DIGEST The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)] HB 419 Original 2020 Regular Session Landry Abstract: Allows all eligible voters to vote by mail. Present law (R.S. 18:1303) allows absentee voting for voters who expect to be out of the state or parish on election day, who also meet specific requirements. Proposed law removes absentee requirements for absentee voting and allows all qualified voters to vote by mail. Present law (R.S. 18:1306(C)(1)) requires the secretary of state to deliver to the registrar in each parish absentee by mail ballots for up to 10% of the registered voters within the parish. Proposed law changes the percentage of vote by mail ballots to up to 15% of the registered voters within the parish. Present law (R.S. 18:1307(A)(2)) requires a voter to provide a reason for his request to vote absentee. Further, requires a voter to provide the dates of his absence if he expects to be temporarily outside of the state during the early voting period and on election day. Proposed law removes these requirements. Present law (R.S. 18:1307(D)) requires a hospitalized applicant to submit his application to vote absentee by mail to the registrar of voters no later than 4:30 p.m. on the day before the election. Proposed law retains present law. Present law (R.S. 18:1307(G)) allows an applicant's application to remain valid indefinitely if the applicant is a participant in the Special Program for Handicapped Voters, able to furnish proof of a physical disability, or has attained the age of sixty-five years or more. If the applicant's absentee by mail ballot is returned to the registrar as undeliverable, the registrar shall notify such applicant that his application will no longer be valid. Proposed law retains present law. Present law (R.S. 18:1307(H)) allows an applicant's application to remain valid indefinitely if the applicant is a participant in the Dept. of State Address Confidentiality Program. Proposed law retains present law. Present law (R.S. 18:1307(I)) requires the registrar of voters to notify the parish board of election supervisors, if he believes that the eligibility of a voter to vote absentee by mail pursuant to present law is based upon false or fraudulent information. Further provides, if the parish board of election supervisors finds that the voter's eligibility to vote absentee by mail was based upon false or fraudulent information, the board shall inform the appropriate district attorney and the registrar of voters who shall not allow the voter to vote absentee by mail pursuant to present law. Proposed law repeals present law. Present law (R.S. 18:1308(A)(2)(g)) provides that a mailed ballot shall be sent to a voter in an envelope containing a ballot envelope and a return envelope. Proposed law retains present law and specifies that a postage paid return envelope shall be provided to the voter. (Amends R.S. 18:1301, 1302(2) and (6), 1303(A), 1305, 1306(A)(1) and (4), (B)(1) and (2), (C), (D), (E)(1)(intro. para.) and (2)(a) 1307(A) and (D) through (H), 1307.1, 1307.2, and 1308(A)(1)(a), (c)(i), and (d)(i) and (2)(a) and (g), 1308.1(Section heading), 1308.2, 1309(F)(3) and (H), 1310(A), (B)(2) and (3), and (C)(1), 1311(A)(1) and (2), (B), (C), (D)(1), (2), (4)(a), and (5)(a) and (c), and (E), and 1319; Repeals R.S. 18:1303(B) through (L) and 1307(I))