SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Safeguard American 
Voter Eligibility Act’’ or the ‘‘SAVE Act’’. 
SEC. 2. ENSURING ONLY CITIZENS ARE REGISTERED TO 
VOTE IN ELECTIONS FOR FEDERAL OFFICE. 
(a) DEFINITION
OF
DOCUMENTARY
PROOF
OF 
UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP.—Section 3 of the National 
Voter Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 20502) is 
amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘As used’’ and inserting ‘‘(a) IN 
GENERAL.—As used’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(b) DOCUMENTARY PROOF
OF UNITED STATES 
CITIZENSHIP.—As used in this Act, the term ‘documen-
tary proof of United States citizenship’ means, with re-
spect to an applicant for voter registration, any of the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(1) A form of identification issued consistent 
with the requirements of the REAL ID Act of 2005 
that indicates the applicant is a citizen of the United 
States. 
‘‘(2) A valid United States passport. 
‘‘(3) The applicant’s official United States mili-
tary identification card, together with a United 
States military record of service showing that the 
applicant’s place of birth was in the United States.
‘‘(4) A valid government-issued photo identifica-
tion card issued by a Federal, State or Tribal gov-
ernment showing that the applicant’s place of birth 
was in the United States. 
‘‘(5) A valid government-issued photo identifica-
tion card issued by a Federal, State or Tribal gov-
ernment other than an identification described in 
paragraphs (1) through (4), but only if presented to-
gether with one or more of the following: 
‘‘(A) A certified birth certificate issued by 
a State, a unit of local government in a State, 
or a Tribal government which— 
‘‘(i) was issued by the State, unit of 
local government, or Tribal government in 
which the applicant was born; 
‘‘(ii) was filed with the office respon-
sible for keeping vital records in the State; 
‘‘(iii) includes the full name, date of 
birth, and place of birth of the applicant; 
‘‘(iv) lists the full names of one or 
both of the parents of the applicant; 
‘‘(v) has the signature of an individual 
who is authorized to sign birth certificates 
on behalf of the State, unit of local govern-
ment, or Tribal government in which the 
applicant was born; 
‘‘(vi) includes the date that the certifi-
cate was filed with the office responsible 
for keeping vital records in the State; and 
‘‘(vii) has the seal of the State, unit 
of local government, or Tribal government 
that issued the birth certificate. 
‘‘(B) An extract from a United States hos-
pital Record of Birth created at the time of the 
applicant’s birth which indicates that the appli-
cant’s place of birth was in the United States. 
‘‘(C) A final adoption decree showing the 
applicant’s name and that the applicant’s place 
of birth was in the United States. 
‘‘(D) A Consular Report of Birth Abroad 
of a citizen of the United States or a certifi-
cation of the applicant’s Report of Birth of a 
United States citizen issued by the Secretary of 
State. 
‘‘(E) A Naturalization Certificate or Cer-
tificate of Citizenship issued by the Secretary of 
Homeland Security or any other document or 
method of proof of United States citizenship
issued by the Federal government pursuant to 
the Immigration and Nationality Act. 
‘‘(F) An American Indian Card issued by 
the Department of Homeland Security with the 
classification ‘KIC’.’’. 
(b) IN GENERAL.—Section 4 of the National Voter 
Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 20503) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘subsection 
(b)’’ and inserting ‘‘subsection (c)’’; 
(2) by redesignating subsection (b) as sub-
section (c); and 
(3) by inserting after subsection (a) the fol-
lowing new subsection: 
‘‘(b) REQUIRING APPLICANTS TO PRESENT DOCU-
MENTARY PROOF OF UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP.— 
Under any method of voter registration in a State, the 
State shall not accept and process an application to reg-
ister to vote in an election for Federal office unless the 
applicant presents documentary proof of United States 
citizenship with the application.’’. 
(c) REGISTRATION WITH APPLICATION FOR MOTOR 
VEHICLE DRIVER’S LICENSE.—Section 5 of the National 
Voter Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 20504) is 
amended—
(1) in subsection (a)(1), by striking ‘‘Each 
State motor vehicle driver’s license application’’ and 
inserting ‘‘Subject to the requirements under section 
8(j), each State motor vehicle driver’s license appli-
cation’’; 
(2) in subsection (c)(1), by striking ‘‘Each 
State shall include’’ and inserting ‘‘Subject to the 
requirements under section 8(j), each State shall in-
clude’’; 
(3) in subsection (c)(2)(B)— 
(A) in clause (i), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the 
end; 
(B) in clause (ii), by adding ‘‘and’’ at the 
end; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following new 
clause: 
‘‘(iii) verify that the applicant is a citizen 
of the United States;’’; 
(4) in subsection (c)(2)(C)(i), by striking ‘‘(in-
cluding citizenship)’’ and inserting ‘‘, including the 
requirement that the applicant provides documentary 
proof of United States citizenship’’; and 
(5) in subsection (c)(2)(D)(iii), by striking ‘‘; 
and’’ and inserting the following: ‘‘, other than as 
evidence in a criminal proceeding or immigration
proceeding brought against an applicant who know-
ingly attempts to register to vote and knowingly 
makes a false declaration under penalty of perjury 
that the applicant meets the eligibility requirements 
to register to vote in an election for Federal office; 
and’’. 
