Chapter 321
2017 -- S 0770 SUBSTITUTE A
Enacted 09/27/2017

A N   A C T
RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- REGISTRATION OF VOTERS

Introduced By: Senators Goldin, Conley, Lynch Prata, Miller, and Goodwin
Date Introduced: April 12, 2017

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
     SECTION 1. Section 17-9.1-7 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-9.1 entitled
"Registration of Voters" is hereby amended to read as follows:
     17-9.1-7. Registration at the division of motor vehicles.
     (a) Every person applying at the division of motor vehicles for a driver's license or a
renewal of the license, or personal identification document issued by the division of motor
vehicles, and who is or may be by the next general election qualified to vote, shall be afforded the
opportunity to register registered to vote, or if previously registered, be afforded the opportunity
to change their address for voting purposes.
     (b) The application to register to vote must be offered simultaneously with the application
for the driver's license or renewal of it or personal identification document. Division of motor
vehicles employees must provide to applicants for driver's licenses, license renewal, or personal
identification documents the same level of assistance and instruction with respect to the
application to register to vote as is provided with respect to the application for driver's licenses,
renewal of the license, or personal identification documents; provided, that separate signatures
one signature shall may be required sufficient on the application for driver's license, renewal of
the license, or personal identification document and the application to register to vote. The
applicant may shall be afforded the opportunity to decline to register to vote by failing to sign the
voter registration form. If previously registered, the applicant shall be afforded the opportunity to
change their his or her address for voting purposes. In order to protect the privacy of those who
do not wish to register to vote for any reason, the failure of an applicant for a driver's license or
renewal of it or a personal identification document to sign the voter registration form register to
vote may not be used for any purposes other than to determine the person's voter registration
status.
     (c) (1) The voter registration application shall contain the registrant's name, residence
address, mailing address if different from residence address, date of birth, and registrant's
signature and date of affixation of signature, and may include any other information,
certifications, and declarations, including those made under the penalty of perjury, that may be
required by the state board in order to administer a single and unified system of voter registration
in accordance with applicable state and federal laws which that shall enable duly registered
voters to vote in all elections in their respective voting districts including, elections for federal
officers. The voter registration application must also include, in print identical to that used in the
attestation portion of the form, the following:
     (i) The penalties provided by law for submitting a false voter registration;
     (ii) A statement that, if the applicant declines to register to vote, his or her decision will
remain confidential and be used only for voter registration purposes; and
     (iii) A statement that, if the applicant does register to vote, information regarding the
office or branch of the division of motor vehicles to which the application was submitted will
remain confidential, to be used only for voter registration purposes.
     (2) It shall be the responsibility of the division of motor vehicles to print and to have
available at all times a sufficient number of voter registration forms in order to carry out the
provisions of this section.
     (d) The completed voter registration application shall be transmitted by the division of
motor vehicles to the central voter registration system mandated pursuant to § 17-6-1.2 not later
than the next business day after the date of acceptance by the division of motor vehicles.
Transmission shall be made by electronic means as prescribed by the secretary of state, and shall
be in an electronic form compatible with the voter registration system maintained by the secretary
of state. For each registration electronically transmitted, a hard copy will be provided to the
appropriate local board of canvassers.
     (e) Any person who has fully and correctly completed an application to register to vote at
the division of motor vehicles is presumed to be registered as of the date of the acceptance of the
registration by the division of motor vehicles, subject to verification of the registration by the
local board as provided in § 17-9.1-25.
     (f) Pursuant to §17-9.1-11, the division of motor vehicles shall not transmit the voter
registration of any applicant, who fails to certify that they are a citizen of the United States.
     (g) If a person who is ineligible to vote becomes registered to vote pursuant to this
section, that person's registration shall be presumed to be deemed officially authorized and not be
deemed attributable to or the fault of that person. Notwithstanding the foregoing, anyone who
knowingly and willfully provides false information pursuant to this section shall be subject to
prosecution under §17-9.1-12.
     (f)(h) The state board of elections shall have the authority to adopt regulations to
implement and administer the provisions of this section, including all registrations taken at the
division of motor vehicles.
     (i)(1) In accordance with Section 7 of the Federal National Voter Registration Act of
1993, other applicable state government agencies that the secretary verifies already collect
documents that would provide proof of eligibility, including age, citizenship, and residence
address, may follow the procedures for automatic voter registration enumerated for the division of
motor vehicles as described in subsections (b) through (d) of this section.
     (2) Any additional agencies that are designated for automatic registration must follow the
rules and protocols established in this section for the division of motor vehicles.
     (i)(j) Effective date. The provisions of this section shall take effect thirty (30) days after
the administrator of the division of motor vehicles certifies in writing to the general assembly that
the Rhode Island motor vehicle licensing system (RIMS) computer system is capable of meeting
the requirements set forth in this act. The administrator of the division of motor vehicles shall
consult with the secretary prior to making this determination about the computer system.
     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect thirty (30) days after the administrator of the
division of motor vehicles certifies in writing to the general assembly that the Rhode Island motor
vehicle licensing system (RIMS) computer system is capable of meeting the requirements set
forth in the act.
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LC001706/SUB A
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