I
105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 1139
To amend the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to require individuals
applying to register to vote in elections for Federal office to produce
actual proof of citizenship and to permit States to require individuals
to produce a photographic identification in order to vote in an election
for Federal office.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 20, 1997
Mr. TAUZIN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee
on House Oversight
A BILL
To amend the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to
require individuals applying to register to vote in elec-
tions for Federal office to produce actual proof of citizen-
ship and to permit States to require individuals to
produce a photographic identification in order to vote
in an election for Federal office.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Ballot Security Act
of 1997’’.
SEC. 2. REQUIRING ACTUAL PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP FOR
INDIVIDUALS APPLYING TO REGISTER TO
VOTE.
(a) REGISTRATION WITH MOTOR VEHICLE DRIVER’S
LICENSE APPLICATION.—Section 5(c) of the National
Voter Registration Act of 1993 (42 U.S.C. 1973gg–3(c))
is amended by adding at the end the following new para-
graph:
‘‘(3) The voter registration portion of an application
for a State motor vehicle driver’s license shall not be con-
sidered to be completed unless the applicant provides to
the appropriate State motor vehicle authority proof that
the applicant is a citizen of the United States.’’.
(b) REGISTRATION
WITH
VOTER
REGISTRATION
AGENCIES.—Section 7(a) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1973gg–
5(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following new
paragraph:
‘‘(8) A voter registration application received by a
voter registration agency shall not be considered to be
completed unless the applicant provides to the agency
proof that the applicant is a citizen of the United States.’’.
(c) MAIL REGISTRATION.—Section 9(b) of such Act
(42 U.S.C. 1973gg–7(b)) is amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of paragraph
(3);
(2) by striking the period at the end of para-
graph (4) and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new
paragraph:
‘‘(5) shall include a statement that the registra-
tion shall not be accepted unless the applicant pro-
vides proof that the applicant is a citizen of the
United States.’’.
(d) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 8(a)(5)(A)
of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1973gg–6(a)(5)(A)) is amended
by striking the semicolon and inserting the following: ‘‘,
including the requirement that the applicant provide proof
of citizenship;’’.
SEC. 3. PERMITTING STATE TO REQUIRE VOTERS TO
PRODUCE PHOTOGRAPHIC IDENTIFICATION.
Section 8 of the National Voter Registration Act of
1993 (42 U.S.C. 1973gg–6) is amended—
(1) by redesignating subsection (j) as sub-
section (k); and
(2) by inserting after subsection (i) the follow-
ing new subsection:
‘‘(i) PERMITTING STATES TO REQUIRE VOTERS TO
PRODUCE PHOTO IDENTIFICATION.—A State may require
an individual to produce a valid photographic identifica-
tion before receiving a ballot for voting in an election for
Federal office.’’.
SEC. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE.
The amendments made by this Act shall apply with
respect to elections for Federal office occurring after De-
cember 1997.
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