HLS 23RS-857 ORIGINAL
2023 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 490
BY REPRESENTATIVE LYONS
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
VOTING/REGISTRATION: Provides for procedures and guidance regarding voter
registration activities
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 17:2121 and R.S. 18:18(A)(9), relative to voter registration
3 opportunities in high schools; to prohibit certain requirements; to provide relative to
4 authorized involvement in those opportunities; to provide for policies and guidance
5 relative thereto; to provide for the duties of the secretary of state relative thereto; to
6 require conformity with the Louisiana Election Code; and to provide for related
7 matters.
8Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
9 Section 1. R.S. 17:2121 is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
10 §2121. Voter registration; high schools
11 A. Each public school governing authority shall provide an opportunity for
12 each high school senior who is at least seventeen years old to register to vote by
13 using a school computer to fill out an electronic voter registration application or by
14 using the state mail voter registration application form. Parental consent shall not
15 be required for any high school senior who is a least seventeen years old to
16 participate in this opportunity to register to vote.
17 B.(1) No public school governing authority shall allow the involvement of
18 any candidate for elected public office or any political or partisan group or
19 organization in the registration process.
Page 1 of 3
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 23RS-857 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 490
1 (2) Each public school governing authority may allow any nonpartisan group
2 or organization to assist in providing the opportunity to register to vote to high
3 school seniors in the manner required by this Section.
4 C. Each public school governing authority shall adopt policies for the
5 implementation of this Section and shall review the policies, at minimum, every five
6 years for the purpose of considering any needed revisions or updates. A public
7 school governing authority shall ensure that any policy it adopts for the
8 implementation of this Section conforms with the Louisiana Election Code.
9 D. Each public school governing authority may follow guidance provided
10 by the secretary of state in implementing the provisions of this Section. The
11 secretary of state shall ensure that any guidance he provides conforms with the
12 Louisiana Election Code.
13 Section 2. R.S.18:18(A)(9) is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
14 §18. Secretary of state; powers and duties
15 A. The secretary of state shall administer the laws relating to custody of
16 voting machines and voter registration, and for this purpose he shall:
17 * * *
18 (9)(a) Provide for the voluntary registration of individuals or entities that
19 conduct voter registration drives in the state of Louisiana.
20 (b) Develop guidance for public school governing authorities providing
21 opportunities for high school seniors to register to vote as required by R.S. 17:2121.
22 In developing the guidance required by this Subparagraph, the secretary shall
23 conform with this Title and shall not state or imply that parental consent is required,
24 nor shall the secretary state or imply that any person or organization is prohibited
25 from involvement in assisting public school governing authorities in providing the
26 required opportunity to register to vote, unless the person or organization or type of
27 person or organization is expressly prohibited by law from involvement or from
28 being on or near a school campus.
29 * * *
Page 2 of 3
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 23RS-857 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 490
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 490 Original 2023 Regular Session Lyons
Abstract: Prohibits requiring parental consent for high school seniors of at least 17 years
of age to participate in the opportunity to register to vote offered at school, requires
related policies and guidance to conform with the La. Election Code, and provides
for those who may or may not assist in the opportunity.
Present law requires public school governing authorities to provide high school seniors who
are at least 17 the opportunity to register to vote by using a school computer to fill out an
electronic voter registration application or by using the state mail voter registration
application form. Proposed law specifies that parental consent shall not be required.
With respect to this required opportunity:
(1)Present law prohibits the involvement of any political or partisan group or
organization in the registration process. Proposed law further prohibits a candidate
for elected public office from involvement and authorizes a public school governing
authority to allow any nonpartisan group or organization to assist in providing the
opportunity to register to vote to high school seniors.
(2)Present law requires each public school governing authority to adopt policies
therefor and to review them at least every five years. Proposed law requires the
public school governing authority to ensure the policy conforms to the La. Election
Code.
(3)Present law authorizes each public school governing authority to follow the secretary
of state's guidance in implementation. Proposed law requires the secretary of state
to ensure that his guidance conforms to the La. Election Code.
Present law provides that the secretary of state shall administer the laws relating to custody
of voting machines and voter registration, and for this purpose he shall specifically perform
many functions and duties including providing for the voluntary registration of individuals
or entities that conduct voter registration drives.
Proposed law further requires the secretary of state to develop guidance for public school
governing authorities providing opportunities for high school seniors to register to vote as
required by present law (R.S. 17:2121). Specifies that in developing the guidance, the
secretary shall conform to the election code and shall not state or imply that parental consent
is required or that any person or organization is prohibited from assisting public school
governing authorities in providing the opportunity to register to vote, unless the person or
organization or type of person or organization is expressly prohibited by law from assisting
or from being on or near a school campus.
(Amends R.S. 17:2121 and R.S. 18:18(A)(9))
Page 3 of 3
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.