HB1557: requiring the secretary of state to enter into a membership agreement with the Electronic Registration Information Center.

HB 1557-FN - AS INTRODUCED

2024 SESSION

24-2344

08/05

HOUSE BILL 1557-FN

AN ACT requiring the secretary of state to enter into a membership agreement with the Electronic Registration Information Center.

SPONSORS: Rep. Brennan, Merr. 9; Rep. Telerski, Hills. 11; Rep. Boehm, Hills. 14; Sen. Whitley, Dist 15

COMMITTEE: Election Law

ANALYSIS

This bill requires the secretary of state to enter into a membership agreement with the Electronic Registration Information Center.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

24-2344

08/05

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Four

AN ACT requiring the secretary of state to enter into a membership agreement with the Electronic Registration Information Center.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1 New Section; Electronic Registration Information Center. Amend RSA 654 by inserting after section 15 the following new section:

654:15-a Electronic Registration Information Center.

I. The secretary of state shall enter into a membership agreement with the Electronic Registration Information Center to share voter information or data from the statewide centralized voter registration database along with relevant voter information or data from the department of motor vehicles, other state agencies, the secretary of state and political subdivisions as necessary for the purpose of comparing duplicate voter information with other states or groups of states. Such agreement shall be effective no later than January 31, 2025, and the secretary of state shall ensure that New Hampshire remains in good standing with the Electronic Registration Information Center.

II. The secretary of state shall ensure that any information or data shared between agencies is protected by security processes and protocols and that any information or data that is of a confidential nature remains confidential.

III. The secretary of state shall, consistent with membership requirements, receive Electronic Registration Information Center reports for the purposes of comparing duplicate voter information and refer credible cases of duplicative voting records consistent with suspected illegal voting to the attorney general for appropriate investigation.

IV. The secretary of state shall, consistent with membership requirements, receive Electronic Registration Information Center reports for the purposes of improving the accuracy of voter registration data, for which data provides evidence of eligible or potentially eligible citizens who are not registered to vote and initiate contact of each eligible or potentially eligible citizen and supply information on how to register to vote.

V. Funding for the implementation of this section shall be provided by any federal funds made available to the state for the purposes of election related expenses, including but not limited to grants received pursuant to the Help America Vote Act of 2002.

2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

LBA

24-2344

12/8/23

HB 1557-FN- FISCAL NOTE

AS INTRODUCED

AN ACT requiring the secretary of state to enter into a membership agreement with the Electronic Registration Information Center.

FISCAL IMPACT: [ X ] State [ ] County [ ] Local [ ] None

Estimated State Impact - Increase / (Decrease)

FY 2024

FY 2025

FY 2026

FY 2027

Revenue

$0

$0

$0

$0

Revenue Fund(s)

None

Expenditures

$0

Indeterminable Increase Starting at $25,000

Indeterminable Increase Starting at $37,000

Indeterminable Increase Starting at $37,000

Funding Source(s)

General Fund

HAVA Fund and or Federal Funds

Appropriations

$0

$0

$0

$0

Funding Source(s)

None

• Does this bill provide sufficient funding to cover estimated expenditures? [X] Yes

• Does this bill authorize new positions to implement this bill? [X] No

METHODOLOGY:

This bill requires the Secretary of State to enter into a membership agreement with the Electronic Registration Information Center.

The Department of State indicates this bill mandates the Secretary of State to join Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC), with an initial fee of $25,000 and potential yearly costs ranging from $37,000 to $174,000. The fiscal impact regarding data security, staffing needs, and compliance is yet undetermined. Additionally, it mandates actions like receiving and processing reports on duplicate voter information and sending voter registration information, likely requiring an extra staff member. The specific financial implications, including staffing and mailing costs, remain uncertain. Moreover, ensuring compliance with federal funding rules, like the Help America Vote Act, might require additional general funds due to potential expenses resulting from this bill.

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

Department of State