Current Status Introducing Body:Senate Bill Number:32 Primary Sponsor:Rose Type of Legislation:GB Subject:Voter registration, driver license renewal, application Residing Body:House Computer Document Number:32 Introduced Date:Jan 08, 1991 Date of Last Amendment:Mar 24, 1992 Last History Body:House Last History Date:Jun 03, 1992 Last History Type:Objection by Representative Scope of Legislation:Statewide All Sponsors:Rose Type of Legislation:General Bill
Bill Body Date Action Description CMN
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32 House Jun 03, 1992 Objection by Representative
32 House Jun 02, 1992 Objection withdrawn by
Representative
32 House Jun 02, 1992 Objection withdrawn by
Representative
32 House Jun 02, 1992 Objection by Representative
32 House Jun 02, 1992 Objection withdrawn by
Representative
32 House May 27, 1992 Debate adjourned until
Tuesday, June 2, 1992
32 House May 21, 1992 Objection withdrawn by
Representative
32 House May 19, 1992 Objection by Representative
32 House May 19, 1992 Objection withdrawn by
Representative
32 House May 14, 1992 Objection withdrawn by
Representative
32 House May 14, 1992 Objection withdrawn by
Representative
32 House May 14, 1992 Objection by Representative
32 House May 12, 1992 Objection withdrawn by
Representative
32 House May 12, 1992 Objection withdrawn by
Representative
32 House May 06, 1992 Objection by Representative
32 House Apr 15, 1992 Committee Report: Favorable 25
with amendment
32 House Mar 25, 1992 Introduced, read first time, 25
referred to Committee
32 Senate Mar 24, 1992 Amended, read third time,
sent to House
32 Senate Mar 05, 1992 Amended, read second time,
ordered to third reading with
notice of general amendments
32 Senate Mar 04, 1992 Committee Report: Favorable 11
with amendment
32 Senate Jan 08, 1991 Introduced and read first 11
time, referred to Committee
32 Senate Sep 10, 1990 Prefiled, referred to 11
Committee
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COMMITTEE REPORT
April 15, 1992
S. 32
S. Printed 4/15/92--H.
Read the first time March 25, 1992.
To whom was referred a Bill (H. 32), to amend Chapter 5 of Title 7, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding Section 7-5-159 so as to provide for voluntary voter registration, etc., respectfully
That they have duly and carefully considered the same, and recommend that the same do pass with amendment:
Amend the bill, as and if amended, in Section 7-5-157(A) of the 1976 Code, as contained in Section 1, by striking /January 1, 1993,/ which begins on line 26 of page 1 and inserting /January 1, 1994,/.
When amended, Section 7-5-157(A) of the 1976 Code shall read:
/(A) Commencing January 1, 1994, the Department of Highways and Public Transportation, through its local driver's license examination facilities, must provide each qualified elector who applies for the issuance, renewal, or correction of any type of driver's license or for an identification card pursuant to Section 57-3-910, an opportunity to complete an application to register to vote by use of a form to be supplied by the South Carolina Election Commission. This form must contain a place to provide the information required by Section 7-5-170./
Amend the bill further, as and if amended, by striking Section 2 in its entirety and inserting:
/SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 1993./
Amend title to conform.
DAVID H. WILKINS, for Committee.
1. Estimated Cost to State-First Year
$12,500-25,000
2. Estimated Cost to State-Annually
Thereafter $12,500
S. 32 amends Chapter 5, Title 7 Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding Section 7-5-159 to provide for voluntary voter registration when a person applies for or renews his driver's license or identification card and to provide for the return of the forms to the County Board of Registration.
Section 7-5-159 states that effective January 1, 1993, the Department of Highways and Public Transportation will provide for each qualified elector who applies for the issuance, renewal or correction of any type of driver's license or for an identification card an opportunity to complete an application to register to vote. The South Carolina Election Commission will provide the necessary forms to the Department of Highways and Public Transportation for this purpose.
