HF 2039

as introduced - 90th Legislature (2017 - 2018) Posted on 03/02/2017 01:27pm

A bill for an act
relating to elections; requiring status changes and removals from the statewide
voter registration system to be included in public information lists; amending
Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 201.091, subdivision 4.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 201.091, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

Subd. 4.

Public information lists.

new text begin (a) new text end The county auditor shall make available for
inspection a public information list which must contain the name, address, year of birth,
and voting history of each registered voter in the county. new text begin The list must include registered
voters with an inactive status. For each registered voter, the list must include the history of
each change in status and the date that the change to that status was made. new text end The list must
include the party choice of any voter who voted in the most recent presidential nomination
primary. The telephone number must be included on the list if provided by the voter. The
public information list may also include information on voting districts.

new text begin (b) The county auditor must maintain a list, either as part of the public information list
or as a separate public information list, that includes each individual who was removed
from the statewide voter registration system and the reason for the removal. This list must
also include the name, address, year of birth, and voting history of each individual on the
list.
new text end

new text begin (c) new text end The county auditor may adopt reasonable rules governing access to the deleted text begin list deleted text end new text begin lists
required by this section new text end . No individual inspecting the public information list shall tamper
with or alter it in any manner. No individual who inspects the public information list or who
acquires a list of registered voters prepared from the public information list may use any
information contained in the list for purposes unrelated to elections, political activities, or
law enforcement.

new text begin (d) new text end The secretary of state may provide copies of the public information lists and other
information from the statewide registration system for uses related to elections, political
activities, or in response to a law enforcement inquiry from a public official concerning a
failure to comply with any criminal statute or any state or local tax statute.

new text begin (e) new text end Before inspecting the public information list or obtaining a list of voters or other
information from the list, the individual shall provide identification to the public official
having custody of the public information list and shall state in writing that any information
obtained from the list will not be used for purposes unrelated to elections, political activities,
or law enforcement. Requests to examine or obtain information from the public information
lists or the statewide registration system must be made and processed in the manner provided
in the rules of the secretary of state.

new text begin (f) new text end Upon receipt of a statement signed by the voter that withholding the voter's name
from the public information list is required for the safety of the voter or the voter's family,
the secretary of state and county auditor must withhold from the public information list the
name of a registered voter.