(d) REQUIRING DOCUMENTARY PROOF OF UNITED 
STATES CITIZENSHIP WITH NATIONAL MAIL VOTER 
REGISTRATION FORM.—Section 6 of the National Voter 
Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 20505) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)(1)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘Each State shall accept 
and use’’ and inserting ‘‘Subject to the require-
ments under section 8(j), each State shall ac-
cept and use’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘Federal Election Commis-
sion’’ and inserting ‘‘Election Assistance Com-
mission’’; 
(2) in subsection (b), by adding at the end the 
following: ‘‘The chief State election official of a 
State shall take such steps as may be necessary to 
ensure that residents of the State are aware of the 
requirement to provide documentary proof of United 
States citizenship to register to vote in elections for 
Federal office in the State.’’;
(3) in subsection (c)(1)— 
(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking 
‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(B) in subparagraph (B) by striking the 
period at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following new 
subparagraph: 
‘‘(C) the person did not provide documentary 
proof of United States citizenship when registering 
to vote.’’; and 
(4) by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(e) ENSURING PROOF OF UNITED STATES CITIZEN-
SHIP.— 
‘‘(1) PRESENTING PROOF OF UNITED STATES 
CITIZENSHIP TO ELECTION OFFICIAL.—An applicant 
who submits the mail voter registration application 
form prescribed by the Election Assistance Commis-
sion pursuant to section 9(a)(2) or a form described 
in paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection (a) shall not 
be registered to vote in an election for Federal office 
unless— 
‘‘(A) the applicant presents documentary 
proof of United States citizenship in person to 
the office of the appropriate election official not
later than the deadline provided by State law 
for the receipt of a completed voter registration 
application for the election; or 
‘‘(B) in the case of a State which permits 
an individual to register to vote in an election 
for Federal office at a polling place on the day 
of the election and on any day when voting, in-
cluding early voting, is permitted for the elec-
tion, the applicant presents documentary proof 
of United States citizenship to the appropriate 
election official at the polling place not later 
than the date of the election. 
‘‘(2) NOTIFICATION OF REQUIREMENT.—Upon 
receiving an otherwise completed mail voter registra-
tion application form prescribed by the Election As-
sistance Commission pursuant to section 9(a)(2) or 
a form described in paragraph (1) or (2) of sub-
section (a), the appropriate election official shall 
transmit a notice to the applicant of the requirement 
to present documentary proof of United States citi-
zenship under this subsection, and shall include in 
the notice instructions to enable the applicant to 
meet the requirement. 
‘‘(3) ACCESSIBILITY.—Each State shall, in con-
sultation with the Election Assistance Commission,
ensure that reasonable accommodations are made to 
allow an individual with a disability who submits the 
mail voter registration application form prescribed 
by the Election Assistance Commission pursuant to 
section 9(a)(2) or a form described in paragraph (1) 
or (2) of subsection (a) to present documentary 
proof of United States citizenship to the appropriate 
election official.’’. 
(e) REQUIREMENTS
FOR
VOTER
REGISTRATION 
AGENCIES.—Section 7 of the National Voter Registration 
Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 20506) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) in paragraph (4)(A), by adding at the 
end the following new clause: 
‘‘(iv) Receipt of documentary proof of United 
States citizenship of each applicant to register to 
vote in elections for Federal office in the State.’’; 
and 
(B) in paragraph (6)— 
(i) in subparagraph (A)(i)(I), by strik-
ing ‘‘(including citizenship)’’ and inserting 
‘‘, including the requirement that the ap-
plicant provides documentary proof of 
United States citizenship’’; and
(ii) by redesignating subparagraph 
(B) as subparagraph (C); and 
(iii) by inserting after subparagraph 
(A) the following new subparagraph: 
‘‘(B) ask the applicant the question, ‘Are you a 
citizen of the United States?’ and if the applicant 
answers in the affirmative require documentary 
proof of United States citizenship prior to providing 
the form under subparagraph (C);’’; and 
(2) in subsection (c)(1), by inserting ‘‘who are 
citizens of the United States’’ after ‘‘for persons’’. 
