See Center for Media and Democracy's quick summary on last page

Exposed
ALEC EXPOSED
Search

ABOUT

GO

MEMBERS

By the Center for
Media and Democracy
www.prwatch.org

D I D YOU KNOW? Corporations VOTED to adopt this. Through ALEC, global companies
LOGIN | LOGOUT | HOME | JOIN ALEC | CONTACT

work as “equals” in “unison” with politicians to write laws to govern your life. Big
LEGISLATION
FORCES
ALEC INITIATIVES
PUBLICATIONS
BusinessMODEL
has “a
VOICE and aTASK
VOTE,”
according
to newly exposed
documents. DO YOU?

EVENTS & MEETINGS

“ALEC”
has long been a
NEWS
secretive collaboration
between
BigLegislation
Business and
Model
“conservative” politicians.
Civil Justice
Behind closed doors, they
ghostwrite
“model”
bills to
Commerce,
Insurance,
and Economic
be introduced
in state
Development
capitols
across the country.
This agenda--underwritten
Education
by global corporations-Energy,
includes
majorEnvironment,
tax
and Agriculture
loopholes
for big industries
and the
superRelations
rich,
Federal
proposals to offshore U.S.
Health
Human
jobs and
gut and
minimum
wage, Services
and efforts to
weaken
public health,
International
Relations
safety, and environmental
Public Although
Safety andmany
protections.
Elections
of these
bills have become
law, until
their Policy
origin
Tax now,
and Fiscal
has been largely unknown.
Telecommunications
With ALEC
EXPOSED, the
Centerand
for Information
Media and
Technology
Democracy hopes more
Americans will study the
Print this Page
bills to understand
the
depth and Text-Only
breadth Page
of how
big corporations are
Email this Page
changing the legal rules
and undermining democracy
across the nation.

ALEC’s’Corporate Board
--in recent past or present

• AT&T Services, Inc.
• centerpoint360
• UPS
• Bayer Corporation
• GlaxoSmithKline
• Energy Future Holdings
• Johnson & Johnson
• Coca-Cola Company
• PhRMA
• Kraft Foods, Inc.
• Coca-Cola Co.
• Pfizer Inc.
• Reed Elsevier, Inc.
• DIAGEO
• Peabody Energy
• Intuit, Inc.
• Koch Industries, Inc.
• ExxonMobil
• Verizon
• Reynolds American Inc.
• Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
• Salt River Project
• Altria Client Services, Inc.
• American Bail Coalition
• State Farm Insurance
For more on these corporations,
search at www.SourceWatch.org.

Home

Model Legislation

Public Safety and Elections

Taxpayer and Citizen Protection Act

Summary

Did you know the
NRA--the National
Rifle Association-was the corporate
co-chair in 2011?

Requires that evidence of United States citizenship be presented by every person to
register to vote, that proof of identification be presented by every voter at the polling
place prior to voting, that state and local governments verify the identity of all applicants
for certain public benefits and that government employees report United States
immigration law violations by applicants for public benefits. Additionally it requires the
submission of documentation demonstrating lawful presence and prohibits selfdeclaration of lawful presence in the U.S. for certain public programs.

Model Legislation

{Title, enacting clause, etc.}

Section 1. {Short Title.} This act may be cited as the "Taxpayer and Citizen
Protection Act".

Section 2. {Findings and Declaration} Government has evidence demonstrating

illegal immigration is causing economic hardship to states and that illegal immigration is
encouraged by public agencies within states that provide public benefits without
verifying immigration status. Evidence further suggests that illegal immigrants have been
given a safe haven in states with the aid of identification cards that are issued without
verifying immigration status, and that this conduct contradicts federal immigration
policy, undermines the security of our borders and demeans the value of citizenship.

Therefore, the people of this state declare that the public interest of this state requires all
public agencies within this state to cooperate with federal immigration authorities to
discourage illegal immigration.

Section 3. {Registration form}

(A) The form used for the registration of electors shall contain:

(1) The date the registrant signed the form.

(2) The given name of the registrant, middle name, if any, and surname.

(3) Complete address of actual place of residence, including street name and number,
apartment or space number, city or town and zip code, or such description of the
location of the residence that it can be readily ascertained or identified.

