Senate OKs Bill Paying Schools to Register Voters

The state Senate on Wednesday night passed and sent to the governor legislation under which the state would pay three community colleges and about 20 high schools in the San Fernando Valley to register students to vote.

The bill, which won approval by the Assembly on Tuesday, squeaked by with the minimum 21 votes in the 40-member Senate.

The bill was authored by state Sen. Alan Robbins (D-Tarzana) to create a pilot program that Robbins said should be expanded statewide. Under it, the state would reimburse Valley schools for registering students who will be 18 by the next election. Schools would receive $1 for each voter registered.

Robbins said the measure provides an inexpensive way to encourage more young people to go to the polls. But Republicans had argued that the bill would use public funds and employees to coerce students to register.