SF 3871

as introduced - 93rd Legislature (2023 - 2024) Posted on 02/19/2024 10:39pm

A bill for an act
relating to elections; amending voter registration application and reporting
requirements for school districts; amending Minnesota Statutes 2023 Supplement,
section 201.1611, subdivision 1.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2023 Supplement, section 201.1611, subdivision 1, is
amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Forms.

(a) All postsecondary institutions that enroll students accepting
state or federal financial aid must provide voter registration forms to each student during
the fall and spring of each year. In state election years, it must be provided 15 days in
advance of the deadline for registering to vote for the state general election. If the voter
registration forms are provided electronically, the electronic message must be devoted
exclusively to voter registration.

(b) All school districts must make available voter registration applications each May
and September to all students registered as students of the school district who deleted text begin will be deleted text end new text begin are new text end
eligible new text begin to register new text end to vote deleted text begin at the next election after those months deleted text end . new text begin In state election years,
voter registration applications must be provided 15 days in advance of the deadline for
registering to vote for the state general election. If the voter registration forms are provided
electronically, the electronic message must be devoted exclusively to voter registration. new text end A
school district has no obligation to provide voter registration applications to students who
participate in a postsecondary education option program or who otherwise maintain residence
in the district but do not attend a school operated by the district. A school district fulfills its
obligation to a student under this section if it provides a voter registration application to the
student one time.

(c) The voter registration forms must contain spaces for the information required in
section 201.071, subdivision 1, and applicable rules of the secretary of state. The institutions
and school districts may request these forms from the secretary of state. Institutions must
consult with their campus student government in determining the most effective means of
distributing the forms and in seeking to facilitate election day registration of students under
section 201.061, subdivision 3. School districts must advise students that completion of the
voter registration application is not a school district requirement.

(d) The institutions new text begin and school districts new text end must report to the secretary of state by November
30 of each year on their implementation of this section deleted text begin . deleted text end new text begin , including new text end at a minimum, deleted text begin the report
must include deleted text end how and when the forms were distributed deleted text begin and deleted text end new text begin . Institutions must also include new text end
the voter engagement plan under subdivision 3, paragraph (b), clause (2). Institutions new text begin and
school districts new text end may include information about methods that were effective in increasing
student registrations.

(e) By February 1 of each year, the secretary of state must report to the chairs and ranking
minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over elections on the
information under paragraph (d). The secretary must highlight best practices and innovative
methods that were most effective in registering students to vote.