1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to elections; providing for removal of 
  1.3             certain voters' names from public information voter 
  1.4             registration lists; amending Minnesota Statutes 1994, 
  1.5             section 201.091, subdivision 4, and by adding a 
  1.6             subdivision.  
  1.7   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.8      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 201.091, 
  1.9   subdivision 4, is amended to read: 
  1.10     Subd. 4.  [PUBLIC INFORMATION LISTS.] The county auditor 
  1.11  shall make available for inspection a public information list 
  1.12  which must contain the name, address, year of birth, and voting 
  1.13  history of each registered voter in the county who has not opted 
  1.14  to be off the list under subdivision 4a.  The telephone number 
  1.15  must be included on the list if provided by the voter.  The 
  1.16  public information list may also include information on voting 
  1.17  districts.  The county auditor may adopt reasonable rules 
  1.18  governing access to the list.  No individual inspecting the 
  1.19  public information list shall tamper with or alter it in any 
  1.20  manner.  No individual who inspects the public information list 
  1.21  or who acquires a list of registered voters prepared from the 
  1.22  public information list may use any information contained in the 
  1.23  list for purposes unrelated to elections, political activities, 
  1.24  or law enforcement.  The secretary of state may provide copies 
  1.25  of the public information lists and other information from the 
  1.26  statewide registration system for uses related to elections, 
  2.1   political activities, or in response to a law enforcement 
  2.2   inquiry from a public official concerning a failure to comply 
  2.3   with any criminal statute or any state or local tax statute. 
  2.4      Before inspecting the public information list or obtaining 
  2.5   a list of voters or other information from the list, the 
  2.6   individual shall provide identification to the public official 
  2.7   having custody of the public information list and shall state in 
  2.8   writing that any information obtained from the list will not be 
  2.9   used for purposes unrelated to elections, political activities, 
  2.10  or law enforcement.  Requests to examine or obtain information 
  2.11  from the public information lists or the statewide registration 
  2.12  system must be made and processed in the manner provided in the 
  2.13  rules of the secretary of state. 
  2.14     Upon receipt of a written request and a copy of the court 
  2.15  order, the secretary of state may withhold from the public 
  2.16  information list the name of any registered voter placed under 
  2.17  court-ordered protection. 
  2.18     Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 201.091, is 
  2.19  amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
  2.20     Subd. 4a.  [OPTIONAL REMOVAL OF NAMES FROM PUBLIC 
  2.21  INFORMATION LISTS.] A registered voter may have the voter's name 
  2.22  and other information about the voter removed from the public 
  2.23  information list by submitting a notarized written application 
  2.24  to the county auditor.  The secretary of state may adopt 
  2.25  reasonable rules governing the procedure for removal of 
  2.26  information under this subdivision.