SB2547 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB094 18844 JAM 54265 b

94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2005 and 2006
SB2547

Introduced 1/18/2006, by Sen. Miguel del Valle

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

10 ILCS 5/Art. 19B heading new
10 ILCS 5/19B-5 new
10 ILCS 5/19B-10 new
10 ILCS 5/19B-15 new
10 ILCS 5/19B-20 new
10 ILCS 5/19B-25 new
10 ILCS 5/19B-30 new

Amends the Election Code. Provides for the registration and voting of lawful permanent residents otherwise qualified to vote except for U.S. citizenship. Authorizes voting by lawful permanent residents only for school board candidates and for or against public questions of school districts.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning elections.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Election Code is amended by adding the heading of Article 19B and Sections 19B-5, 19B-10, 19B-15, 19B-20, 19B-25, and 19B-30 as follows:

(10 ILCS 5/Art. 19B heading new)

ARTICLE 19B. LAWFUL PERMANENT RESIDENTS

(10 ILCS 5/19B-5 new)

Sec. 19B-5. Definitions. As used in this Article:

"Lawful permanent resident" means a lawful permanent resident as defined by the federal Immigration and Nationality Act and recognized by the United States Attorney General.

"Public question" means a public question submitted to voters of a school district.

"State Board" means the State Board of Elections.

(10 ILCS 5/19B-10 new)

Sec. 19B-10. Registration of lawful permanent residents.

(a) A lawful permanent resident of a school district in Illinois who, except for his or her lack of United States citizenship, is qualified to register to vote under Article 4, 5, or 6 may register as a lawful permanent resident voter under subsection (b).

(b) Using forms and procedures prescribed by the State Board, an election authority shall accept the registration of a lawful permanent resident of the election jurisdiction who meets all requirements of this Code for registration except United States citizenship. Registration under this subsection shall be accepted during the same registration periods established under Articles 4, 5, and 6, but not including the grace registration periods established in Sections 4-50, 5-50, and 6-100. Registration under this subsection shall be accepted by the same persons authorized to accept registration under Article 4, 5, or 6. Registration under this subsection must be in person and, in addition to any other evidence of voter qualification, the applicant for registration must present:

(1) Documentation as a lawful permanent resident pursuant to the federal Immigration and Nationality Act, including immigrant visa number.

(2) A valid identification card containing a relatively current photograph of the applicant or one of the following, dated no more than 30 days before the date of application for registration, that states the applicant's name and residential address: (i) utility bill, (ii) bank statement, (iii) paycheck, or (iv) government check, or other government document.

(c) Registration record cards of lawful permanent residents shall be maintained separately from other voter registration record cards.

(10 ILCS 5/19B-15 new)

Sec. 19B-15. Separate ballots. For each primary or election at which any candidate for a school board office shall be nominated or elected or at which a public question shall be submitted to the voters of one or more school districts, each election authority shall prepare and print a separate ballot that contains only the names of those school board candidates and those public questions. The ballot shall be referred to as the lawful permanent resident's ballot and shall be prepared and printed at the same time as specified in this Code for other ballots for that primary or election. The lawful permanent resident's ballot shall be in a form prescribed by the State Board in compliance with the requirements of this Code for style and appearance of ballots, including accommodation of write-in candidates.

(10 ILCS 5/19B-20 new)

Sec. 19B-20. Voting.

(a) Each lawful permanent resident registered pursuant to Section 19B-10 may vote for the candidates and for or against the public questions on the appropriate lawful permanent resident's ballot for the school district in which he or she resides as provided in this Section.

(b) Each election authority shall conduct lawful permanent resident voting at the times and places and in the manner prescribed in Article 19 for absentee voting. Lawful permanent resident voting shall not be conducted as part of early voting under Article 19A. Lawful permanent residents may not vote in precincts on election day, and no person seeking to vote as a lawful permanent resident shall be given a provisional ballot under Article 18A.

(c) Lawful permanent resident's ballots cast under this Section shall be handled and counted separately from absentee ballots in accordance with procedures prescribed by the State Board. Lawful permanent resident's ballots shall be delivered to the election authority's central ballot counting location before the polls close on election day; no lawful permanent resident ballots shall be delivered to or counted at precinct polling places.

(10 ILCS 5/19B-25 new)

Sec. 19B-25. Outreach. In addition to any other requirements of public notice, each school district must implement a program developed in coordination with the State Board and the appropriate local election authority to inform lawful permanent residents of their rights to register and vote under this Article and the procedures for doing so.

(10 ILCS 5/19B-30 new)

Sec. 19B-30. Rules. The State Board shall adopt rules for the implementation of this Article.