Bill Text: NH HB1457 | 2020 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requiring election officers and supervisors of the checklist to visit skilled nursing facilities and elderly and disabled residences within their jurisdiction for the purpose of assisting with voter registration and casting absentee ballots.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 4-1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-08-19 - Full Committee Work Session: 09/10/2020 02:00 pm Members of the public may attend using this link: https://www.zoom.us/j/99566391883 - Executive Session to Follow [HB1457 Detail]
Download: New_Hampshire-2020-HB1457-Introduced.html
HB 1457-FN-LOCAL - AS INTRODUCED
2020 SESSION
20-2431
11/05
HOUSE BILL 1457-FN-LOCAL
SPONSORS: Rep. Prudhomme-O'Brien, Rock. 6; Rep. Burt, Hills. 39; Rep. Hoelzel, Rock. 3; Rep. Lang, Belk. 4; Rep. Muscatel, Graf. 12; Rep. Klein-Knight, Hills. 11
COMMITTEE: Election Law
-----------------------------------------------------------------
ANALYSIS
This bill requires elections officers and supervisors of the checklist to visit skilled nursing facilities and elderly and disabled residences within their jurisdiction for the purpose of assisting with voter registration and casting absentee ballots.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
20-2431
11/05
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Section; General Voter Registration; Certain Facilities for Elderly and Disabled Persons. Amend RSA 654 by inserting after section 7-c the following new section:
654:7-d Voter Registration in Certain Facilities for Elderly and Disabled Persons.
I. Prior to the certification of the checklist pursuant to RSA 654:29, one town or city election officer and one supervisor of the checklist shall visit each residential facility or institution, whether public or private, subject to regulation, visitation, inspection, or supervision by any government agency and offering health or health related services, personal care assistance, or protective oversight for elderly or disabled persons within such election officer's town or ward for the purpose of assisting the residents of such facilities to register to vote. Any such visit shall be open to observation by one representative from each party.
II. Prior to conducting visits pursuant to paragraph I, a schedule of such visits shall be posted in 2 public places and online on the town or city Internet website, if such website exists. Notice shall also be posted in a common area of the facilities normally used to provide general information to residents of such facilities. Notice give pursuant to this paragraph shall be posted at least 30 days prior to the date of such visit.
III. The provisions of RSA 654:7-c relating to registration prior to election day shall apply to registrations made pursuant to this section.
2 Absentee Voting; Procedure by Applicant. Amend RSA 657:6 to read as follows:
657:6 Procedure by Applicant.
I. An application form for an absentee ballot shall be mailed or delivered to any person who applies therefor to the secretary of state or to any town or city clerk. It shall be filled out by the applicant and sent to the clerk of the town or city in which he or she desires to vote. Alternatively, a person may apply for an official absentee ballot by sending to said clerk a written statement containing the information required by RSA 657:4, I or by the federal official post card form.
II. A town or city clerk shall visit each residential facility or institution, whether public or private, subject to regulation, visitation, inspection, or supervision by any government agency and offering health or health related services, personal care assistance, or protective oversight for elderly or disabled persons in such clerks' town or ward for the purpose of assisting residents of such facilities with completing the application form for an absentee ballot. Such visit shall be conducted at the same time as the visit conducted to assist the residents with voter registration pursuant to RSA 654:7-d. Any such visit shall be open to observation by one member of each party.
3 New Paragraph; Absentee Voting; Sending Absentee Ballots. Amend RSA 657:15 by inserting after paragraph IV the following new paragraph:
V. The clerk and a supervisor of the checklist shall personally deliver the appropriate ballot and materials as described in RSA 657:7 through 657:8 to all persons who applied for such ballots at the visit conducted pursuant to RSA 654:7-d and RSA 657:6, II. Such delivery shall occur before 5:00 p.m. on the day before the election, provided that notice of the visit shall be made at least 3 business days before it occurs. At the time of the visit, the clerk and supervisor of the checklist shall assist any resident that requests help with completing the ballot materials pursuant to RSA 657:17. Ballots collected pursuant to this section shall be collected pursuant to RSA 657:18 and delivered to the moderator pursuant to RSA 657:23. Any such visit shall be open to observation by one member of each party.
4 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
20-2431
11/14/19
HB 1457-FN-LOCAL- FISCAL NOTE
AS INTRODUCED
FISCAL IMPACT: [ ] State [ ] County [ X ] Local [ ] None
|
| |||
| Estimated Increase / (Decrease) | |||
LOCAL: | FY 2020 | FY 2021 | FY 2022 | FY 2023 |
Appropriation | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Expenditures | $0 | Indeterminable Increase | Indeterminable Increase | Indeterminable Increase |
METHODOLOGY:
This bill requires one town or city election officer and one supervisor of the checklist to visit each residential facility or institution, whether public or private, subject to government regulation and offering health services or protective oversight for elderly and disabled persons within such clerks' town or ward for the purpose of assisting residents to register to vote. A town or city clerk shall visit such facilities to assist residents with completing voter absentee ballot forms during the same visit. A schedule of such visits shall be posted in 2 public places and the city or town's online website and in the common area of such facilities at least 30 days prior to the date of such visit. The clerk and supervisor of the checklist shall personally deliver absentee ballot materials to all residents who applied for such ballots the day before the election, provide notice of such visit 3 days prior to such visit, assist in the completion of such ballots if requested and collect and deliver such ballots to the moderator. The New Hampshire Municipal Association states the bill will require municipal expenditures for the cost of transportation to such facilities. It may require additional expenditures for municipal staff time. The number of such facilities within a town or ward, cost of fuel and staffing impacts is unknown, therefore the fiscal impact is indeterminable. There will be no impact on municipal revenues.
It is assumed this bill will not take effect until FY 2021.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
New Hampshire Municipal Association
