Florida made headlines in April when the state’s Senate fast-tracked and passed a bill, titled SB 7050, that included an amendment that gave Gov. Ron DeSantis the “all-clear” to run for president while maintaining his status as governor.
After DeSantis makes his presidential announcement Wednesday, signing that bill will be the last hurdle.
But the bill’s co-sponsor and the author of Florida’s original 2018 “resign to run” law, Republican Sen. Travis Hutson of St. Augustine, believes that the law already allowed DeSantis to run without resigning.
“But it’s been talked about so much … that I thought, ‘Why don’t we just clarify this one step further?’” said Hutson.
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Hidden beneath those headlines were the details of the 98-page bill the amendment was attached to, outlining sweeping changes to voter registration regulations that voter advocates call crippling.
Democrats questioned how DeSantis could simultaneously govern and campaign, calling it special treatment. Voting rights groups said the bill would restrict votes from communities of color.
Florida legislation proposed 27 changes to state elections code
The bill makes changes to election laws that Democrats and voting rights groups say are unnecessary, harmful and would restrict votes from communities of color, which skew Democratic. And it also proposes 27 changes to the state’s Elections Code.
Their loudest concerns are about the changes to third-party voter registration organization regulations.
“Nonpartisan third-party voter registration organizations have worked in Florida for years, helping our neighbors join the democratic process by getting them onto the voter rolls and involved in their government,” said House Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell of Tampa. “Black and brown voters are far more likely than white voters to get registered by a third-party voter registration organization.
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“That is one important reason why it is problematic to attack nonpartisan voter registration organizations through the policies in this bill.”
Proponents say it’s geared at bad actors, protecting voters and making sure the groups are meeting high standards.
“We are putting a priority on that voter’s personal information. It should be the most sacred part of the entire interaction,” said GOP Rep. Lawrence McClure, a sponsor of the legislation. “This bill protects the Florida voter, while making sure our elections remain the best in the nation.”
Here’s a quick look at some of the highlights:
- First-time voters without a verified social security number or Florida ID are required to vote in person.
- Third-party voter registration organizations are required to reregister with the state every election cycle.
- The legislation increases election law violation fines.
- It also expands training for signature verification of vote-by-mail ballots by mandating it for staff whose job duties include signature verification.
- The bill shortens the amount of time voter registration groups have to return completed forms to election offices from 14 days to 10 days.
First-time voters without ID or social security number now required to vote in person
First-time Florida voters who have not gotten a state-issued driver’s license, ID card or Social Security number would be required to vote in person, according to a legislative analysis. The only exception is “unless a federally mandated exception applies,” the analysis states.
Election law violation fines are increased
Fines against political committees for campaign finance reports filed late are set at a maximum of $1,000 per violation. The bill would increase that maximum to $2,500 per violation and allow the Florida Elections Commission or an administrative law judge to triple that fine if a person commits three counts of the same category of offense.
The legislation places burdens on third-party voter registration organizations
Citizens can register to vote directly with their county’s Supervisor of Elections Office, or they can sign up through an organization whose mission is to promote voting. These third-party organizations have operated in Florida for years under rules requiring them to register with the state and deliver to the elections supervisors every application they collect within 14 days.
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The new bill proposes requiring those organizations to reregister with the state for every general election cycle they plan to collect applications rather than a one-time registration.
It also proposes decreasing the number of days in which they must deliver a registration application from 14 to 10 days, increasing fines for late delivery and requiring the organization to give applicants receipts, to create a measure of accountability, according to GOP Florida Sen. Danny Burgess., chair of the Ethics and Elections Committee, who added that more than 3,000 registrations were submitted late in 2022.
Contributors: Mark Harper, The Daytona Beach News-Journal and Douglas Soule, USA TODAY Network-Florida
