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2017 SESSION

17101227D
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 702
Offered January 11, 2017
Prefiled January 11, 2017
Directing the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study the current and future funding needs of modern elections administration in the Commonwealth. Report.
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Patrons-- Sickles, Bell, John J., Boysko, Cole, Hope, Kory, Krizek, Levine, Lindsey, Mullin, Plum, Simon, Torian and Watts; Senators: Ebbin, Howell and Surovell
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Referred to Committee on Rules
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WHEREAS, the complexity of today's voting technology requires that adequate funding be provided to better place the Department of Elections and the local elections officials in a position to ensure the continued efficiency, effectiveness, uniformity, and integrity of elections administration in the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, the costs of complying with state and federal mandates have risen, and fees from other state agencies for services have been raised significantly; and

WHEREAS, the responsibility for voter registration record integrity and accuracy is placed not only upon the Department of Elections, local electoral boards, and general registrars, but also upon the multiple other state agencies with statutory obligations to provide accurate and complete information to the Department of Elections; and

WHEREAS, the security of the personal information of the more than five million registered voters in the Commonwealth is of paramount importance; and

WHEREAS, Congress passed the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) in 2002, which created minimum standards for elections administration and authorized nearly $4 billion to the states for election improvements; and

WHEREAS, Virginia's federal HAVA grant funds account for approximately 60 percent of the operating budget of the Department of Elections and are expected to be depleted by the end of Fiscal Year 2018; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission be directed to study the current and future funding needs of modern elections administration in the Commonwealth.

In conducting its study, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) shall (i) evaluate and compare the potential fiscal impact at the state and local level of procuring a new voter registration system to replace the current voter registration system with the potential fiscal impact of modifying the current voter registration system so that it is capable of meeting the current and projected needs of the Department of Elections, elections administrators, voters, and other relevant parties; (ii) review the statutory requirements related to the coordination of voter record management between the Department of Elections and other state agencies, including the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Department of Social Services, and the Virginia State Police; and (iii) assess the current and projected costs of the security requirements for election and voter data.

Technical assistance shall be provided to the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission by all local electoral boards and general registrars and the Department of Elections. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to JLARC for this study, upon request.

The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission shall complete its meetings by November 30, 2017, and the chairman shall submit to the Division of Legislative Automated Systems an executive summary of its findings and recommendations no later than the first day of the 2018 Regular Session of the General Assembly. The executive summary shall state whether JLARC 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 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.