2021 -- H 5496 SUBSTITUTE A

========

LC000922/SUB A

========

     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2021

____________

A N   A C T

RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- CANVASSING THE LIST OF QUALIFIED ELECTORS --

HEALTH AND SAFETY -- VITAL RECORDS

     Introduced By: Representatives Roberts, and Chippendale

     Date Introduced: February 11, 2021

     Referred To: House State Government & Elections

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 17-10-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-10 entitled "Canvassing

the Lists of Qualified Electors" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     17-10-1. Maintenance of registration -- Inactive file.

     (a) The local board or its duly authorized agent shall maintain the files of registration cards

in a condition that will correctly represent the registration of qualified voters at all times. It shall

continually purge the cards of voters no longer qualified to vote in the city or town. It shall promptly

record all changes of address, changes of name, and transfers and cancellations of registration.

     (b) If a confirmation card has been mailed to a registered voter at an address outside of the

city or town of the voter's current registered address for voting purposes, or if the confirmation card

has been mailed to an address within the same city or town where the voter is registered, which

card was sent to confirm the voter's continuing residence within the city or town and not merely to

confirm information provided by or through the postal service concerning a change of address

within the city or town, and in both cases the voter has failed to respond to the confirmation card,

the voter shall be stricken from the voting list and the voter registration shall be canceled if the

voter has not voted or appeared to vote in an election during the period beginning on the date of

mailing of the confirmation card and ending on the date after the date of the second general election

that occurs after the date of mailing of the card. Provided, that the registration of any person shall

not be canceled during his or her service in the armed forces of the United States and during two

(2) years thereafter. A voter whose registration has been canceled shall not thereafter be eligible to

vote unless that voter shall again register in accordance with the provisions of this title and in

accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of this state. The local board shall notify the

secretary of state of any cancellation. The local board shall notify each voter whose registration has

been canceled by a notice addressed to the voter at the voter's last known address, and a

memorandum that the notice has been sent shall be maintained on file by the local board; provided,

that failure to give or receive the notice shall not affect the cancellation of the voter's registration.

The local board shall take affirmative action to purge the voter's name from its files of registration

cards.

     (c) Using the central voter registration system, upon receipt of the monthly bi-monthly list

of individuals who have died from the office of vital statistics as prescribed by § 23-3-5, the

secretary of state shall identify all voter registrations that may be reflected on the list and so notify

electronically, the local board of canvassers of each applicable city or town. The local board, upon

receipt of the list of deceased persons from the secretary of state, or upon receipt of an affidavit of

death on forms prescribed by the secretary of state, shall promptly purge its files of registration

cards by removing the cards of each deceased elector and canceling the voter registration

information of the deceased elector from the central voter registration system.

     (d) The local board shall maintain a separate list of all new registrations and all transfers

of registration which are received by the board within the thirty (30) day period prior to the close

of registration prior to each primary, regular, and special election. The list shall be maintained until

the time that the election is held.

     SECTION 2. Section 23-3-5 of the General Laws in Chapter 23-3 entitled "Vital Records"

is hereby amended to read as follows:

     23-3-5. Duties of state registrar of vital records.

     (a) The state registrar of vital records shall:

     (1) Administer and enforce this chapter and the rules and regulations issued under this

chapter, and issue instructions for the efficient administration of the statewide system of vital

records.

     (2) Direct and supervise the statewide system of vital records and the division of vital

records and be custodian of its records.

     (3) Direct, supervise, and control the activities of local registrars and the activities of town

and city clerks related to the operation of the vital records system.

     (4) Prescribe, with approval of the state director of health, and distribute any forms that are

required by this chapter and the rules and regulations issued under this chapter.

LC000922/SUB A - Page 2 of 4

     (5) Prepare and publish annual reports of vital records of this state and any other reports

that may be required by the state director of health.

     (6) Electronically transmit to the office of the secretary of state, on a monthly bi-monthly

basis, a list of any reported deaths of a person or persons eighteen (18) years of age or older, and

maintain a list of those deceased persons.

     (7) Provide a copy on alkaline paper or an electronic record of each certificate of birth,

death, and marriage to the city or town clerk before the tenth (10th) day of the month after the

certificate is received by the division of vital records as authorized by regulations.

     (8)(i) Flag birth certificates of missing children and perform all other acts and duties

required to be performed by him or her pursuant to chapter 28.8 of title 42.

     (ii) Upon receipt of information pursuant to § 42-28.8-3, provide the local registrars of the

several cities and towns with that information.

     (9) Direct, supervise, and control the transition from a paper-based system to an electronic

system.

     (b) The state registrar of vital records, with the approval of the director of health, may

appoint a deputy state registrar and may delegate any functions and duties vested in him or her to

employees of the division of vital records and to local registrars that he or she deems necessary or

expedient.

     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.

========

LC000922/SUB A

========

LC000922/SUB A - Page 3 of 4

EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- CANVASSING THE LIST OF QUALIFIED ELECTORS --

HEALTH AND SAFETY -- VITAL RECORDS

***

     This act would change from monthly to bi-monthly, the time in which the state registrar of

vital records would be required to provide the secretary of state with the list of reported deaths.

This act would also change from monthly to bi-monthly, the time in which the secretary of state

would be required to provide each local board of canvassers with the list of deceased persons to be

removed from the voter registration list.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

========

LC000922/SUB A

========

LC000922/SUB A - Page 4 of 4