Exposed

By the Center for
Media and Democracy
www.prwatch.org

(4) Complete mailing address, if different from residence address, including post office
address, city or town, zip code or other designation used by the registrant for receiving
mail.

(5) Party preference.

(6) Telephone number, unless unlisted.

(7) State or country of birth.

(8) Date of birth.

(9) Occupation.

(10) Indian census number (optional to registrant)

(11) Father's name or mother's maiden name.

(12) The last four digits of the registrant's social security number (optional to registrant).

(13) A statement as to whether or not the registrant is currently registered in another
state, county or precinct, and if so, the name, address, county and state of previous
registration.

(14) A statement that the registrant is a citizen of the United States.

(15) A statement that the registrant will be eighteen years of age on or before the date of
the next general election.

(16) A statement that the registrant has not been convicted of treason or a felony, or if
so, that the registrant's civil rights have been restored.

(17) A statement that the registrant is a resident of this state and of the county in which
the registrant is registering.

(18) A statement that executing a false registration is a class 6 felony.

(19) The signature of the registrant.

(20) If the registrant is unable to sign the form, a statement that the affidavit was
completed according to the registrant's direction.

(21) A statement that if an applicant declines to register to vote, the fact that the
applicant has declined to register will remain confidential and will be used only for voter
registration purposes.

(22) A statement that if an applicant does register to vote, the office at which the
applicant submits a voter registration application will remain confidential and will be used
only for voter registration purposes.

(23) A statement that the applicant shall submit evidence of United States citizenship
with the application and that the registrar shall reject the application if no evidence of
citizenship is attached.

Exposed

By the Center for
Media and Democracy
www.prwatch.org

(B) A duplicate voter receipt shall be provided with the form that provides space for the
name, street address and city of residence of the applicant, party preference and the
date of signing. The voter receipt is evidence of valid registration for the purpose of
casting a ballot to be verified as prescribed in this act.

(C) The state voter registration form shall be printed in a form prescribed by the secretary
of state.

(D) The county recorder may establish procedures to verify whether a registrant has
successfully petitioned the court for an injunction against harassment or an order of
protection and, if verified, to protect the registrant's residence address, telephone
number or voting precinct number, if appropriate, from public disclosure.

Section 4. {Verification of Registration.}

(A) Except for the mailing of sample ballots, a county recorder who mails an item to any
elector shall send the mailing by non-forwardable first class mail marked with the
statement required by the postmaster to receive an address correction notification. If the
item is returned undelivered, the county recorder shall send a follow-up notice to that
elector within three weeks of receipt of the returned notice. The county recorder shall
send the follow-up notice to the address that appears on the general county register or to
the forwarding address provided by the United States postal service. The follow-up notice
shall include a registration form and the information and shall state that if the elector
does not complete and return a new registration form with current information to the
county recorder within thirty-five days, the name of the elector will be removed from the
general register and transferred to the inactive voter list.

(B) If the elector provides the county recorder with a new registration form, the county
recorder shall change the general register to reflect the changes indicated on the new
registration. If the elector indicates a new residence address outside that county, the
county recorder shall forward the voter registration form to the county recorder of the
county in which the elector's address is located. If the elector provides a new residence
address that is located outside this state, the county recorder shall cancel the elector's
registration.

(C) The county recorder shall maintain on the inactive voter list the names of electors
who have been removed from the general register pursuant to subsection A or E of this
section for a period of four years or through the date of the second general election for
federal office following the date of the notice from the county recorder that is sent
pursuant to subsection E of this section.

(D) On notice that a government agency has changed the name of any street, route
number, post office box number or other address designation, the county recorder shall
revise the registration records and shall send a new verification of registration notice to
the electors whose records were changed.

