California Senate Bill SB970 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: SB 970AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 1, 2010 AMENDED IN SENATE MAY 18, 2010 AMENDED IN SENATE MAY 6, 2010 AMENDED IN SENATE MARCH 11, 2010 INTRODUCED BY Senator Corbett FEBRUARY 5, 2010 An act to add and repeal Article 6 (commencing with Section 12290) to Chapter 3 of Division 12 of the Elections Code, relating to elections. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 970, as amended, Corbett. Preelection day voting. Existing law generally requires voters who wish to vote and who do not cast their ballots by mail to cast their ballot at the precinct polling place on election day. This bill would  require   permit  , until December 31, 2016, the Secretary of State, in conjunction with the county elections officials, to select 2 college campuses, one within the University of California and one within the California State University, to each serve as preelection day polling places for any precinct in the county's jurisdiction during at least one general election.  The bill would require voluntary consent from the local elections official within whose jurisdiction a   preelection day voting polling place would be located for preelection day voting to take place in that jurisdiction.  The bill would require that the preelection day polling places be open to receive votes on the 5 business days preceding election day. The bill would require each county elections official who has a preelection day polling place within his or her jurisdiction during an election to report to the Legislature and the Secretary of State regarding the use of the preelection day voting polling place within 6 months of the date of the election. The Secretary of State would then be required to report to the Legislature regarding an assessment of early voting on college campuses by examining the participation in the program and the costs to the state for implementing the program.  Because the bill would increase the duties of elections officials, it would impose a state-mandated local program.   The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.   This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions.  Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program:  yes   no  . THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (a) There is a correlation between preelection day voting and higher instances of voter turnout. (b) Preelection day voting on college campuses will allow college students more time to vote and thereby more effectively manage their busy class schedules. (c) Research findings show that the younger a voter becomes engaged in the political process, the more likely he or she will remain an active participant in our democratic system of government. SEC. 2. Article 6 (commencing with Section 12290) is added to Chapter 3 of Division 12 of the Elections Code, to read: Article 6. Preelection Day Voting Polling Places on College Campuses 12290. (a) For at least one general election from January 1, 2011, but prior to December 31, 2016, the Secretary of State, in conjunction with the county elections officials,  shall   may  establish preelection day voting polling places on two college campuses in the state, subject to the following conditions: (1) One of the college campuses shall be within the University of California. The campus selected must have at least 20,000 registered students at the time of selection. (2) One of the college campuses shall be within the California State University. The campus selected must have at least 13,000 registered students at the time of selection.  (3) Preelection day voting shall not take place absent the voluntary consent of the local elections official within whose jurisdiction a preelection day voting polling place would be located.  (b) Each college campus selected to be a preelection day voting polling place shall serve as the polling place for any precinct in the county's jurisdiction. 12291. A preelection day voting polling place established pursuant to Section 12290 shall be open during the five business days prior to the date of the election. For each day that the preelection day voting polling place is open to receive votes prior to the date of the election, the provisions of Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 14000), Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 14100), and Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 14200) of Division 14, except Section 14212, shall apply. 12292. A preelection day voting polling place may not be established for any election other than a general election as it applies to the pilot program in this article. 12293. (a) Each county elections official who has a preelection day voting polling place within his or her jurisdiction during an election shall report to the Legislature and the Secretary of State regarding the election within six months after the date of the election as it applies to the pilot program in this article. This report shall include, at a minimum, statistics regarding the cost of a preelection day voting polling place, the turnout of voters at the preelection day voting polling place, and any problems with preelection day voting polling place voting that has been made known to the elections official. (b) After receiving the reports from the county elections officials pursuant to subdivision (a) but not later than eight months after the date of the election, the Secretary of State shall report to the Legislature regarding an assessment of early voting on college campuses by examining the participation in the program as well as the costs to the state for implementing this article on these two campuses. 12294. This article shall remain in effect only until December 31, 2016, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted before December 31, 2016, deletes or extends that date.  SEC. 3.   If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.