AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- REGISTRATION OF VOTERS

HB 5708 automatically registers Rhode Islanders to vote when they apply for or renew a hunting or fishing license, offering the option to register or update their voting address at the same time. The Department of Environmental Management must provide voter registration forms alongside license applications, with applicants able to decline registration (which remains confidential). Completed forms are transmitted electronically to the state voter system within one business day, and the bill includes privacy protections for those who opt out. This expands automatic voter registration to license applications, mirroring existing procedures for driver's license renewals.