The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for March 18, 2026
The Florida legislature passed HB 991 March 12th, a state version of the federal SAVE America Act, now before the U.S. Senate. Governor Ron DeSantis is likely to sign the bill, requiring, among several voting restrictions, having proof of citizenship on file for every Florida voter. It’s likely to disenfranchise thousands.
The bill also further narrows acceptable IDs for voting, including eliminating student photo IDs as an option. Almost a million students attend Florida colleges.
The Florida Phoenix reports that every Florida voter’s citizenship status, new or existing, will now be run through Florida’s Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles records prior to approval. If no citizenship documents are on file, voters must provide proof, including, A REAL ID-compliant driver’s license, a U.S. birth certificate or passport, a naturalization certificate or alien registration number, a current federal ID, a state-issued ID which includes a citizenship designation, or a court order granting citizenship.
During debate on the bill, the sponsor of the bill said over 872,000 Floridians don’t have a REAL ID compliant driver’s license. The Brennan Center for Justice found nationally that 1 in 9 Americans don’t have ready access to proof of citizenship documents.
In 2025, state officials referred 170 noncitizens on the voter rolls for investigation, out of 13 million registered voters. We have the local reporting and the text of HB 991 at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.
Today’s Links
Articles & Resources:
Florida Phoenix – Florida Legislature approves bill requiring voters to provide proof of citizenship
Florida Legislature – HB 991 Text
The Hill – Florida passes voter measure modeled after SAVE Act
Brennan Center for Justice – 21.3 Million American Citizens of Voting Age Don’t Have Ready Access to Citizenship Documents
Groups Taking Action:
League of Women Voters FL, Mi Familia Vota, Common Cause FL
Register or Check Your Voter Registration:
U.S. Election Assistance Commission – How to Register And Vote in Your State
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