Bill Number

Sponsors


  

     


  Senate Bill 16-083
                                 

     Senator Baumgardner
     Representative Joshi



Short Title

Research Analyst







     Government-issued Photo ID
     For Voting 
  

  Vanessa Conway (x4753)



Status


  The bill is currently pending before the House State, Veterans, and Military Affairs Committee. 
This research note reflects the reengrossed bill.

Summary

  The bill amends the list of documents that can be used for voter identification under the Uniform
Election Code of 1992.  
  Documents that may no longer be used for identification include: 
    utility bills, bank statements, and government checks, paychecks, or other government
     documents that show the name and address of the elector;
    Medicare or Medicaid cards; 
    certified copies of a birth certificate; and
    certified documentation of naturalization.
The bill clarifies that in order to use a pilot's license or federally-recognized tribal membership
card as identification, the document must show a photograph of the elector.  The bill prohibits the
use of a drivers license issued under the Colorado Road and Community Safety Act, which allows
the Department of Revenue to issue driver's licenses to certain individuals who are not lawfully
present or who are only temporarily lawfully present in the U.S.  
The bill also clarifies that the Department of Revenue cannot charge certain persons a fee for
state-issued identification cards issued to an elector for the purpose of casting a ballot

Background


The following types of voting "identification" are not affected by the bill:

 a valid Colorado driver's license not issued under the Colorado Road and Community
  Safety Act; 
 a valid identification card issued by the Department of Revenue;
 a valid U.S. passport;
 a valid employee identification card with a photograph of the elector issued by any branch
  of the United States government or of this state, or by any county, municipality, board,
  authority, or other political subdivision of this state; 
 a valid United States military identification card with a photograph of the elector;
 a valid student identification card with a photograph of the eligible elector issued by an
  institution of higher education in Colorado; or
 a valid veteran identification card issued by the United States Department of Veterans
  Affairs Veterans Health Administration with a photograph of the elector.

This list of acceptable documents for voter identification was introduced into Colorado law in
2003 under legislation implementing the Help America Vote Act, a federal law.

Under current law, the Department of Revenue does not charge a fee to issue a state
identification card for an applicant who is:

 age sixty years or older;
 referred by a county department of social services; or
 referred by the Department of Corrections, Division of Youth Corrections, or a county jail.


Senate Action


  Senate State Affairs Committee (February 24, 2016).  At the hearing, representatives from
Colorado Cross Disability Coalition, the League of Women Voters, Disability Law Colorado,
Common Cause, and the AARP testified against the bill.  Representatives from the Colorado
Secretary of State's Office, and the Arapahoe and El Paso County Clerk and Recorders Offices
testified in support of the bill. A representative from Colorado Legal Services testified in a neutral
capacity.  

  Senate Appropriations Committee (March 11, 2016).  The committee adopted
amendment J.001 and referred the bill to the Senate Committee of the Whole.  The amendment
adds an appropriations clause to the bill. 

  Senate Second Reading (March 15, 2016).  The Senate passed the bill on second reading
with no amendments. 

  Senate Third Reading (March 16, 2016).  The Senate passed the bill on third reading with
no amendments.