(E) The county recorder on or before May 1 of each year preceding a state primary and
general election or more frequently as the recorder deems necessary may use the change
of address information supplied by the postal service through its licensees to identify
registrants whose addresses may have changed. If it appears from information provided
by the postal service that a registrant has moved to a different residence address in the
same county, the county recorder shall change the registration records to reflect the new
address and shall send the registrant a notice of the change by forwardable mail and a
postage prepaid preaddressed return form by which the registrant may verify or correct
the registration information. If the registrant fails to return the form postmarked not later
than twenty-nine days before the next election, the elector shall be removed from the
general register and transferred to the inactive voter list. If the notice sent by the
recorder is not returned, the registrant may be required to provide affirmation or
confirmation of the registrant's address in order to vote. If the registrant does not vote in
an election during the period after the date of the notice from the recorder through the
date of the second general election for federal office following the date of that notice, the
registrant's name shall be removed from the list of inactive voters. If the registrant has
changed residence to a new county, the county recorder shall provide information on
how the registrant can continue to be eligible to vote.

(F) The county recorder shall reject any application for registration that is not
accompanied by satisfactory evidence of United States citizenship. Satisfactory evidence
of citizenship shall include any of the Following:

(1) The number of the applicant's driver License or nonoperating identification license
issued after October 1, 1996 by the Department of Transportation or the equivalent
Governmental agency of another state within the United States if the agency indicates on
the applicant's driver license or nonoperating identification license that the person has
provided satisfactory proof of United States citizenship.

Exposed

By the Center for
Media and Democracy
www.prwatch.org

(2) A legible photocopy of the applicant's birth certificate that verifies citizenship to the
satisfaction of the county recorder.

(3) A legible photocopy of pertinent pages of the applicant's united states passport
identifying the applicant and the applicant's passport number or presentation to the
county recorder of the applicant's united states passport.

(4) A presentation to the county recorder of the applicant's United States naturalization
documents or the number of the certificate of naturalization. If only the number of the
certificate of naturalization is provided, the applicant shall not be included in the
registration rolls until the number of the certificate of naturalization is verified with the
United States immigration and naturalization service by the county recorder.

(5) Other documents or methods of proof that are established pursuant to the
immigration reform and control act of 1986.

(6) The applicant's bureau of Indian affairs card number, tribal treaty card number or
tribal enrollment number.

(G) Notwithstanding subsection f of this section, any person who is registered in this
State on the effective date of this amendment to this section is deemed to have provided
satisfactory evidence of citizenship and shall not be required to resubmit evidence of
citizenship unless the person is changing voter registration from one county to another.

(H) For the purposes of this section, proof of voter registration from another state or
county is not satisfactory evidence of citizenship. (I) A person who modifies voter
registration records with a new residence ballot shall not be required to submit evidence
of citizenship. After citizenship has been demonstrated to the county recorder, the
person is not required to resubmit satisfactory evidence of citizenship in that county.

(I) After a person has submitted satisfactory evidence of citizenship, the county recorder
shall indicate this information in the person's permanent voter file. After two years, the
county recorder may destroy all documents that were submitted as evidence of
citizenship.

Section 5. {Procedure For Obtaining Ballot By Elector.}

(A) Every qualified elector, before receiving his ballot, shall announce his name and place
of residence in a clear, audible tone of voice to the election official in charge of the
signature roster or present his name and residence in writing and shall present one form
of identification that bears the name, address and photograph of the elector or two
different forms of identification that bear the name and address of the elector. If the
name is found upon the precinct register by the election officer having charge thereof, or
the qualified elector presents a certificate from the county recorder showing that he is
entitled by law to vote in the precinct, the election official in charge of the signature
roster shall repeat the name and the qualified elector shall be allowed within the voting
area.

(B) Any qualified elector who is listed as having applied for an early ballot but who states
that he has not voted and will not vote an early ballot for this election or surrenders the
early ballot to the precinct inspector on election day shall be allowed to vote.

(C) Each qualified elector's name shall be numbered consecutively by the clerks, with the
number upon the stub of the ballot delivered to him, and in the order of applications for
ballots. The election judge having charge of the ballots shall also write his initials upon the
stub and the number of the qualified elector as it appears upon the precinct register.
The judge shall give the qualified elector only one ballot, and his name shall be
immediately checked on the precinct register.

(D) Each qualified elector shall sign his name in the signature roster prior to receiving his
ballot, but an inspector or judge may sign the roster for an elector who is unable to sign
because of physical disability, and in that event the name of the elector shall be written
with red ink, and no attestation or other proof shall be necessary. The provisions of this
subsection relating to signing the signature roster shall not apply to electors casting a
ballot using early voting procedures.

