Constitution, Campaigns and Elections committee gives bill favorable report to bar 'foreign national' ID for voting

The Constitution, Campaigns and Elections committee voted by voice to give a bill a favorable report that would codify that poll workers may not accept a “foreign national” identification card as proof of citizenship, citing a state statute specifying an Alabama driver's license.

Committee members said the change aims to clarify guidance for poll workers after an incident in which a worker flagged an identification labeled “foreign national.” Speaker 2, a committee member, described the episode: “This says foreign national. If I can't let foreign national vote, because you have to be a citizen.” Speaker 2 added, “you can't use your foreign national ID.” Speaker 1, a committee member, noted the statutory language, saying, “The statute said Alabama driver's license.”

Members discussed that some individuals who later naturalize may still carry older foreign national documents and that poll workers have sometimes refused those IDs without a codified rule to cite. Speaker 2 said the proposed codification would let officials “tell the poll workers, this is where the wall says you can't use foreign national.”

The committee concluded its discussion with a voice vote. Speaker 1 called for the vote: “All those in favor, say aye.” After the ayes and nays, Speaker 1 said, “The ayes have it, and the bill gives me a favorable report.” The transcript does not include a roll-call tally or identify movers or seconders for the motion; the vote was recorded as a voice vote.

The transcript segment provided here covers the committee discussion and the voice vote. The text does not record subsequent procedural steps for the bill or any floor scheduling.