SCS/SB 594 - This act establishes identification requirements for voting. Voters shall produce one of the following forms of identification in order to vote:• a nonexpired Missouri driver's license;
• a nonexpired or nonexpiring Missouri nondriver’s license;
• any identification containing a photograph issued by the Missouri National Guard, the United States armed forces, or the United States Department of Veterans Affairs; or
• a document issued by the United States or the state of Missouri containing the name of the voter which substantially conforms to the most recent signature in the individual's voter registration records, a photograph, and an expiration date or if expired, the expiration is after the date of the most recent general election.
Those appearing without identification who are unable to obtain one because of:
• a physical or mental disability;
• an inability to pay for a document necessary to obtain the required identification;
• a religious belief against forms of identification; or
• the voter was born before January 1, 1941
shall be allowed to vote a provisional ballot, provided the election authority can verify the identity of the individual by comparing the individual's signature to the signature on file with the election authority.
All costs incurred by the election authority associated with implementing the new identification requirements shall be reimbursed from the general revenue upon appropriation. If there is no appropriation and distribution of funds, then election authorities shall not enforce photo identification requirements.
The election authority shall provide advance notice of the identification requirements to be included in the election authority's elections notices.
The state shall provide at least one form of identification required to vote at no cost to the voter. Subject to appropriations, the state and all agencies of the state shall also provide one birth certificate to any person seeking to obtain identification in order to vote.
The act requires that provisional ballots be available for all elections except for absentee voting.
This act is contingent on the passage of a constitutional amendment establishing voter photo identification for elections. In the event that the constitutional amendment is approved by the voters, this act will become effective June 1, 2017.
This act is substantially similar to HB 1631 (2016), SB 170 (2015) and HB 30 (2015), and similar to SB 511 (2014), SB 27 (2013), SCS/HB 1104 (2012), SCS/SB 442 (2012), HCS#2/SB 3 (2011), HB 1966 (2010), SB 523 (2009), and SB 1014 (2006).
SCOTT SVAGERA