Florida driver license or a Florida identification card, the
53 last four digits of the applicant’s social security number.
54
55 In case an applicant has not been issued a current and valid
56 Florida driver license, Florida identification card, or social
57 security number, the applicant shall affirm this fact in the
58 manner prescribed in the uniform statewide voter registration
59 application.
60 6. A mark in the checkbox affirming that the applicant has
61 not been convicted of a felony or that, if convicted, has had
62 his or her civil rights restored.
63 7. A mark in the checkbox affirming that the applicant has
64 not been adjudicated mentally incapacitated with respect to
65 voting or that, if so adjudicated, has had his or her right to
66 vote restored.
67 8. The original signature or a digital signature
68 transmitted by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor
69 Vehicles of the applicant swearing or affirming under the
70 penalty for false swearing pursuant to s. 104.011 that the
71 information contained in the registration application is true
72 and subscribing to the oath required by s. 3, Art. VI of the
73 State Constitution and s. 97.051.
74 Section 3. Subsection (12) of section 98.015, Florida
75 Statutes, is amended to read:
76 98.015 Supervisor of elections; election, tenure of office,
77 compensation, custody of registration-related documents, office
78 hours, successor, seal; appointment of deputy supervisors;
79 duties.—
80 (12) Each supervisor shall maintain a list of valid
81 residential street addresses for purposes of verifying the legal
82 addresses of voters residing in the supervisor’s county. To the
83 maximum extent practicable, the list shall include information
84 necessary to differentiate one residence from another,
85 including, but not limited to, a distinguishing apartment,
86 suite, lot, room, or dormitory room number or other identifier.
87 The supervisor shall make all reasonable efforts to coordinate
88 with county 911 service providers, property appraisers, the
89 United States Postal Service, or other agencies as necessary to
90 ensure the continued accuracy of such list. The supervisor shall
91 provide the list of valid residential addresses to the statewide
92 voter registration system in the manner and frequency specified
93 by rule of the department.
94 Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2015.