Status as an indefinitely confined voter for purposes of receiving absentee ballots automatically and providing a penalty. (FE)

1. Requires that the voter's statement claiming that he or she is indefinitely confined be made under oath.

2. If the voter is under the age of 65, requires that the voter's statement be signed by a physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice registered nurse who has primary responsibility for the treatment and care of the voter.

4. Specifies that the existence of an outbreak or epidemic of a communicable disease in a voter's community does not qualify the voter as indefinitely confined.

5. Provides that a voter's status as indefinitely confined is removed every two years unless the voter submits a renewal application.

6. Specifies that the penalty for making a false statement for the purpose of qualifying as indefinitely confined is a Class I felony, which is a fine not to exceed $10,000 or imprisonment not to exceed three years and six months, or both.

6. Requires the Elections Commission to facilitate the removal of the indefinitely confined status of each voter who received that status between March 12, 2020, and November 6, 2020. A voter whose indefinitely confined status is so removed must submit a new application for indefinitely confined status in order to continue receiving absentee ballots automatically.

Because this bill creates a new crime or revises a penalty for an existing crime, the Joint Review Committee on Criminal Penalties may be requested to prepare a report.