AB 738

Current law requires the Department of Transportation (DOT) to operate

examining stations (DMV service centers) in each county. Also under current law,

as created in

2011 Wisconsin Act 32

(the Biennial Budget Act), DOT must provide

in each county, directly or by contract, at least 20 hours per week of services relating

to operator's licenses and identification cards.

Also under current law, DOT issues driving receipts and identification card

receipts, which serve as a temporary operator's license or identification card while

an application is being processed by DOT. An unexpired driving receipt or

identification card receipt may be used as proof of identification for voting.

This bill requires DOT to operate mobile DMV service centers at which DOT

receives applications for operator's licenses and identification cards and issues

driving receipts and identification card receipts. These mobile DMV service centers

must be used to provide services to persons who, because of age or physical disability,

have difficulty traveling to, or waiting for customer assistance at, permanent DMV

service centers. DOT must maximize the use of these mobile DMV service centers

in the four weeks immediately preceding an election and on the day of an election.

At these mobile DMV service centers, DOT must provide priority service to

applicants seeking proof of identification for voting.

Currently, with certain exceptions, an individual who votes in an election must

present proof of identification in order to vote. The proof may consist of one of a

number of documents specified by law that contains the name of the individual to

whom the document was issued, which name conforms to the individual's voter

registration, if the individual is registered to vote, and, with limited exceptions, that

contains a photograph of the individual. With certain exceptions, an individual who

casts an absentee ballot by mail must enclose a copy of his or her proof of

identification with his or her absentee ballot application.

This bill provides that if an individual is not able to present any of the

documents specified by law because the individual has not been able to obtain one

of those documents through diligent efforts, the individual may use an affidavit in

the form prescribed by the Government Accountability Board as proof of

identification if the affidavit specifies the individual's name and address, affirms the

individual's identity, and states that the address given is the individual's residence.