Bill
HB 1901
HB 1901 as provided would fund two distinct changes: Arkansas counties may collect and keep passport-acceptance fees; Illinois broadens permanent early voting hours and days.
Note on source materials
- The materials provided contain conflicting and jurisdiction-mixed texts under the single label “HB 1901.” The bill title you supplied (about qualified equity investment tax credits) does not match the legislative texts included (which contain: (A) an Arkansas-style addition regarding county passport acceptance fees, and (B) an Illinois-style amendment to early‑voting hours). The bill actions and sponsor lists likewise mix items from different states. Because of that, this summary (below) separately summarizes the two distinct statutory changes shown in the provided texts and highlights the ambiguity. Please confirm the correct jurisdiction and the final enrolled text if you want a single, authoritative summary.
Summary — Version A (Arkansas-style provision: Passport acceptance facility fees)
- Purpose: Authorize county passport acceptance facilities to collect certain fees and establish a local fund to retain and spend those fees for facility operations.
- Key provisions:
- Adds Arkansas Code section 21-6-312.
- County offices recognized as U.S. Department of State passport acceptance facilities may collect:
- The passport application and execution/acceptance fees (the federal fees that are not retained by counties are to be remitted as required), and
- Reasonable fees for passport photographs, mail services, and expedited processing as permitted by federal law or regulation as of January 1, 2025.
- Fees that are not remitted to the U.S. Department of State or U.S. Postal Service are to be paid into a county “passport acceptance facility fund.”
- Moneys in that fund are to be appropriated by the county quorum court and expended for operation of the county passport acceptance office.
- Who is affected: County clerk/recorder or other county offices acting as passport acceptance facilities, county treasuries/quorum courts, and residents using county passport services.
- Impact: Gives counties a clear statutory mechanism to retain and spend locally charged service fees for operating passport acceptance facilities; potential modest local revenue and offset of operational costs.
- Procedural/status notes in supplied materials: shows readings, passage and approvals (references to Act 844 and Governor approval—please confirm with official state records).
Summary — Version B (Illinois-style provision: Early voting hours)
- Purpose: Modify the statutory early voting period/hours for permanent early voting polling places.
- Key provisions:
- Amends 10 ILCS 5/19A-15 (Election Code).
- Requires a permanent early voting site to remain open beginning 15 days before an election through the day before election day.
- Expands weekday hours to either 8:30 a.m.–7:00 p.m. or 9:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. (replacing prior shorter weekday windows such as 8:30–4:30 or 9–5).
- Prescribes extended weekend/holiday hours during the final days (text provided is fragmented but requires additional hours starting 8 days before the election, and minimum total hours on holidays/final weekend).
- Allows an election authority to close an early voting location if the building has been closed by state/local government for severe weather or other force majeure; requires notice to the State Board of Elections and reasonable public notice of an alternative location.
- Who is affected: Election authorities, voters using early voting, permanent early voting locations and their staff.
- Impact: Expands availability of early in‑person voting by increasing weekday hours and imposing minimum weekend/holiday operating-hour requirements; includes a limited public-safety closure exception.
- Procedural/status notes in supplied materials: shows Illinois sponsor Rep. Jennifer Sanalitro, committee referrals, and a Governor approval date listed (03/28/2025) in the provided log—please verify with Illinois official sources.
Recommendation
- Because the supplied materials are inconsistent across jurisdictions and topics, verify the intended HB 1901 (state and final enrolled text). If you confirm the correct jurisdiction (and whether the intended subject is passport fees, early-voting hours, or the originally stated tax-credit topic), I will produce a single, authoritative summary referencing the enacted statute(s) and exact statutory citations.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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