(f) REQUIREMENTS WITH RESPECT TO ADMINISTRA-
TION OF VOTER REGISTRATION.—Section 8 of the Na-
tional Voter Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 20507) 
is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘In the administration of 
voter registration’’ and inserting ‘‘Subject to 
the requirements of subsection (j), in the ad-
ministration of voter registration’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (3)— 
(i) in subparagraph (B), by striking 
‘‘or’’ at the end; and 
(ii) by adding at the end the following 
new subparagraphs:
‘‘(D) based on documentary proof or 
verified information that the registrant is not a 
United States citizen; or 
‘‘(E) the registration otherwise fails to 
comply with applicable State law;’’; 
(2) by redesignating subsection (j) as sub-
section (l); and 
(3) by inserting after subsection (i) the fol-
lowing new subsections: 
‘‘(j) ENSURING ONLY CITIZENS ARE REGISTERED TO 
VOTE.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other 
provision of this Act, a State may not register an in-
dividual to vote in elections for Federal office held 
in the State unless, at the time the individual ap-
plies to register to vote, the individual provides docu-
mentary proof of United States citizenship. 
‘‘(2) ADDITIONAL
PROCESSES
IN
CERTAIN 
CASES.— 
‘‘(A) PROCESS FOR THOSE WITHOUT DOC-
UMENTARY PROOF.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—Subject to any rel-
evant guidance adopted by the Election As-
sistance Commission, each State shall es-
tablish a process under which an applicant
who cannot provide documentary proof of 
United States citizenship under paragraph 
(1) may, if the applicant signs an attesta-
tion under penalty of perjury that the ap-
plicant is a citizen of the United States 
and eligible to vote in elections for Federal 
office, submit such other evidence to the 
appropriate State or local official dem-
onstrating that the applicant is a citizen of 
the United States and such official shall 
make a determination as to whether the 
applicant 
has 
sufficiently 
established 
United States citizenship for purposes of 
registering to vote in elections for Federal 
office in the State. 
‘‘(ii) AFFIDAVIT REQUIREMENT.—If a 
State or local official makes a determina-
tion under clause (i) that an applicant has 
sufficiently established United States citi-
zenship for purposes of registering to vote 
in elections for Federal office in the State, 
such determination shall be accompanied 
by an affidavit developed under clause (iii) 
signed by the official swearing or affirming 
the 
applicant 
sufficiently 
established
United States citizenship for purposes of 
registering to vote. 
‘‘(iii) DEVELOPMENT
OF
AFFIDAVIT 
BY
THE
ELECTION
ASSISTANCE
COMMIS-
SION.—The Election Assistance Commis-
sion shall develop a uniform affidavit for 
use by State and local officials under 
clause (ii), which shall— 
‘‘(I) include an explanation of the 
minimum standards required for a 
State or local official to register an 
applicant who cannot provide docu-
mentary proof of United States citi-
zenship to vote in elections for Fed-
eral office in the State; and 
‘‘(II) require the official to ex-
plain the basis for registering such 
applicant to vote in such elections. 
‘‘(B) PROCESS IN CASE OF CERTAIN DIS-
CREPANCIES IN DOCUMENTATION.—Subject to 
any relevant guidance adopted by the Election 
Assistance Commission, each State shall estab-
lish a process under which an applicant can 
provide such additional documentation to the 
appropriate election official of the State as may
be necessary to establish that the applicant is 
a citizen of the United States in the event of a 
discrepancy with respect to the applicant’s doc-
umentary proof of United States citizenship. 
‘‘(3) STATE REQUIREMENTS.—Each State shall 
take affirmative steps on an ongoing basis to ensure 
that only United States citizens are registered to 
vote under the provisions of this Act, which shall in-
clude the establishment of a program described in 
paragraph (4) not later than 30 days after the date 
of the enactment of this subsection. 
‘‘(4) PROGRAM DESCRIBED.—A State may meet 
the requirements of paragraph (3) by establishing a 
program under which the State identifies individuals 
who are not United States citizens using information 
supplied by one or more of the following sources: 
‘‘(A) The Department of Homeland Secu-
rity through the Systematic Alien Verification 
for Entitlements (‘SAVE’) or otherwise. 
‘‘(B) The Social Security Administration 
through 
the 
Social 
Security 
Number 
Verification Service, or otherwise. 
‘‘(C) State agencies that supply State iden-
tification cards or driver’s licenses where the
agency confirms the United States citizenship 
status of applicants. 
