FIRST REGULAR SESSION
94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES DIXON (Sponsor), STEVENSON, CUNNINGHAM (145), KRATKY, MUNZLINGER, EMERY, SILVEY, SELF, YOUNG, STREAM, WETER, PAGE, RUESTMAN, NIEVES, ICET, JETTON, BEARDEN, DEMPSEY, SANDER, MARSH, SCHOELLER, VIEBROCK, DENISON, WELLS, WASSON AND SMITH (14) (Co-sponsors).
Read 1st time February 13, 2007 and copies ordered printed.
D. ADAM CRUMBLISS, Chief Clerk
AN ACT
To amend chapter 115, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to voter registration for hunting and fishing permit applicants.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Chapter 115, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto one new section, to be known as section 115.164, to read as follows:
115.164. 1. All applicants for any resident hunting or fishing permit at any local department of conservation office or any local permit vendor shall receive a voter registration application form as a simultaneous part of the application for such permits. Such applicants may complete the voter registration form at the time the resident hunting or fishing permit is applied for under this section, or may mail the completed voter registration form to the appropriate election authority. If a single application form is used, the voter registration application portion of any application described in this subsection shall not require any information that duplicates information required in the resident hunting or fishing permit portion of the form, except a second signature or other information required by law.
2. Any applicant for a resident hunting or fishing permit who applies by telephone shall be informed that such applicant may request that a voter registration application be mailed to the applicant. Such applicants may mail the completed voter registration form to the appropriate election authority.
3. Any applicant for a resident hunting or fishing permit who applies by the department of conservation's web site shall be provided with a link to the web site of the applicant's election authority if such election authority has established a web site that provides the opportunity to register online or to print out a registration form to complete and mail to the appropriate election authority.
4. After conferring with the secretary of state as the chief state election official responsible for overseeing of the voter registration process, the director of the department of conservation shall adopt rules within thirty days of August 28, 2007, pertaining to the format of the voter registration application used by the department. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010, RSMo, that is created under the authority delegated in this section shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536, RSMo, and, if applicable, section 536.028, RSMo. This section and chapter 536, RSMo, are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly under chapter 536, RSMo, to review, to delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2007, shall be invalid and void.
5. No information relating to the failure of an applicant for a resident hunting or fishing permit to sign a voter registration application shall be used for any purpose other than voter registration.
6. Any voter registration application received under this section shall be forwarded to the election authority located within that county or any city not within a county, or if there is more than one election authority within the county, then to the election authority located nearest to the location where the resident hunting or fishing permit application was received. The election authority receiving the application forms shall review the applications and forward any applications pertaining to a different election authority to that election authority. A completed voter registration application accepted in the resident hunting or fishing permit process shall be transmitted to the election authority described in this subsection not later than five business days after the form is completed by the applicant.
7. Any person registering to vote when applying for a resident hunting or fishing permit shall submit with the application form a copy of a birth certificate, a Native American tribal document, or other proof of United States citizenship, a valid Missouri driver's license, or other form of personal identification.
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