Bill Summary for H 455 (2013-2014)

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Summary date: 

Mar 28 2013

Bill Information:

View NCGA Bill Details2013-2014 Session
House Bill 455 (Public) Filed Wednesday, March 27, 2013
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO IMPROVE VOTING IN NORTH CAROLINA.
Intro. by Pierce, L. Hall, Michaux, McManus.

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Bill summary

Amends GS 163-227.2(b), allowing one-stop voting to be conducted on election day but only at the office of the county board of elections (board); if the board does not offer it there, then at a site reasonably close to the county board of elections.

Amends GS 163-227(b) and (f), requiring the board of elections to, during each of the first primary and general elections in even-numbered years, conduct at least 20 hours of one-stop voting between Saturdays and Sundays, with not less than 6 nor more than 8 of those 20 hours on the final Saturday.

Amends GS 164-227.2(g), requiring incorporated municipalities with a population of 15,000 or more with a public or private college campus to have at least one additional site where absentee ballots can be cast for the general election in even-numbered years.

Amends GS 126-4 by adding a new subdivision that provides the State Personnel Commission (Commission) will establish policies and rules regarding allowing employees to take 24 hours per year of paid leave for election service. Directs the Commission on what to include in the policy.

Amends GS 163-46 (Compensation of precinct officials and assistants), providing that county board of elections will not compensate a precinct official for any hours worked for which the official takes paid leave, in line with a policy adopted pursuant to GS 126-4(5b).

Amends 126-4(5) (Powers and duties of State Personnel Commission), providing that the date of the general election will now be a legal public holiday and that the State Personnel Commission will establish rules and policies governing its administration.

Amends 115C-84.2(b), providing that the date of the general election will be a holiday for all public school personnel and students.

Appropriates from the General Fund to the State Board of Elections (Board) $390,871 for the 2013-14 fiscal year to meet federal Help America Vote Act requirements.

Prompts the Board to create an online system for registering to vote and reporting changes in address and affiliation. Access will be available at public libraries, community colleges, and employment security locations.

Amends GS 163-82.19(a), providing that when filling out certain forms at the DMV, the DMV attendant will ask if the person is a citizen of the United States. If the applicant states that he or she is a US citizen and of age to register to vote, the person taking the application must affirmatively inform the applicant of the opportunity provided on that form to register to vote or update registration.

Amends GS 163-82.20(b), providing that a duty of a voter registration agency is to affirmatively inform each applicant of the opportunity to register to vote if the applicant is eligible.

Amends GS 163-41 by creating a new subsection, GS 163-41(a1), which provides that all chief justices and judges must be certified as knowledgeable on election laws and procedures related to voting. Certification is available in a variety of ways.

Provides that the Board will publish in conjunction with the "Judicial Voter Guide" and the "Voter Guide" a voter guide in regional editions covering all state legislative races and statewide races not covered in the previous guides.

Amends GS 115C-81(g)(1), providing that local boards of education will require specific instruction on the process of voting and registering to vote during the "American History I" course in high school.

Amends GS 163-275 (Certain acts declared felonies), making it a Class I felony for any person to corruptly hinder, interfere with, or prevent another person from registering to vote or aiding another person in registering to vote in any election.  Any attempt to do the same will result in the same penalties.

Establishes a voter intimidation registry within the offices of the State Board of Elections and the Department of Justice, with the purpose of tracking the location of persons who are convicted of a violation of new GS 163-275(19).

Effective January 1, 2014.