Committee approves reporting of bill barring municipal IDs as statewide voter ID unless authorized by law

Summary

The committee adopted technical updates and reported House Bill 5203, which would prohibit municipalities from issuing municipal identification cards for use as voter ID in statewide elections if the card is not authorized by state law; the bill was sent on with a recommendation to pass and referral to the Judiciary Committee under its double reference.

Committee counsel explained that House Bill 5203 would add a subsection prohibiting municipalities from issuing municipal identification cards for use as voter ID in statewide elections if the card is not otherwise authorized by state law.

Counsel said the strike-and-insert amendment cleans up internal code citations and makes no substantive changes to the policy. He noted the bill passed the House with 84 votes and that the measure has a second reference to the Judiciary Committee.

The vice chair moved adoption of the amendment and that HB 5203 be reported to the full Senate with a recommendation to pass as amended, under its original double committee reference first to the Judiciary Committee; the motion was adopted on a voice vote and the bill will be reported.

The transcript does not include further testimony on municipal IDs; the committee record reflects technical edits and a referral to Judiciary as part of standard committee procedure.