§154. Records open to inspection; copying; exceptions

A. The records of each registrar are public records and at all times during office hours shall be open to inspection, except the early voting confirmation sheets of voters.

B.(1)(a) If twenty-five or more qualified voters of a parish make a request in writing, the registrar shall permit the copying of any part of his records, except the early voting confirmation sheets.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph, the registrar shall permit the copying of a list prepared pursuant to R.S. 18:1311(A) upon the request of a single person of the age of majority.

(2) The registrar shall allow this to be done by hand or otherwise, if so requested, unless such reproduction seriously interferes with the registration of voters or otherwise seriously interferes with the performance of the duties imposed on his office by law. In such instances, the registrar shall cause his employees to make copies of the requested records or print the information electronically, if the electronic copy contains the same information, and deliver them or request the secretary of state to reproduce such records which may then be forwarded to the registrar for delivery. Copying by the registrar or his employees or the secretary of state or printing an electronic copy shall be done in the presence of the requesting person or a representative of the requesting voters, if the person or voters so request.

(3) The registrar shall endorse each written request made pursuant to Paragraph (1) of this Subsection with the day and hour of receipt and shall provide a copy of the endorsed written request to the person submitting the request.

C.(1) Notwithstanding any provision of this Section to the contrary, the registrar, the clerk of court, the Department of State, the office of motor vehicles of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections and any entity that contracts with the office, each voter registration agency and any entity that contracts with a voter registration agency, and any person who handles the voter registration application form of another person shall be prohibited from circulating on a commercial list or otherwise disclosing the following:

(a) The fact that a registered voter is entitled to assistance in voting.

(b) The social security number of a registered voter.

(c) The driver's license number of a registered voter.

(d) The day and month of the date of birth of a registered voter.

(e) The mother's maiden name of a registered voter.

(f) The electronic mail address of a registered voter.

(g) The short message service number of a registered voter.

(2)(a) The provisions of Paragraph (1) of this Subsection shall not apply to voter registration data transmitted to the office of motor vehicles of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, for the purposes of verifying the accuracy and authenticity of the social security number, driver's license number, or full date of birth provided by the voter. The office of motor vehicles shall not disclose information concerning a registered voter transmitted pursuant to this Subparagraph, except that it may transmit such information to the United States Social Security Administration for the purposes of verifying the accuracy and authenticity of the social security number provided by the voter.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of Paragraph (1) of this Subsection, the Department of State or registrar of voters may transmit the full date of birth and last four digits of the social security number, if available, of a registered voter to the Supervisory Committee on Campaign Finance Disclosure to verify the identity of a candidate for purposes of campaign finance reporting. The supervisory committee shall not disclose information transmitted to it pursuant to this Subparagraph.

(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of Paragraph (1) of this Subsection, the Department of State or registrar of voters may provide to a clerk of court the full date of birth of a registered voter for the preparation of a general venire selection in accordance with R.S. 18:175. The clerk of court shall not disclose the full date of birth of a registered voter provided pursuant to this Subparagraph.

(d) The provisions of Paragraph (1) of this Subsection shall not apply to voter registration information or data transmitted to a state or the Electronic Registration Information Center for purposes of determining whether a voter is registered to vote in more than one state and for the maintenance of the state voter registration computer system.

D.(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section, the registrar shall not disclose the name and address of a law enforcement officer, other than on a general list, if he has received certification from the law enforcement agency employing the officer that the officer is engaging in hazardous activities to the extent that it is necessary for his name and address to be kept confidential.

(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section, the Department of State shall not disclose the name and address of a law enforcement officer, other than on a general list, if the secretary of state has received certification from the law enforcement agency employing the officer that the officer is engaging in hazardous activities to the extent that it is necessary for his name and address to be kept confidential.

(3) Notwithstanding any provision of this Section to the contrary, the clerk of court shall not disclose the name and address of a law enforcement officer if the state voter registration computer system indicates that certification has been received from the law enforcement agency employing the officer that the officer is engaging in hazardous activities to the extent that it is necessary for his name and address to be kept confidential.

