Wisconsin 2023-2024 Regular Session

Wisconsin Assembly Bill AB499 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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3	3	2023 - 2024 LEGISLATURE
4	4	2023 ASSEMBLY BILL 499
5	5	October 18, 2023 - Introduced by Representatives SNODGRASS, SHELTON, KRUG, J.
6	6	ANDERSON, CONLEY, CONSIDINE, DRAKE, EMERSON, JOERS, MOORE OMOKUNDE,
7	7	PALMERI, SHANKLAND and OHNSTAD, cosponsored by Senators SMITH, LARSON,
8	8	ROYS, SPREITZER, TAYLOR, HESSELBEIN and AGARD. Referred to Committee on
9	9	Campaigns and Elections.
10	10	*AUTHORS SUBJECT TO CHANGE*
11	11	AN ACT to amend 6.28 (1) (b); and to create 6.28 (2m) of the statutes; relating
12	12	to: voter registration at high schools.
13	13	Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
14	14	Prior to 2011 Wisconsin Act 240, state law required that all public high schools
15	15	be used for voter registration for enrolled students and members of the high school
16	16	staff. Prior law also authorized voter registration to take place at a private high
17	17	school or a tribal school that operates high school grades if requested by the principal.
18	18	This bill reinstates those provisions.
19	19	Under the bill, the municipal clerk must notify the school board of each school
20	20	district in which the municipality is located that high schools will be used for voter
21	21	registration. The school board and the clerk then appoint at least one qualified voter
22	22	at each high school to be a special school registration deputy. The bill allows students
23	23	and staff to register at the school on any day that classes are regularly held. The
24	24	deputies promptly forward the registration forms to the clerk and the clerk adds
25	25	qualified voters to the registration list. The clerk may reject a registration form, but
26	26	the clerk must notify the registrant and inform the registrant of the reason for being
27	27	rejected. Under the bill, a form completed by an individual who will be 18 years of
28	28	age before the next election and who is otherwise qualified to vote must be filed in
29	29	such a way so that the individual is automatically registered to vote when the
30	30	individual is 18.
31	31	Finally, the bill allows a principal of a private high school or tribal school that
32	32	operates high school grades to request that the municipal clerk appoint a qualified
33	33	voter at the school to be a special school registration deputy. Under the bill, the clerk
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35	35	2 - 2 -2023 - 2024 Legislature LRB-3075/1
36	36	JK:cdc
37	37	ASSEMBLY BILL 499
38	38	must appoint a special school registration deputy if the clerk determines that the
39	39	private high school or tribal school has a substantial number of students residing in
40	40	the municipality.
41	41	For further information see the local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as
42	42	an appendix to this bill.
43	43	The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
44	44	enact as follows:
45	45	SECTION 1. 6.28 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
46	46	6.28 (1) (b) All applications for registration corrections and additions may be
47	47	made throughout the year at the office of the city board of election commissioners,
48	48	at the office of the municipal clerk, at the office of the county clerk, or at other
49	49	locations provided by the board of election commissioners or the common council in
50	50	cities over 500,000 population or by either or both the municipal clerk, or the common
51	51	council, village or town board in all other municipalities and may also be made
52	52	during the school year at any high school by qualified persons under sub. (2m) (a).
53	53	An elector who wishes to obtain a confidential listing under s. 6.47 (2) shall register
54	54	at the office of the municipal clerk of the municipality where the elector resides.
55	55	SECTION 2. 6.28 (2m) of the statutes is created to read:
56	56	6.28 (2m) AT HIGH SCHOOLS. (a) Public high schools shall be used for
57	57	registration for enrolled students and members of the high school staff.
58	58	(b) The municipal clerk of each municipality shall notify the school board of
59	59	each school district in which the municipality is located that high schools shall be
60	60	used for registration pursuant to par. (a). The school board and the municipal clerk
61	61	shall agree upon the appointment of at least one qualified elector at each high school
62	62	as a special school registration deputy. The municipal clerk shall appoint such
63	63	person as a school registration deputy and explain the person's duties and
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83	83	LRB-3075/1
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85	85	SECTION 2
86	86	ASSEMBLY BILL 499
87	87	responsibilities. Students and staff may register at the high school on any day that
88	88	classes are regularly held. The school registration deputies shall promptly forward
89	89	properly completed registration forms to the municipal clerk of the municipality in
90	90	which the registering student or staff member resides. The municipal clerk, upon
91	91	receiving such registration forms, shall add all those registering electors who have
92	92	met the registration requirements to the registration list. The municipal clerk may
93	93	reject any registration form and shall promptly notify the person whose registration
94	94	is rejected of the rejection and the reason therefor. A person whose registration is
95	95	rejected may reapply for registration if he or she is qualified. The form of each high
96	96	school student who is qualified and will be eligible to vote at the next election shall
97	97	be filed in such a way that when a student attains the age of 18 years the student is
98	98	registered to vote automatically. Each school board shall assure that the principal
99	99	of every high school communicates elector registration information to students.
100	100	(c) The principal of any private high school or of any tribal school, as defined
101	101	in s. 115.001 (15m), that operates high school grades that has a substantial number
102	102	of students residing in a municipality may request the municipal clerk to appoint a
103	103	special school registration deputy in accordance with par. (b). Students and staff
104	104	may register at the high school on any day that classes are regularly held. The clerk
105	105	shall appoint a special school registration deputy in the high school if the clerk
106	106	determines the school to have a substantial number of students residing in the
107	107	municipality.
108	108	(END)
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