CS for CS for SB 228 First Engrossed
2015228e1
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to online voter registration; creating
3 s. 97.0525, F.S.; requiring the Division of Elections
4 of the Department of State to develop an online voter
5 registration system; providing application and
6 security requirements; requiring the division to
7 conduct a comprehensive risk assessment of the online
8 voter registration system; requiring the system to
9 compare information submitted online with Department
10 of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles records;
11 providing for the disposition of voter registration
12 applications; requiring system compliance with federal
13 accessibility provisions; providing for construction;
14 requiring the division to report to the Legislature
15 regarding online voter registration implementation by
16 a specified date; providing an appropriation;
17 providing an effective date.
18
19 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
20
21 Section 1. Section 97.0525, Florida Statutes, is created to
22 read:
23 97.0525 Online voter registration.—
24 (1) Beginning October 1, 2017, an applicant may submit an
25 online voter registration application using the procedures set
26 forth in this section.
27 (2) The division shall establish a secure Internet website
28 that safeguards an applicant’s information to ensure data
29 integrity and permits an applicant to:
30 (a) Submit a voter registration application, including
31 first-time voter registration applications and updates to
32 current voter registration records.
33 (b) Submit information necessary to establish an
34 applicant’s eligibility to vote, pursuant to s. 97.041, which
35 includes the information required for the uniform statewide
36 voter registration application pursuant to s. 97.052(2).
37 (c) Swear to the oath required pursuant to s. 97.051.
38 (3)(a) The online voter registration system shall comply
39 with the information technology security provisions of s.
40 282.318 and shall use a unique identifier for each applicant to
41 prevent unauthorized persons from altering a voter’s
42 registration information.
43 (b) The division shall conduct a comprehensive risk
44 assessment of the online voter registration system before making
45 the system publicly available and every 2 years thereafter. The
46 comprehensive risk assessment must comply with the risk
47 assessment methodology developed by the Agency for State
48 Technology for identifying security risks, determining the
49 magnitude of such risks, and identifying areas that require
50 safeguards.
51 (4)(a) The online voter registration system shall compare
52 the Florida driver license number or Florida identification
53 number submitted pursuant to s. 97.052(2)(n) with information
54 maintained by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor
55 Vehicles to confirm that the name and date of birth on the
56 application are consistent with the records of the Department of
57 Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
58 (b) If the applicant’s name and date of birth are
59 consistent with the records of the Department of Highway Safety
60 and Motor Vehicles, the online voter registration system shall
61 transmit, using the statewide voter registration system
62 maintained pursuant to s. 98.035, the applicant’s registration
63 application, along with the digital signature of the applicant
64 on file with the Department of Highway Safety and Motor
65 Vehicles, to the supervisor of elections. The applicant’s
66 digital signature satisfies the signature requirement of s.
67 97.052(2)(q).
68 (c) If the applicant’s name and date of birth cannot be
69 verified by the records of the Department of Highway Safety and
70 Motor Vehicles, or if the applicant indicated that he or she has
71 not been issued a Florida driver license or Florida
72 identification card, the online voter registration system shall
73 populate the applicant’s information into a printable voter
74 registration application pursuant to s. 97.052(2) and direct the
75 applicant to print, sign, and date the application and deliver
76 the application to the supervisor of elections for disposition
77 pursuant to s. 97.073.
78 (5) Upon submission of a completed online voter
79 registration application, the website must generate an immediate
80 electronic confirmation that the supervisor of elections has
81 received the application and provide instructions regarding the
82 ability of a registrant to check the status of the application
83 thereafter.
84 (6) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the
85 supervisor of elections shall process the application pursuant
86 to s. 97.053.
87 (7) The online voter registration system must conform to
88 nationally accepted standards for accessibility for individuals
89 with disabilities, including s. 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of
90 1973, s. 255 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, and the Web
91 Content Accessibility Guidelines of the World Wide Web
92 Consortium, to ensure equal access for voters with disabilities.
93 (8) A legal distinction may not be made between online
94 voter registration under this section and voter registration in
95 person, by mail, or by other methods provided by general law.
96 Section 2. No later than January 1, 2016, the Division of
97 Elections shall submit a report to the President of the Senate
98 and the Speaker of the House of Representatives regarding the
99 implementation of online voter registration. In the report, the
100 division shall summarize progress to date in implementing online
101 voter registration and expected implementation timeframes, and
102 shall propose any further legislation needed to facilitate
103 online voter registration.
104 Section 3. For the 2015-2016 fiscal year, the sum of $1.8
105 million in nonrecurring funds from the Federal Grants Trust Fund
106 is appropriated to the Department of State to implement this
107 act.
108 Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2015.