First Responder Voter Registration Record Confidentiality

Beginning January 1, 2026, an elector Currently, an individual, or a member of the individual's family who resides in the same household, may request that the address included in certain records be kept confidential (address confidentiality) if the individual believes that they will be exposed to criminal harassment or otherwise be in danger of bodily harm if the individual's address is not kept confidential. The bill allows an individual or the spouse of an elector individual who is or has been a peace officer, firefighter, volunteer firefighter, emergency medical service provider, emergency communications specialist, or other individual who responds to a public safety emergency (first responder) may to also request that the address included in the following records concerning the first responder be kept confidential (address confidentiality) address confidentiality for the following records :

• Voter registration records in the custody of a county clerk and recorder; and
• Voter registration records in the centralized statewide registration system maintained by the secretary of state (secretary).

Consistent with current requests for address confidentiality, a first responder may request address confidentiality on the electronic voter registration form or record created by the secretary. The secretary is required to ensure that the electronic voter registration form and an elector's voter registration record includes a place for a first responder to indicate that they are a first responder and request address confidentiality. The secretary is also required to ensure that when a first responder indicates on their voter registration form or record that they are requesting address confidentiality, the first responder is automatically directed to an electronic application form that requests certain information to allow the secretary to implement the address confidentiality request with the county clerk and recorder of the county where the first responder who is making the request for address confidentiality resides. The secretary is required to approve the application form for a request for address confidentiality. The secretary is required to provide a copy of each completed application to the clerk and recorder of the county where the first responder is registered to vote for the purpose of implementing address confidentiality for the records maintained by the county clerk and recorder. The secretary is prohibited from charging a fee in connection with a first responder's request for address confidentiality. Each county clerk and recorder is required to make the address confidentiality request application forms available in their office, provide the address confidentiality request application forms to interested persons by United States mail, email delivery, or facsimile transmission, and to process applications for address confidentiality without imposing a processing fee or any other charge. The Consistent with current requests for address confidentiality, the bill requires the custodian of any voter registration records that concern a first responder who has requested address confidentiality is required to deny , with limited exceptions, the right of inspection of the first responder's address contained in the records on the ground that disclosure would be contrary to the public interest. A first responder's request for address confidentiality is not a public record subject to public inspection.

(Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.)

(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)