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2017 SESSION

17102209D
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 579
Offered January 11, 2017
Prefiled January 3, 2017
Establishing a joint committee of the House Committee on Privileges and Elections and the Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections to study the implementation of the National Voter Registration Act in Virginia. Report.
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Patron-- Marshall, R.G.
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Referred to Committee on Rules
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WHEREAS, the National Voter Registration Act was enacted by Congress in 1993; and

WHEREAS, the National Voter Registration Act provides for the simultaneous application for voter registration and application for a motor vehicle driver's license at state motor vehicle agencies and requires states designate various state agency offices as voter registration agencies; and

WHEREAS, in 1996, Virginia enacted various laws to effectuate the goals and purposes of the National Voter Registration Act; and

WHEREAS, it has been more than 20 years since the implementation of the National Voter Registration Act in the Commonwealth; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That a joint committee of the House Committee on Privileges and Elections and the Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections be established to study the implementation of the National Voter Registration Act in Virginia. The joint committee shall have a total membership of eight members, consisting of five members of the House Committee on Privileges and Elections to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates upon the recommendation of the Chairman of the House Committee on Privileges and Elections and three members of the Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules upon the recommendation of the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections. The joint committee shall elect a chairman and vice-chairman from among its membership.

In conducting its study, the joint committee shall review the requirements of the National Voter Registration Act (the NVRA) and the procedures and processes implemented in Virginia to carry out the purposes of the NVRA. The study shall evaluate the extent to which the procedures implemented comply with the requirements of the NVRA.

Administrative staff support shall be provided by the Office of the Clerk of the House of Delegates. Legal, research, policy analysis, and other services as requested by the joint committee shall be provided by the Division of Legislative Services. Technical assistance shall be provided by the Department of Elections. All agencies of the Commonwealth, including the Department of Motor Vehicles and those state agencies designated as a voter registration agency in compliance with the NVRA, shall provide assistance to the joint committee for this study, upon request.

The joint committee shall be limited to four meetings for the 2017 interim. Approval for unbudgeted nonmember-related expenses shall require the written authorization of the chairman of the joint committee and the respective Clerk. If a companion joint resolution of the other chamber is agreed to, written authorization of both Clerks shall be required.

No recommendation of the joint committee shall be adopted if a majority of the House members or a majority of the Senate members of the joint committee (i) vote against the recommendation and (ii) vote for the recommendation to fail notwithstanding the majority vote of the joint committee.

The joint committee shall complete its meetings by November 30, 2017, and the chairman shall submit an executive summary of its findings and recommendations no later than the first day of the 2018 Regular Session of the General Assembly to the Division of Legislative Automated Systems. The executive summary shall state whether the joint committee intends to submit to the General Assembly and the Governor a report of its findings and recommendations for publication as a House or Senate document. The executive summary and the report shall be submitted as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website.

Implementation of this resolution is subject to subsequent approval and certification by the Joint Rules Committee. The Committee may approve or disapprove expenditures for this study, extend or delay the period for the conduct of the study, or authorize additional meetings during the 2017 interim.