HB 2074 — An Act amending Title 25 (Elections) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in voter registration, further providing for residence of electors; and, in uniform military and overseas voters, further providing for definitions.

PRINTER'S NO.    2657

                      THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                             HOUSE BILL
                             No. 2074
                                                    Session of
                                                      2025

     INTRODUCED BY BRENNAN, PIELLI, WAXMAN, SANCHEZ, PROBST AND
        CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, DECEMBER 1, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, DECEMBER 3, 2025


                                         AN ACT
 1   Amending Title 25 (Elections) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
 2      Statutes, in voter registration, further providing for
 3      residence of electors; and, in uniform military and overseas
 4      voters, further providing for definitions.
 5      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 6   hereby enacts as follows:
 7      Section 1.         Section 1302(a)(1) and (b) of Title 25 of the
 8   Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are amended to read:
 9   § 1302.    Residence of electors.
10      (a)    General rule.--
11             (1)   For the purpose of registration and voting, no
12      individual shall be deemed to have gained a residence by
13      reason of presence or lost a residence by reason of absence
14      in any of the following circumstances:
15                   (i)    Being employed in the service, either civil or
16             military, of this Commonwealth or of the United States.
17                   (ii)    Being engaged in the navigation of the waters
18             of this Commonwealth or of the United States or on the
19             high seas.
 1                (iii)    Being in an institution at public expense.
 2          This subparagraph does not apply to a veteran who resides
 3          in a home for disabled and indigent soldiers and sailors
 4          maintained by the Commonwealth. Such a veteran may elect
 5          to utilize that residence for registration and voting or
 6          elect to vote as an absentee elector by the use of an
 7          absentee ballot.
 8                (iv)    Being born outside of the United States and
 9          meeting the definition of "overseas voter" under section
10          3502 (relating to definitions).
11          * * *
12    (b)   Rules for determination.--The following apply:
13          (1)   That the place shall be considered the residence of
14    an individual in which habitation is fixed and to which,
15    whenever the individual is absent, the individual has the
16    intention of returning.
17          (2)   An individual shall not be considered to have lost
18    residence if the individual leaves home and goes into another
19    state or another election district for temporary purposes
20    only, with the intention of returning.
21          (3)   An individual shall not be considered to have gained
22    a residence in an election district if the individual comes
23    into that district for temporary purposes only, without the
24    intention of making that election district a permanent place
25    of abode.
26          (4)   If an individual removes to another state with the
27    intention of making that state the permanent residence, the
28    individual shall be considered to have lost residence in this
29    Commonwealth.
30          (5)   If an individual removes to another state with the

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 1    intention of remaining there an indefinite time and making
 2    that state the place of residence, the individual shall be
 3    considered to have lost residence in this Commonwealth,
 4    notwithstanding an intention to return at some indefinite
 5    future period.
 6        (6)   If an individual goes into another state and, while
 7    there, votes in an election held by that state, the
 8    individual shall be considered to have lost residence in this
 9    Commonwealth.
10        (7)   An individual employed in the service of the Federal
11    Government or of the Commonwealth and required thereby to be
12    absent from the municipality where the individual resided
13    when entering that employment and the spouse of the
14    individual may remain registered in the district where the
15    individual resided immediately prior to entering that
16    employment, and the individual and the spouse shall be
17    enrolled in the political party designated by the individual
18    or spouse without declaring a residence by street and number.
19              (i)    An individual who registers under this paragraph
20        for Commonwealth employment must produce a certificate
21        from the head of the State agency, under the seal of
22        office, setting forth that the individual or the
23        individual's spouse is actually employed in the service
24        of the Commonwealth and setting forth the nature of the
25        employment and the time when the employee first entered
26        the employment. The commission shall retain certificates
27        under this subparagraph.
28              (ii)   The commission shall note on the registration
29        record of each individual registered under this paragraph
30        the fact of Federal or State employment.

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 1                   (iii)   At least once every two years the commission
 2             shall verify the employment of the individuals registered
 3             under this paragraph at the proper Federal or State
 4             office. If an individual is found to be no longer a
 5             Federal or State employee, the individual's registration
 6             shall be canceled under Chapter 15 (relating to changes
 7             in records).
 8             (8)   If an individual was born outside of the United
 9      States and meets the definition of "overseas voter" under
10      section 3502, the place where the individual's parent or
11      guardian last domiciled immediately before leaving the United
12      States shall be considered the election district of the
13      individual.
14      Section 2.      The definition of "overseas voter" in section
15   3502 of Title 25 is amended to read:
16   § 3502.    Definitions.
17      The following words and phrases when used in this chapter
18   shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
19   context clearly indicates otherwise:
20      * * *
21      "Overseas voter."       A qualified elector who is outside the
22   United States. The term includes a citizen of the United States
23   residing abroad who:
24             (1)   was born outside of the United States;
25             (2)   is not registered to vote in another state;
26             (3)   has not previously voted in another state;
27             (4)   except for the residency requirement under section
28      1301 (relating to qualifications to register), otherwise
29      satisfies the voter eligibility requirements of this
30      Commonwealth; and

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1         (5)   has a parent or legal guardian who last domiciled in
2     this Commonwealth immediately before leaving the United
3     States.
4     * * *
5     Section 3.    This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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