‘‘(D) Other sources, including databases, 
which provide confirmation of United States 
citizenship status. 
‘‘(5) AVAILABILITY OF INFORMATION.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—At the request of a 
State election official (including a request re-
lated to a process established by a State under 
paragraph (2)(A) or (2)(B)), any head of a 
Federal department or agency possessing infor-
mation relevant to determining the eligibility of 
an individual to vote in elections for Federal of-
fice shall, not later than 24 hours after receipt 
of such request, provide the official with such 
information as may be necessary to enable the 
official to verify that an applicant for voter reg-
istration in elections for Federal office held in 
the State or a registrant on the official list of 
eligible voters in elections for Federal office 
held in the State is a citizen of the United 
States, which shall include providing the official 
with such batched information as may be re-
quested by the official.
‘‘(B) USE
OF
SAVE
SYSTEM.—The Sec-
retary of Homeland Security may respond to a 
request received under paragraph (1) by using 
the system for the verification of immigration 
status under the applicable provisions of section 
1137 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1320b-7), as established pursuant to section 
121(c) of the Immigration Reform and Control 
Act of 1986 (Public Law 99–603). 
‘‘(C) SHARING
OF
INFORMATION.—The 
heads of Federal departments and agencies 
shall share information with each other with re-
spect to an individual who is the subject of a 
request received under paragraph (A) in order 
to enable them to respond to the request. 
‘‘(D) INVESTIGATION
FOR
PURPOSES
OF 
REMOVAL.—The Secretary of Homeland Secu-
rity shall conduct an investigation to determine 
whether to initiate removal proceedings under 
section 239 of the Immigration and Nationality 
Act (8 U.S.C. 1229) if it is determined pursu-
ant to subparagraph (A) or (B) that an alien 
(as such term is defined in section 101 of the 
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
1101)) is unlawfully registered to vote in elec-
tions for Federal office. 
‘‘(E) PROHIBITING FEES.—The head of a 
Federal department or agency may not charge 
a fee for responding to a State’s request under 
paragraph (A). 
‘‘(k) REMOVAL OF NONCITIZENS FROM REGISTRA-
TION ROLLS.—A State shall remove an individual who is 
not a citizen of the United States from the official list 
of eligible voters for elections for Federal office held in 
the State at any time upon receipt of documentation or 
verified information that a registrant is not a United 
States citizen.’’. 
(g) CLARIFICATION OF AUTHORITY OF STATE TO RE-
MOVE NONCITIZENS FROM OFFICIAL LIST OF ELIGIBLE 
VOTERS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 8(a)(4) of the Na-
tional Voter Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 
20507(a)(4)) is amended— 
(A) by striking ‘‘or’’ at the end of subpara-
graph (A); 
(B) by adding ‘‘or’’ at the end of subpara-
graph (B); and 
(C) by adding at the end the following new 
subparagraph:
‘‘(C) documentary proof or verified infor-
mation that the registrant is not a United 
States citizen;’’. 
(2) 
CONFORMING
AMENDMENT.—Section 
8(c)(2)(B)(i) 
of 
such 
Act 
(52 
U.S.C. 
20507(c)(2)(B)(i)) is amended by striking ‘‘(4)(A)’’ 
and inserting ‘‘(4)(A) or (C)’’. 
(h) REQUIREMENTS WITH RESPECT TO FEDERAL 
MAIL VOTER REGISTRATION FORM.— 
(1) CONTENTS OF MAIL VOTER REGISTRATION 
FORM.—Section 9(b) of such Act (52 U.S.C. 
20508(b)) is amended— 
(A) in paragraph (2)(A), by striking ‘‘(in-
cluding citizenship)’’ and inserting ‘‘(including 
an explanation of what is required to present 
documentary proof of United States citizen-
ship)’’; 
(B) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 
the end; 
(C) in paragraph (4), by striking the pe-
riod at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(D) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(5) shall include a section, for use only by a 
State or local election official, to record the type of
document the applicant presented as documentary 
proof of United States citizenship, including the date 
of issuance, the date of expiration (if any), the office 
which issued the document, and any unique identi-
fication number associated with the document.’’. 
(2) INFORMATION ON MAIL VOTER REGISTRA-
TION
FORM.—Section 9(b)(4) of such Act (52 
U.S.C. 20508(b)(4)) is amended— 
(A) by redesignating clauses (i) through 
(iii) as subparagraphs (A) through (C), respec-
tively; and 
(B) in subparagraph (C) (as so redesig-
nated and as amended by paragraph (1)(C)), by 
striking ‘‘; and’’ and inserting the following: ‘‘, 
other than as evidence in a criminal proceeding 
or immigration proceeding brought against an 
applicant who attempts to register to vote and 
makes a false declaration under penalty of per-
jury that the applicant meets the eligibility re-
quirements to register to vote in an election for 
Federal office; and’’. 
