QUALIFED VOTER FILE ACCESS                                                            H.B. 4837 (H-2):

                                                                                                    SUMMARY OF BILL

                                                                                     REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE

House Bill 4837 (Substitute H-2 as reported without amendment)

Sponsor:  Representative Sarah L. Lightner

House Committee:  Elections and Ethics

Senate Committee:  Elections

CONTENT

The bill would amend the Michigan Election Law to do the following:

-- Allow only certain individuals to access the qualified voter file, including the Secretary of State (SOS) and each county, city, and township clerk. -

-- Delete certain references to "a designated voter registration agency" and "village".

The Law requires the SOS to maintain the computer system and programs necessary to operate the qualified voter file. The SOS must allow each county, city, or township access to the qualified voter file. The bill would allow only the following individuals to access the qualified voter file:

-- The SOS.

-- Each county, city, and township clerk.

-- Any election official who had been issued election credentials by the SOS to access the qualified voter file.

-- Any employee of the Department of Technology, Management, and Budget who performed system maintenance and security functions on the qualified voter file.

-- Any employee of a vendor that was contracted to perform system maintenance and security functions on the qualified voter file.

The bill specifies that nothing in the provision described above would affect an individual's ability to receive records under Section 509ff.

The Law prohibits the SOS, or a county, city, or township clerk from placing a name of an individual into the qualified voter file unless that individual signs a registration application as prescribed by the Law. The SOS or a designated voter registration agency may not allow an individual to indicate a different address than the address in either the SOS's or certain other files for placement in the qualified voter file. In addition, the Law prohibits a designated voter registration agency or a county, city, township, or village from adding to, deleting from, or changing information contained in the qualified voter file during the period beginning on the seventh day before an election and ending on the day of the election. The bill would delete from these provisions references to "a designated voter registration agency" and "village".

MCL 168.509o & 168.509r                                             Legislative Analyst:  Dana Adams

FISCAL IMPACT

The bill would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.

Date Completed:  9-30-21                                                   Fiscal Analyst:  Joe Carrasco

This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.