Session of 2023
HOUSE BILL No. 2043
By Committee on Federal and State Affairs
1-17
AN ACT concerning elections; relating to voter registration; requiring that
discharged inmates be offered the opportunity to register to vote; the
secretary of state to develop a voter registration program that offers
voter registration services through certain state agencies and at each
accredited high school; amending K.S.A. 25-2416 and K.S.A. 2022
Supp. 22-3722 and repealing the existing sections.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:
New Section 1. (a) The secretary of state shall develop a voter
registration program to offer voter registration services through the
following state agencies:
(1) The Kansas department for children and families;
(2) the Kansas department for aging and disability services; and
(3) the department of labor.
(b) At the time of making an application for assistance or benefits
with the Kansas department for children and families, the Kansas
department for aging and disability services or the department of labor, the
applicant shall be offered the opportunity to register to vote.
(c) If proof of citizenship was not required for the assistance or
benefits applied for, the applicant shall be informed that proof of
citizenship will be necessary to complete the process of registration to
vote.
(d) Voter registration applications shall be submitted to the secretary
of state and the county election officers as provided by rules and
regulations adopted by the secretary of state.
New Sec. 2. (a) The secretary of state, in cooperation with the state
board of education, shall develop a voter registration program to offer
voter registration services at each accredited high school. Students who are
17 years of age or older shall be offered the opportunity to register to vote.
(b) Voter registration applications shall be submitted to the secretary
of state and the county election officers as provided by rules and
regulations adopted by the secretary of state.
Sec. 3. K.S.A. 2022 Supp. 22-3722 is hereby amended to read as
follows: 22-3722. (a) (1) The period served on parole or conditional
release shall be deemed service of the term of confinement, and, subject to
the provisions contained in K.S.A. 75-5217, and amendments thereto,
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36 HB 2043 2
relating to an inmate who is a fugitive from or has fled from justice, the
total time served may not exceed the maximum term or sentence.
(2) The period served on postrelease supervision shall vest in and be
subject to the provisions contained in K.S.A. 75-5217, and amendments
thereto, relating to an inmate who is a fugitive from or has fled from
justice.
(3) The total time served shall not exceed the postrelease supervision
period established at sentencing.
(b) When an inmate on parole or conditional release has performed
the obligations of the release for such time as shall satisfy the prisoner
review board that final release is not incompatible with the best interest of
society and the welfare of the individual, the board may make a final order
of discharge and issue a certificate of discharge to the inmate but no such
order of discharge shall be made in any case within a period of less than
one year after the date of release except where the sentence expires earlier
thereto.
(c) (1) When an inmate has reached the end of the postrelease
supervision period, the board shall issue a certificate of discharge to the
releasee.
(2) Such discharge, and the discharge of an inmate who has served
the inmate's term of imprisonment, shall have the effect of restoring all
civil rights lost by operation of law upon commitment, and the
certification of discharge shall so state.
(3) Nothing herein contained in this section shall be held to impair the
power of the governor to grant a pardon or commutation of sentence in any
case.
(d) At the time of discharge, the inmate shall be offered the
opportunity to register to vote. If proof of citizenship of the inmate is not
available, the inmate shall be informed that proof of citizenship shall be
required to complete the voter registration application.
Sec. 4. K.S.A. 25-2416 is hereby amended to read as follows: 25-
2416. (a) Voting without being qualified is knowingly voting or attempting
to vote without being qualified:
(1) In any election district when not a lawfully registered voter in
such election district; or
(2) at any election by a person who is not a citizen of the United
States or who does not otherwise meet the qualifications of an elector.
(b) Voting without being qualified or attempting to vote without being
qualified is a severity level 7, nonperson felony.
(c) This section shall not apply to any person who is ineligible to
vote, but who registers to vote under section 1, and amendments thereto,
without willfully making any misrepresentations as to such person's
eligibility to vote.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43 HB 2043 3
(d) The provisions of K.S.A. 2022 Supp. 21-5301(c), and
amendments thereto, shall not apply to a violation of attempting to vote
without being qualified pursuant to this section.
Sec. 5. K.S.A. 25-2416 and K.S.A. 2022 Supp. 22-3722 are hereby
repealed.
Sec. 6. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its
publication in the statute book.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7