Pennsylvania HB 423: An Act establishing the Future Voter Program; providing for prevoter registration of eligible high school students; and imposing powers and duties on the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of the Commonwealth and county commissions.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 415
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 423
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY MARKOSEK, VENKAT, PIELLI, GIRAL, BURGOS, HILL-
EVANS, FLEMING, FIEDLER, OTTEN, KENYATTA, SANCHEZ, KHAN,
CIRESI, STEELE, HOHENSTEIN, FRANKEL, SCHLOSSBERG, DALEY,
DEASY, GREEN, MADDEN, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, CERRATO, MAYES, WARREN
AND WAXMAN, JANUARY 31, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, JANUARY 31, 2025
AN ACT
Establishing the Future Voter Program; providing for prevoter
registration of eligible high school students; and imposing
powers and duties on the Secretary of Education, the
Secretary of the Commonwealth and county commissions.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Future Voters
Act.
Section 2. Legislative finding and declaration.
The General Assembly finds as follows:
(1) The Commonwealth is committed to promoting and
fostering civic participation and granting equal access to
voter registration for all voters.
(2) The Commonwealth recognizes the importance of
promoting and fostering lifelong civic participation.
(3) Many emerging adults are denied access to the most
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popular form of voter registration, motor voter.
(4) If an individual obtains a driver's license at 16 or
17 years of age, the individual may not understand the
importance of the right to vote and may fail to register to
vote when the individual reaches 18 years of age.
(5) A statistical analysis of all registered voters in
this Commonwealth revealed that in 2024, only 9% of
registrants were 18 to 24 years of age. Denial of motor voter
to so many emerging adults may contribute to lower voter
registration levels in the youngest voter age groups.
(6) However, some studies show that emerging and young
adults who vote are likely to continue to do so.
(7) The representational disparities in voter
registration rates and voting within the emerging and young
adult electorate will improve by enacting election policies
that engage all emerging and young adults in this
Commonwealth.
(8) This act is intended to increase voter turnout in
emerging and young adults.
Section 3. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"County commission." A registration commission established
under 25 Pa.C.S. § 1203 (relating to commissions).
"Eligible student." An individual enrolled in a school
entity in this Commonwealth who is 16 or 17 years of age.
"Future voter." An eligible student who:
(1) except for age, meets all the qualifications for
voting prescribed by the Constitution of Pennsylvania and the
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laws of this Commonwealth; and
(2) provides information related to voter registration
to the Department of State or the appropriate county
commission to facilitate preregistration to vote.
"Program." The Future Voter Program established under this
act.
"School entity." As defined in section 111.1 of the act of
March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code
of 1949.
"Secretary." The Secretary of Education of the Commonwealth.
"Sign up." A procedure that allows an eligible student to
register to vote prior to the time that the eligible student
will be 18 years of age by the next election.
"SURE system." The Statewide Uniform Registry of Electors as
defined in 25 Pa.C.S. § 1102 (relating to definitions).
Section 4. Future Voter Program.
(a) Establishment.--The secretary, in consultation with the
Secretary of the Commonwealth, shall establish the Future Voter
Program for use by school entities to provide age-appropriate
instructions to students in grades 1 through 12 on topics
related to civics and civic participation, including educational
programming on the history of the Constitution of the United
States and the Constitution of Pennsylvania.
(b) Program components.--
(1) On September 17 of each school year, or on the
preceding Friday when September 17 falls on a nonschool day,
"Constitution and Citizenship Day" shall be observed by each
school entity as part of the school entity's program. As part
of this observance, a school entity may designate particular
laws or may develop school-entity specific programming
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related to civics and civic participation for special
observance.
(2) During the observance of "Constitution and
Citizenship Day" in accordance with paragraph (1), each
school entity shall, as resources permit, coordinate a voter
registration event in each history or social studies class
scheduled for eligible students. The voter registration event
shall:
(i) Be a component of each school entity's program.
(ii) Make voter sign-up or voter registration
av