A House committee on Environment, Energy & Technology heard testimony on House Bill 1713, a proposal to authorize automatic voter registration for members of federally recognized tribes through state–tribal compacts.

Staff told the committee the bill would let the Secretary of State enter compacts with tribes to receive and process voter-registration data, use the same notice and opt‑out procedures that the Department of Licensing (DOL) currently uses for automatic voter registration, and accept digital signature images and other information necessary to register eligible voters.

Connor Schiff, counsel to the committee, summarized existing automatic voter registration in Washington and described how HB 1713 would mirror the DOL process for tribes. He said the bill “establishes processes for automatic voter registration for members of federally recognized tribes” and directs the Secretary of State to create an application and approval process for compacts.

Sponsor Representative Chris Stearns (D‑47th) told the committee the measure grew from a review of Native American turnout and registration rates in the state. He said Native American turnout is “substantially below other populations,” citing a roughly 16% voting rate and that about 25% of eligible Native Americans were not registered. Stearns described the proposal as an opt‑in option for tribes and called it a starting point for discussions with tribal officials.

Sean Merchant, policy director in the Secretary of State’s Office, said the office supports efforts to make registration easier but raised a legal concern about section 2 of the bill. Merchant said his office believes state–tribal compacts are typically executed by the governor as a nation‑to‑nation matter and that the bill may need drafting adjustments to reflect that practice.

No formal action or vote occurred during the hearing. Committee members asked technical and jurisdictional questions and heard that other states (Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada and Michigan) have pursued similar opt‑in arrangements with tribes.

Why it matters: Supporters said the bill could reduce disparities in voter registration among tribal members by making registration automatic when tribes opt in to share verification data. The bill leaves choice with tribes and keeps existing DOL automatic registration processes intact.

Next steps: The committee closed the hearing on HB 1713 after staff and sponsor remarks. Sponsors indicated they plan to continue work on the measure over the interim and to consult with tribal governments and the Secretary of State’s office on implementation details.