Relating to the address confidentiality program

Sponsored by the House State Government Committee

Proposed by the Secretary of State · their explanation · all agency proposals

Topics:Elections & voting State government Families & human services

Same legislation: HSB 74, SSB 1129, SF 457

Write your legislators about itWhat changed before it passed

Official bill page Lobbyist declarations One-pager to print

Where it is now

Done: IntroducedJanuary 23, 2025
Done: SubcommitteeJanuary 23, 2025
Done: House committeeFebruary 12, 2025
Done: Passes the HouseMarch 11, 202591–0
Done: Senate committeeApril 3, 2025
Done: Passes the SenateApril 21, 202545–0
Done: To the GovernorMay 6, 2025
Done: Signed into lawMay 6, 2025

Signed into law What’s a funnel?

What’s in it

AI summary People in the state's address confidentiality program, such as victims of abuse or stalking, would gain new options for managing their mail and privacy. The secretary of state could now use a shelter's contact information instead of its physical address and could hold a person's mail for up to 30 days. Additionally, participants could sign up for absentee voting for their entire certification period instead of having to do it every year.¹

Read the official explanation

Under current law, the address confidentiality program managed by the secretary of state provides mail forwarding services to program participants who include victims of domestic abuse, domestic abuse assault, sexual abuse, assault, stalking, or human trafficking, and individuals who fear for their own safety or the safety of a household member. This bill allows the secretary to (1) accept as an eligible person’s residential or mailing address the name and other contact information of a shelter at which the eligible person resides in lieu of the shelter’s physical address, (2) cancel an adult participant’s certification or a deceased participant’s certification upon receiving reliable information, and (3) hold a participant’s mail for up to 30 days at the request of the participant. The bill requires the secretary or a county commissioner of elections to cancel a participant’s voter registration if aware that the participant is registered to vote in another state. The bill allows a program participant to register as an absentee voter for the length of the participant’s certification period, rather than annually under current law.

Why it matters. Victims of abuse, stalking, or human trafficking who use the address confidentiality program could use a shelter's contact information instead of its physical address and request to have their mail held for up to 90 days. Participants could also register as absentee voters for the entire length of their certification period rather than having to re-register every year. The secretary of state or county commissioners of elections would cancel a participant's certification or voter registration if they receive reliable information that the person is deceased or registered to vote in another state.²

Full bill text · What changed before it passed³