SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2104        FILED ON: 1/18/2019

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 423

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Rebecca L. Rausch

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act to expand voter access.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2104        FILED ON: 1/18/2019

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 423

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)

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An Act to expand voter access.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Section 25B of Chapter 54 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition, is hereby amended as follows:-

Subsection (a) of said Section 25B, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out the word “biennial” in line 3.

Subsection (c) of said Section 25B, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out the word “general” in line 16.

Subsection (h) of said Section 25B, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out the word “biennial” in line 49.

SECTION 2. Section 86 of Chapter 54 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out the title and lines 1 through 14 and inserting in place thereof the following-

Section 86. Absentee ballots

Any voter may request an absentee ballot. No voter shall be required to provide a reason or justification for the request.  Any voter whose request for an official absentee ballot has been filed with the city or town clerk as provided in section eighty-one of this chapter, and certified under section ninety-one of this chapter, may vote in accordance with sections eighty-seven to one hundred and three of this chapter, inclusive. 

SECTION 3. Section 89 of said Chapter 54, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out the word “Applications” in the title and inserting in place thereof the following word: “Requests”.  

SECTION 4. Section 89 of said Chapter 54, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out the word “application” in lines 3, 4, 11, 23, 25, 27, 32, and 33 and inserting in place thereof the following word:  “request”. 

SECTION 5. Section 89 of said Chapter 54, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out the word “apply” in line 30 and inserting in place thereof the following word: “request”.

SECTION 6. Section 89 of said Chapter 54, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out the word “applicant” in line 31 and inserting in place thereof the following word: “requestor”.

SECTION 7. Section 91 of said Chapter 54, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out the word “Applications” in the title and inserting in place thereof “Requests”.

SECTION 8. Section 91 of said Chapter 54, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out the word “application” in lines 1, 7, 8, 14, 20-21, 22, 24, 26, and 33 and inserting in place thereof “request”.

SECTION 9. Section 91 of said Chapter 54, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out the words “to make an application for” in line 11.

SECTION 10. Section 91 of said Chapter 54, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out the word “applicant” in lines 30, 34, and 38 and inserting in place thereof “requestor”.

SECTION 11. Section 91 of said Chapter 54, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out the word “applications” in lines 28 and 41 and inserting in place thereof “requests”.

SECTION 12. Section 91A of said Chapter 54, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out the word “Applications” in the title and inserting in place thereof “Requests”.

SECTION 13. Section 91A of said Chapter 54, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out the word “qualifies” in line 2 and inserting in place thereof “requests”.

SECTION 14. Section 91A of said Chapter 54, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out the word “apply” in line 4 and inserting in place thereof “request”.

SECTION 15. Section 91A of said Chapter 54, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out the word “application” in line 8 and inserting in place thereof “request”.

SECTION 16. Section 91A of said Chapter 54, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out the word “Applications” in line 21 and inserting in place thereof “Requests”.

SECTION 17. Section 91C of said Chapter 54, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out the word “application” in the title and inserting in place thereof “request”.

SECTION 18. Section 91C of said Chapter 54, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out the word “application” in lines 1, 4, and 8 and inserting in place thereof “request”.

SECTION 19. Section 91C of said Chapter 54, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out the word “applicant” in line 13 and inserting in place thereof “requestor”.