Florida lawmakers passed a voting measure that is based on the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE America) Act, aimed at safeguarding elections.
The legislation, HB 991, passed the state House in a 77-28 vote. The bill previously passed the state Senate in a 27-12 vote. Governor Ron DeSantis (R) supports the bill, writing on social media, “Although Florida has already enacted much of what the federal legislation contemplates, this will further fortify our state as the leader in election integrity.”
The bill’s Senate sponsor, Sen. Erin Grall (R), told The Sun Sentinel, “Some of you know people who have lost the election by a very small vote margin. So what is our tolerance for fraud and lack of integrity?”
“And yes, we have safe elections in Florida, but they don’t stay safe and secure if we don’t pay attention to the large gaps that exist where we can address additional fraud,” Grall said.
President Trump demanded that the Senate pass the SAVE Act, declaring that its passage “must be done immediately” and “supersedes everything else.”
“MUST GO TO THE FRONT OF THE LINE,” Trump demanded. “I, as President, will not sign other Bills until this is passed.” He stressed that the bill must not be watered down, but instead require voter ID, proof of citizenship, and ban mail-in ballots except for those in the military.
The SAVE Act would require voters to present proof of citizenship and government-issued identification to register to vote in federal elections. Voter registration data would be routed through the Department of Homeland Security for verification, and states would be required to regularly audit voter rolls to remove non-citizens. Criminal penalties would apply to any state official who registers voters without proper documentation.