The cost to the State Election Commission for printing and disbursing the forms to the 68 local driver's licenses examination facilities is estimated between $12,500 to $25,000 depending upon the amount of forms initially printed. (Printing cost is based on 1,000,000 forms.) There were approximately 625,000 driver's licenses/renewals issued by the Department of Highway and Public Transportation during the past year.
Based on the past year's issuance of 625,000 driver's licenses/renewals, the State Highway Department's administrative cost of administering the provisions of this law is estimated to cost $729,000 of other funds. This cost would be increased by the number of people making corrections to licenses or identification cards. The activities of the State Highways Department are funded by the State Highway Fund.
There could be a portion of the population who will continue to register at the local voter registration office; therefore, the exact cost to the State Election Commission and the State Highway Department cannot be determined.
Prepared By: Approved By:
Cheryl Morris George N. Dorn, Jr.
State Budget Analyst State Budget Division
TO AMEND CHAPTER 5 OF TITLE 7, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 7-5-159 SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR VOLUNTARY VOTER REGISTRATION WHEN A PERSON APPLIES FOR OR RENEWS HIS DRIVER'S LICENSE OR IDENTIFICATION CARD, AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE RETURN OF THE FORMS TO THE COUNTY BOARD OF REGISTRATION.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Chapter 5, Title 7 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 7-5-157. (A) Commencing January 1, 1993, the Department of Highways and Public Transportation, through its local driver's license examination facilities, must provide each qualified elector who applies for the issuance, renewal, or correction of any type of driver's license or for an identification card pursuant to Section 57-3-910, an opportunity to complete an application to register to vote by use of a form to be supplied by the South Carolina Election Commission. This form must contain a place to provide the information required by Section 7-5-170.
(B) If the applicant wishes to complete an application for registration, he must answer the questions required on the form required by subsection (A) and must complete and sign an oath attesting as follows: `I, ______________________, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I am a citizen of the United States and that on the date of the next ensuing election, I will have attained the age of eighteen years and am a resident of the State of South Carolina, this county, and my precinct. I further swear (or affirm) that the present address I listed herein is my sole legal place of residence and that I claim no other place as my legal residence.' If requested to do so, an employee of the department must witness the signing by an applicant of the form required by subsection (A), and sign the form indicating witnessing of the applicant's signature. No registration form is valid unless it is witnessed. Completed application forms must be forwarded by the department on a weekly basis to the county registration board of the county in which the driver's license examination facility is located, except that during the last week allowed for registration prior to any election, such applications must be forwarded daily to the county registration board of the county in which the driver's license examination facility is located. Upon receipt of these forms from the department, a county registration board must promptly forward the application form of any applicant not residing in the county serviced by that board to the county registration board of the county in which the applicant resides.
(C) In the alternative to the procedure described in subsection (B), the applicant may complete the application for registration and complete and sign the oath described in subsection (B), obtain the signature of any registered elector of his respective county showing that he witnessed the applicant's signature, and mail the completed application to the county registration board of the county in which the applicant resides. All completed applications must comply with the requirements of Section 7-5-155(1).
(D) Upon receipt of an application, the county registration board in the county in which the applicant resides must determine if the applicant is qualified and the application is complete. If the county registration board determines that the applicant is qualified and the application is complete, the applicant is deemed registered as of the date determined in Section 7-5-155(a)(1). If the county registration board determines that the applicant is not qualified or that the application is not complete, the board must notify the applicant and request any additional information, if appropriate.
(E) Any registered elector who continues to reside in the county of his voter registration and who informs a driver's license examination facility of a change of name or address must have notice of his change of name or address forwarded by the driver's license examination facility to the registration board of the county in which the driver's license facility is located. If the elector lives in a different county from such facility, the registration board must forward the change and a copy of the elector's original application to the registration board of the county in which the elector resides. The registration board of the county in which the elector resides must change the voter's registration to reflect the change of name and address.
(F) The Department of Highways and Public Transportation and the State Election Commission are authorized to promulgate regulations necessary to implement the requirements of this section."
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.