Exposed

By the Center for
Media and Democracy
www.prwatch.org

(E) A person offering to vote at a special district election for which no special district
register has been supplied shall sign an affidavit stating his address and that he resides
within the district boundaries or proposed district boundaries and swearing that he is a
qualified elector and has not already voted at the election being held.

Section 6. {Verifying Applicants For Public Benefits; Violation;
Classification; Citizen Suits.}

(A) An agency of this state and all of its political subdivisions, including local
governments, that are responsible for the administration of federal, state and local public
benefits that are not federally mandated shall do all of the following:

(1) Verify the identity of each applicant for those benefits and verify that the applicant is
eligible for benefits as prescribed by this section.

(2) Provide any other employee of this state or any of its political subdivisions with
information to verify the immigration status of any applicant for those benefits and assist
the employee in obtaining that information from federal immigration authorities.

(3) Refuse to accept any identification card issued by the state or any political subdivision
of this state, including a driver license, to establish identity or determine eligibility for
those benefits unless the issuing authority has verified the immigration status of the
applicant.

(4) Require all employees of the state and its political subdivisions to make a written
report to federal immigration authorities for any violation of federal immigration law by
any applicant for benefits and that is discovered by the employee.

(B) Failure to report discovered violations of federal immigration law by an employee is a
class 2 misdemeanor. If that employee's supervisor knew of the failure to report and failed
to direct the employee to make the report, the supervisor is guilty of a class 2
misdemeanor.

(C) This section shall be enforced without regard to race, religion, gender, ethnicity or
national origin. Any person who is a resident of this state shall have standing in any court
of record to bring suit against any agent or agency of this state or its political subdivisions
to remedy any violation of any provision of this section, including an action for
mandamus. Courts shall give preference to actions brought under this section over other
civil actions or proceeding pending in the court.

Section 7. {Eligibility For Public Programs; Documentation; Definition.}

(A) Notwithstanding any other state law and to the extent permitted by federal law, any
person who applies for a state administered public program that requires participants to
be citizens of the United States, legal residents of the United States or otherwise lawfully
present in the United States, shall submit documentation to the entity that administers
the state public program demonstrating lawful presence in the United States. Self
declaration of lawful presence, even if made under penalty of perjury, is not sufficient by
itself to demonstrate lawful presence in the United States.

(B) This section shall be enforced without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age,
disability or national origin.

(C) For the purposes of this section, "self declaration" means a written or oral declaration
without additional proof, even if made under penalty of perjury, that the person is a
citizen of the United States, legal resident of the United States or otherwise lawfully
present in the United States.

Section 8. {Effective Date.}

Adopted by the Criminal Justice & Homeland Security Task Force at the Spring Task Force
Summit, May 17, 2008. Approved by the full ALEC Board of Directors June 2008.

About Us and ALEC EXPOSED. The Center for Media and Democracy reports on corporate spin and government
About
Members
Login
Logout
Events & Meetings
propaganda.! We are located in Madison,
Wisconsin,
publish
Model Legislation
Task and
Forces
ALECwww.PRWatch.org,
Initiatives
Publicationswww.SourceWatch.org,
Home
Join ALEC
Contact
News
and now www.ALECexposed.org. For more information
contact:
editor@prwatch.org
or 608-260-9713.

Center for Media
and Democracy's
quick summary

This bill is a solution in search of a problem and a backdoor way of creating a "voter ID" law. First, undocumented
(or "illegal") immigrants are already barred from receiving public benefits. Even legal immigrants are severely
restricted in the benefits they can receive (they must pay into the Social Security and Medicare system for ten years
before being eligible for those benefits when they retire). Second, there is almost no evidence of undocumented
immigrants casting votes in state or federal elections (although some local municipal and school board elections
don't require proof of citizenship). Requiring IDs at the polls would do nothing to keep undocumented immigrants
from voting in state or federal elections because they don't vote right now; voter ID would, however, have the effect
of disenfranchising many elderly people, students, people of color, and others who may not have the required forms
of ID.