(i) PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION.—Section 11(b)(1) of 
the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 
20510(b)(1)) is amended by striking ‘‘a violation of this 
Act’’ and inserting ‘‘a violation of this Act, including the
act of an election official who registers an applicant to 
vote in an election for Federal office who fails to present 
documentary proof of United States citizenship,’’. 
(j) CRIMINAL PENALTIES.—Section 12(2) of such 
Act (52 U.S.C. 20511(2)) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘or’’ at the end of subparagraph 
(A); 
(2) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as sub-
paragraph (D); and 
(3) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the fol-
lowing new subparagraphs: 
‘‘(B) in the case of an officer or employee 
of the executive branch, providing material as-
sistance to a noncitizen in attempting to reg-
ister to vote or vote in an election for Federal 
office; 
‘‘(C) registering an applicant to vote in an 
election for Federal office who fails to present 
documentary proof of United States citizenship; 
or’’. 
(k) APPLICABILITY OF REQUIREMENTS TO CERTAIN 
STATES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (c) of section 4 
of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (52 
U.S.C. 20503), as redesignated by subsection (b), is
amended by striking ‘‘This Act does not apply to a 
State’’ and inserting ‘‘Except with respect to the re-
quirements under subsection (i) and (j) of section 8 
in the case of a State described in paragraph (2), 
this Act does not apply to a State’’. 
(2) PERMITTING STATES TO ADOPT REQUIRE-
MENTS AFTER ENACTMENT.—Section 4 of such Act 
(52 U.S.C. 20503) is amended by adding at the end 
the following new subsection: 
‘‘(d) PERMITTING STATES TO ADOPT CERTAIN RE-
QUIREMENTS AFTER ENACTMENT.—Subsections (i) and 
(j) of section 8 shall not apply to a State described in 
subsection (c)(2) if the State, by law or regulation, adopts 
requirements which are identical to the requirements 
under such subsections not later than 60 days prior to 
the date of the first election for Federal office which is 
held in the State after the date of the enactment of the 
SAVE Act.’’. 
SEC. 3. ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION GUIDANCE. 
Not later than 10 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Election Assistance Commission shall 
adopt and transmit to the chief State election official of 
each State guidance with respect to the implementation 
of the requirements under the National Voter Registration
Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 20501 et seq.), as amended by 
section 2. 
SEC. 4. INAPPLICABILITY OF PAPERWORK REDUCTION 
ACT. 
Subchapter I of chapter 35 of title 44 (commonly re-
ferred to as the ‘‘Paperwork Reduction Act’’) shall not 
apply with respect to the development or modification of 
voter registration materials under the National Voter Reg-
istration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 20501 et seq.), as 
amended by section 2, including the development or modi-
fication of any voter registration application forms. 
SEC. 5. DUTY OF SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY TO 
NOTIFY 
ELECTION 
OFFICIALS 
OF 
NATU-
RALIZATION. 
Upon receiving information that an individual has be-
come a naturalized citizen of the United States, the Sec-
retary of Homeland Security shall promptly provide notice 
of such information to the appropriate chief election offi-
cial of the State in which such individual is domiciled. 
SEC. 6. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION REGARDING PROVI-
SIONAL BALLOTS. 
Nothing in this Act or in any amendment made by 
this Act may be construed to supercede, restrict, or other-
wise affect the ability of an individual to cast a provisional 
ballot in an election for Federal office or to have the ballot
counted in the election if the individual is verified as a 
citizen of the United States pursuant to section 8(j) of 
the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (as added 
by section 2(f)). 
SEC. 7. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION REGARDING EFFECT ON 
STATE EXEMPTIONS FROM OTHER FEDERAL 
LAWS. 
Nothing in this Act or in any amendment made by 
this Act may be construed to affect the exemption of a 
State from any requirement of any Federal law other than 
the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 
20501 et seq.). 
SEC. 8. EFFECTIVE DATE. 
This Act and the amendments made by this Act shall 
take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act, and 
shall apply with respect to applications for voter registra-
tion which are submitted on or after such date. 
Passed the House of Representatives July 10, 2024. 
Attest: 
Clerk.
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8281 
AN ACT 
To amend the National Voter Registration Act of 
1993 to require proof of United States citizen-
ship to register an individual to vote in elections 
for Federal office, and for other purposes.