HB 501 Summary

• License issuing officials (Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency, judges of probate, license commissioners) must collect voter registration information as an integral part of every driver's license or nondriver identification card application.

• Applicants are automatically registered to vote unless they affirmatively decline through a signed opt-out process; license officials must submit information to the Secretary of State within five days.

• The Secretary of State forwards completed, signed applications to county boards of registrars within five days, while unsigned applications are filed and retained for at least four years.

• A new voter registration application updates any previous registration in other counties or states, and address changes on license applications serve as voter registration address change notices.

• The Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency and Secretary of State may adopt rules to implement the automatic registration system, and collected information is confidential and not subject to public records requests.