Florida lawmakers send new voting rules to DeSantis’ desk

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Right at the deadline, Florida lawmakers have now officially approved a new bill that makes several election changes in the state.

That bill — HB 991 — was filed back in January by state Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka (R-Ft. Myers), and it makes several changes to the Florida Election Code.

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More specifically, the legislation implements the following revisions:

• Voter Oath: Voter registration applicants must affirm that they are U.S. citizens and may face criminal penalties for perjury if that is not the case
• Forms of ID: Debit/credit cards, student IDs, retirement center IDs, neighborhood association IDs, and public assistance IDs are no longer acceptable forms of identification for voters
• Campaign Contributions: Political parties and candidates may not willfully accept a contribution from a foreign national in connection with any election held in the state.
• Federal Courts: Requires the state to provide voter registration lists to federal courts to aid in their jury selection process, and requires those courts to provide the state with information about voters being ineligible due to convictions, death, or being a non-U.S. citizen
• Statute of Limitations: Creates a five-year statute of limitations for the prosecution of a felony under the Election Code
• New Penalties: Provides new fines and penalties for those who violate the law of involvement of foreign nationals in state elections
• Early Voting: Election supervisors must use local time when uploading the results of all early voting and vote-by-mail ballots by 7 p.m. the day before the election

However, another provision in the bill requires the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) to include whether a person is a U.S. citizen on his/her driver’s license and Florida ID card.

“The bill requires that DHSMV must, at no charge, issue a new or replacement card if a licensee or cardholder timely updates his or her legal status upon becoming a citizen of the U.S.,” the legislative analysis reads.

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Under HB 991, this change is set to kick in on July 1, and it applies to new issuances and renewals.

The legislation was passed back and forth between the House and the Senate, though it was finally approved by House lawmakers for a final time on Thursday by a vote of 77-28. As such, it’s now headed to Gov. Ron DeSantis for consideration.

DeSantis also posted about the bill on X on Thursday, comparing it to the federal SAVE Act proposal.

If the bill is ultimately signed by the governor, it is slated to take effect in full on Jan. 1, 2027.