(4) Any agency employing a law enforcement officer availing himself of Paragraph (1) or (2) of this Subsection shall also issue decertification notices to the registrar of voters and the secretary of state when the officer is no longer engaging in hazardous activities to the extent that it is necessary for his name and address to be kept confidential.

E. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section or any other law to the contrary, the registrar of voters shall allow inspection of voter registration applications or copies thereof. However, information relating to a particular individual's declination to register to vote or information relating to the specific public assistance agency or motor vehicle office through which a particular individual registered to vote shall be confidential and shall not be used for any purpose other than voter registration.

F.(1) Notwithstanding any provision of this Section to the contrary, the registrar shall not disclose the name and physical address of a program participant in the Department of State Address Confidentiality Program, as provided in R.S. 44:51 et seq.

(2) Notwithstanding any provision of this Section to the contrary, the Department of State shall not disclose the name and physical address of a program participant in the Department of State Address Confidentiality Program, as provided in R.S. 44:51 et seq.

(3) Notwithstanding any provision of this Section to the contrary, the clerk of court shall not disclose the name and physical address of a program participant in the Department of State Address Confidentiality Program, as provided in R.S. 44:51 et seq.

G. Notwithstanding any provision of this Section to the contrary, the registrar, the clerk of court, and the Department of State shall be prohibited from disclosing the following:

(1) Any information of a type exempted from disclosure pursuant to any other Subsection of this Section received from another state pursuant to a cooperative agreement authorized by R.S. 18:18(D).

(2) Any geographical coding of addresses of registered voters.

(3) An application to vote absentee by mail, or information contained therein, until the applicant has returned his voted ballot to the registrar.

(4) Computer system or program information, including software, related menus, flow charts, network diagrams, passwords, source materials, prompts, dialogues, operating manuals, programming materials or instructions, and any other computer operating or support materials concerning the state voter registration computer system and election management system or voting equipment.

(5) Any information contained within the state voter registration computer system and election management system which if disclosed may impair the security of the statewide voter registration system and election management system or the integrity of the information maintained on the systems or voting equipment.

H. Notwithstanding any provision of this Section to the contrary, the Department of State shall not disclose votes that are void because of the death of a candidate pursuant to R.S. 18:469, withdrawal of a candidate pursuant to R.S. 18:502, resignation of a public officer subject to a recall election pursuant to R.S. 18:1300.7, or disqualification of a candidate pursuant to R.S. 18:1410.

I. Notwithstanding any provision of this Section to the contrary, the registrar, the clerk of court, the Department of State, the office of motor vehicles of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections and any entity that contracts with the office, each voter registration agency and any entity that contracts with a voter registration agency, and any person who handles the voter registration application form of another person is prohibited from disclosing the voter registration application and any information contained on the voter registration application of any person who is sixteen or seventeen years of age.

Acts 1976, No. 697, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1978. Amended by Acts 1979, No. 229, §1, eff. July 13, 1979; Acts 1988, No. 909, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1989; Acts 1991, No. 505, §1; Acts 1991, No. 810, §1; Acts 1993, No. 418, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1994; Acts 1994, 3rd Ex. Sess., No. 10, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1995; Acts 1997, No. 43, §1; Acts 1997, No. 1420, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1998; Acts 2001, No. 451, §6, eff. Jan. 12, 2004; Acts 2003, No. 1220, §2, eff. July 3, 2003; Acts 2006, No. 613, §2; Acts 2007, No. 240, §1; Acts 2008, No. 136, §1, eff. June 6, 2008; Acts 2008, No. 520, §1, eff. June 30, 2008; Acts 2010, No. 624, §1, eff. June 25, 2010; Acts 2012, No. 138, §1, eff. May 14, 2012; Acts 2013, No. 383, §1, eff. June 18, 2013; Acts 2013, No. 395, §1, eff. June 18, 2013; Acts 2014, No. 59, §1, eff. May 16, 2014; Acts 2014, No. 60, §1, eff. May 16, 2014; Acts 2015, No. 307, §1, eff. June 29, 2015, and §2, eff. Jan. 15, 2016; Acts 2018, No. 325, §1; Acts 2018, No. 425, §1; Acts 2018, No. 712, §1, eff. June 2, 2018.