HOUSE 3rd Reading Unamended February 22, 2011 HOUSE Amended 2nd Reading February 21, 2011First Regular Session Sixty-eighth General Assembly STATE OF COLORADO REENGROSSED This Version Includes All Amendments Adopted in the House of Introduction LLS NO. 11-0193.01 Bob Lackner HOUSE BILL 11-1003 HOUSE SPONSORSHIP Summers and Szabo, SENATE SPONSORSHIP Harvey and Lundberg, House Committees Senate Committees State, Veterans, & Military Affairs Appropriations A BILL FOR AN ACT Concerning the definition of identification for election-related purposes. Bill Summary (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at http://www.leg.state.co.us/billsummaries.) The bill requires the identification used for election-related purposes to be a valid, government-issued form of identification with a photograph of the eligible elector. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado: SECTION 1. Legislative declaration. (1) The general assembly hereby finds, determines, and declares that: (a) The foundation of our political system is best served by elections that reflect the highest degree of integrity; (b) It is of utmost importance to the continued health of our republic that citizens function as active voters in the political process; (c) A form of photographic identification is the best and most widely accepted manner by which to verify an elector's actual identity; (d) In the case of Crawford v. Marion County Election Board, 553 U.S. 181 (2008), the United States supreme court upheld an Indiana law that required photographic identification for voting, finding that any burden placed on voters by this requirement is limited and offset by the legitimate state interest in protecting the integrity and reliability of the electoral process by deterring voter fraud and protecting voter confidence in elections; and (e) By law, access to state-issued photographic identification is available to senior citizens and low-income citizens. SECTION 2. 1-1-104 (19.5) (a), Colorado Revised Statutes, is amended to read: 1-1-104. Definitions. As used in this code, unless the context otherwise requires: (19.5) (a) "Identification" means: (I) A valid Colorado driver's license; (II) A valid identification card issued by the department of revenue in accordance with the requirements of part 3 of article 2 of title 42, C.R.S.; (III) A valid United States passport; (IV) A valid employee identification card with a photograph of the eligible elector issued by any branch, department, agency, or entity of the United States government or of this state, or by any county, municipality, board, authority, or other political subdivision of this state; (V) A valid pilot's license issued by the federal aviation administration or other authorized agency of the United States; (VI) A valid United States military identification card with a photograph of the eligible elector; (VII) A copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows the name and address of the elector; (VIII) A valid medicare or medicaid card issued by the United States health care financing administration that has been issued to an eligible elector who is a resident of a state-licensed facility; or (IX) A certified copy of a birth certificate for the elector issued in the United States; (X) Certified documentation of naturalization; or (XI) A valid student identification card with a photograph of the eligible elector issued by an institution of higher education in Colorado, as defined in section 23-3.1-102 (5), C.R.S. established and existing by law as an agency of the state of Colorado. SECTION 3. Act subject to petition - effective date - applicability. (1) This act shall take effect September 1, 2011; except that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V of the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this act within the ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly, then the act, item, section, or part shall not take effect unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in November 2012 and shall take effect on the date of the official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor. (2) The provisions of this act shall apply to elections conducted on or after the applicable effective date of this act.