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.