Florida Senate passes bill requiring citizenship verification for voters
Key Points(5)
- The Florida Senate on Thursday passed H.B.
- 991, a so-called “election integrity” bill that requires election officials to verify the citizenship of all registered voters in the state.
- The measure passed in a 27-12 party-line vote, with Republicans supporting the legislation and Democrats opposing it.
- Under the bill, election officials may require documents such as passports or birth certificates to confirm citizenship.
- The legislation also limits the types of identification voters can present at the polls.
The Florida Senate on Thursday passed H.B. 991, a so-called “election integrity” bill that requires election officials to verify the citizenship of all registered voters in the state. The measure passed in a 27-12 party-line vote, with Republicans supporting the legislation and Democrats opposing it.
Under the bill, election officials may require documents such as passports or birth certificates to confirm citizenship. The legislation also limits the types of identification voters can present at the polls. Driver’s licenses, state ID cards, military IDs, and concealed carry permits would still be accepted, but student IDs and retirement center IDs would no longer qualify.
Sponsors of the bill made a concession to critics by delaying its effective date. Instead of taking effect on July 1, just weeks before the Aug. 18 primary and months ahead of the Nov. 3 general election, the provisions will not apply until after the 2026 midterm election.
The bill calls for the state voter registration database to be matched with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles driver’s license database, which has already verified citizenship for compliance with federal REAL ID requirements. Opponents said more than 800,000 Floridians with driver’s licenses or state IDs that are not REAL ID compliant could be flagged and required to provide proof of citizenship to remain registered.
Democrats also raised concerns that people who change their registrations — including many women who change names after marriage or divorce — would have to prove citizenship. They argued that removing student IDs and retirement IDs could disenfranchise college students and older residents who no longer drive, potentially preventing them from voting.
