Which state agencies are required to verify citizenship before transmitting voter registration information under this bill?
Short answer
Under House Bill 4765, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Corrections, and Indian nations or tribes are required to verify citizenship status. These entities must only transmit voter registration information for individuals who have been confirmed as U.S. citizens. The Secretary of State also plays a central role in verifying citizenship through existing databases for all applicants.
What the bill or law says
The proposed legislation amends the Michigan Election Law to change how automatic voter registration works. It mandates that certain agencies involved in registering voters must first confirm an applicant’s citizenship. Specifically, the bill states that the Department of Health and Human Services and Indian nations or tribes must transmit registration information only for individuals verified as U.S. citizens [https://legiscan.com/MI/text/HB4765/id/3418240].
Additionally, the Department of Corrections is required to use citizenship verification procedures when registering individuals who are released from incarceration [https://legiscan.com/MI/text/HB4765/id/3418240]. The Secretary of State is tasked with verifying citizenship status using databases from the Department of State and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security [https://legiscan.com/MI/text/HB4765/id/3418240]. If verification fails, the applicant is designated as a federal-only voter rather than a full state elector.
How it works in practice
In practice, these agencies would need to integrate new checks into their current registration workflows. For example, when a person applies for Medicaid benefits, the Department of Health and Human Services would need to confirm their citizenship before forwarding their details for voter registration. Similarly, when an inmate is released, the Department of Corrections would verify their status before initiating registration.
Tribal governments would follow similar protocols when assisting members with registration. The bill updates electronic interfaces to allow applicants to upload documents like passports or birth certificates to speed up this verification [https://legiscan.com/MI/text/HB4765/id/3418240]. If an agency cannot verify citizenship, they would not transmit the registration data for full voting rights, limiting the individual to federal-only status if they proceed through other channels.
What the source does not answer
The bill text does not specify the technical costs for these agencies to implement new verification software. It also does not detail the exact timeline for training staff at the Department of Corrections or tribal offices. Furthermore, the sources do not provide data on how many current registrants might be affected by these new transmission rules.