HB 981 — An Act amending Title 25 (Elections) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in preliminary provisions relating to voter registration, further providing for standardized forms and for applications; and, in voter registration, further providing for preparation and distribution of applications and providing for government service facilitation.

PRINTER'S NO.     1071

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 981
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY GAYDOS, KENYATTA, KUZMA, ZIMMERMAN AND BERNSTINE,
        MARCH 20, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON COMMUNICATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY,
        MARCH 20, 2025


                                     AN ACT
 1   Amending Title 25 (Elections) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
 2      Statutes, in preliminary provisions relating to voter
 3      registration, further providing for standardized forms and
 4      for applications; and, in voter registration, further
 5      providing for preparation and distribution of applications
 6      and providing for government service facilitation.
 7      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 8   hereby enacts as follows:
 9      Section 1.    Sections 1105(a) and 1106(a) of Title 25 of the
10   Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are amended to read:
11   § 1105.   Standardized forms.
12      (a)    General rule.--Whenever possible, the secretary shall
13   prescribe by regulation standardized voter registration or
14   absentee ballot application forms which may be used, with prior
15   approval by the secretary, by political bodies, candidates and
16   organized bodies of citizens in compliance with both the
17   provisions of this part and the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333,
18   No.320), known as the Pennsylvania Election Code. The forms
19   shall include notice to applicants as required under section
 1   1327.1(d) (relating to government service facilitation).
 2      * * *
 3   § 1106.    Applications.
 4      [(a)     Registration application.--Voter registration
 5   applications printed under the act of June 30, 1995 (P.L.170,
 6   No.25), known as the Pennsylvania Voter Registration Act, may be
 7   used to apply for registration under this part.]
 8      * * *
 9      Section 2.       Section 1327(a)(4) of Title 25 is amended by
10   adding a subparagraph to read:
11   § 1327.    Preparation and distribution of applications.
12      (a)    Form.--
13             * * *
14             (4)    A voter registration application shall be printed on
15      stock of good quality and shall be of suitable uniform size.
16      Nothing in this part shall prohibit the design and use of an
17      electronic voter registration application which includes the
18      applicant's digitized or electronic signature. The
19      registration application shall contain the following
20      information; however, the information may be provided on a
21      separate form for voter registration made under section 1323
22      or 1325:
23                   * * *
24                   (xi)    Notice to applicants as required under section
25             1327.1(d) (relating to government service facilitation).
26             * * *
27      Section 3.       Title 25 is amended by adding a section to read:
28   § 1327.1.       Government service facilitation.
29      (a)    Duties of commission.--Notwithstanding any prohibition
30   found in any other law, regulation or rule, a commission which

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 1   processes a voter registration application shall provide
 2   information as follows:
 3            (1)   Within 30 days of receipt, the commission shall
 4      provide, in the manner prescribed by the secretary, the
 5      department with the applicant's full name, address of
 6      residence and, if different from the address of residence,
 7      mailing address. The requirements of this paragraph may be
 8      met, with the approval of the secretary, by current law and
 9      practices concerning transmission of information from a
10      commission to the department.
11            (2)   Within 30 days of receipt, the commission shall
12      provide, in the manner prescribed by the secretary, each
13      political subdivision which contains the applicant's address
14      of residence with the applicant's full name, address of
15      residence and, if different from the address of residence,
16      mailing address.
17      (b)   Duties of department.--Notwithstanding any prohibition
18   found in any other law, regulation or rule, upon receipt of
19   information from a commission under subsection (a), the
20   department shall provide the Department of Revenue, the
21   Department of Human Services and the Department of
22   Transportation with the applicant's full name, address of
23   residence and, if different from the address of residence,
24   mailing address. The method of providing information shall be
25   determined by the secretary in conjunction with the Department
26   of Revenue, the Department of Human Services and the Department
27   of Transportation, and may include email, facsimile or other
28   secure method which accomplishes the requirements of this
29   subsection without undue expense or delay.
30      (c)   Responsibility of recipient agencies.--Any State agency

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 1   or political subdivision which receives information regarding an
 2   applicant under subsection (a) or (b) shall determine if an
 3   applicant meets the residency requirements applicable to the
 4   services provided or duties imposed by that State agency or
 5   political subdivision and shall transmit to the applicant
 6   information concerning the rights and responsibilities of that
 7   applicant which fall within the scope of the authority provided
 8   to the State agency or political subdivision.
 9      (d)   Notice on voter registration application.--Each voter
10   registration application shall contain, in a manner prescribed
11   by the secretary, notice that the applicant's name, address and
12   mailing address will be provided to the Department of
13   Transportation, the Department of Human Services, the Department
14   of Revenue and relevant political subdivisions to ensure the
15   applicant's full access to the rights and responsibilities
16   attendant to residence.
17      (e)   Definitions.--As used in this section, the following
18   words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
19   subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
20      "Political subdivision."   The term shall have the same
21   meaning as the term is defined in 1 Pa.C.S. § 1991 (relating to
22   definitions).
23      Section 4.   This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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