HOUSE BILL 785

49th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2009

INTRODUCED BY

William "Bill" R. Rehm

AN ACT

RELATING TO ELECTIONS; CLARIFYING THE DUTIES OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE MOTOR VEHICLE DIVISION OF THE TAXATION AND REVENUE DEPARTMENT AND THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR COMPLIANCE WITH THE FEDERAL HELP AMERICA VOTE ACT OF 2002.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     Section 1. A new section of the Motor Vehicle Code is enacted to read:

     "[NEW MATERIAL] DATABASE MATCHING.--The director shall enter into an agreement with the commissioner of social security for the purpose of verifying the accuracy of information provided on applicants for voter registration, in accordance with federal law."

     Section 2. Section 1-5-30 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1989, Chapter 298, Section 1, as amended) is amended to read:

     "1-5-30. SECRETARY OF STATE--ESTABLISHMENT OF STATEWIDE COMPUTERIZED VOTER REGISTRATION SYSTEM.--

          A. The secretary of state shall develop, implement, establish and supervise a statewide computerized voter registration system that complies with the federal Help America Vote Act of 2002, as amended, to facilitate voter registration and to provide a central database containing voter registration information for New Mexico.

          B. The secretary of state shall enter into an agreement with the director of the motor vehicle division of the taxation and revenue department to match information in the database of the statewide voter registration system with information in the database of the motor vehicle division to enable each official to verify the accuracy of the information provided on applications for voter registration.

          [B.] C. The statewide computerized voter registration system shall:

                (1) provide for the establishment and maintenance of a central database for all voter registration information;

                (2) permit the offices of all county clerks to add, modify and delete county information from the system to provide for accurate and up-to-date records;

                (3) permit the offices of the county clerks and the bureau of elections to have access to the central database for review and search capabilities;

                (4) provide security and protection for all information in the central database and monitor the central database to ensure the prevention of unauthorized entry;

                (5) provide procedures for entering data into the central database; and

                (6) provide a centralized system for each county to enter the precinct to which a voter should be assigned for voting purposes."

     Section 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.--The effective date of the provisions of this act is July 1, 2009.

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