HB 215, titled the “Voter List Integrity Act,” revises Georgia election law governing voter registration list maintenance and the handling of voter data. The bill defines “multistate voter list maintenance organization” and “voter list maintenance,” then restricts the Secretary of State, other state agencies, and local election officials from joining or participating in certain multistate organizations that contact unregistered individuals to register them or share voter data for purposes beyond removing deceased, duplicate, or otherwise ineligible voters. It also requires termination of participation in any prohibited organization within 90 days of the effective date.
At the same time, the bill authorizes the Secretary of State to enter into voter list maintenance joint compacts with other states, and to share certain confidential information, including driver’s license and identification card information from the Department of Driver Services, for voter eligibility and list maintenance purposes. It also updates procedures for removing electors from the rolls when another state provides notice of cancellation, including when information comes from a nongovernmental entity, and directs the Secretary of State to use such information to conduct ongoing list maintenance.
Impact
The bill amends multiple provisions in Chapter 2 of Title 21 of the Georgia Code, especially Code Sections 21-2-2, 21-2-225, and 21-2-232. It narrows and clarifies what election officials may do with voter registration data, creates new statutory definitions, preserves certain confidentiality rules, and changes the circumstances under which voter records may be shared or removed from the rolls. It would also require state and local election officials to exit prohibited multistate list-maintenance organizations while preserving the ability to participate in state-controlled compacts focused on voter list maintenance.
Sentiment
The bill’s framing and title suggest a strong emphasis on election integrity and voter roll accuracy, and the text is structured to support that goal through tighter limits on some multistate data-sharing arrangements and expanded authority for state-controlled compacts. No committee transcript or recorded vote is provided, so there is no direct evidence of debate or formal support/opposition in the supplied materials. Based on the bill text alone, the measure appears designed to appeal to proponents of stricter voter list maintenance and more controlled interstate cooperation.
Contention
The main point of contention is likely the bill’s restriction on participation in certain multistate voter list maintenance organizations, especially those that contact unregistered individuals or share data beyond removing ineligible voters. Critics may view those limits as reducing cooperation that helps keep voter rolls current, while supporters may see them as preventing mission creep and protecting voter privacy. Another potential issue is the bill’s authorization for sharing confidential driver’s license and identification information, which raises privacy and data-governance concerns even as it is limited to voter eligibility and list maintenance purposes.
Reforms the organizational structure for the Department of Transportation and Development including its duties, powers, and responsibilities of officers and employees (EN INCREASE SD EX See Note)
A bill for an act providing for certain business entities acting under the jurisdiction of the secretary of state by providing for the removal of information from a filing based on a sworn affidavit and administrative dissolution based on the response to interrogatories.(See HF 2678.)