The bill amends Section 13-2-109 of the Montana Code Annotated to enhance the verification process for voter registration, specifically focusing on the citizenship status of applicants. It mandates that by January 1, 2026, or as soon as practicable, the Secretary of State must establish procedures to verify the United States citizenship status of new registrants. This includes using information collected under existing laws, categorizing registrants' citizenship status as verified, not yet verified, or noncitizen, and ensuring that applications are processed while citizenship verification is pending.

Additionally, the bill requires the Motor Vehicle Division of the Department of Justice to adopt rules to assist in this verification process for applicants who submit their Montana driver's license. The previous provision that the rules may not conflict with federal law (42 U.S.C. 15301, et seq.) has been removed, indicating a shift in the legislative approach to align state regulations with federal requirements.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 13-2-109