Voting groups file federal challenge against Florida’s ‘SAVE’ Act

Black Voters Matter Fund and the League of United Latin American Citizens filed a federal lawsuit against Florida's HB 991, which requires proof of citizenship to register to vote via birth certificate, passport, or citizenship-indicating driver's license, and eliminates student IDs as valid identification. The law, signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in April, takes effect Jan. 1 and a separate suit is already set for trial in 2027.

The plaintiffs argue the law violates the National Voter Registration Act and Fourteenth Amendment, warning that naturalized citizens are especially vulnerable because government records may still list their prior noncitizen status. They also cite the cost and difficulty of obtaining documents — passports run $130 to $165 — and note Florida had the second-highest number of newly naturalized residents in the country in 2024.

DeSantis, signing the bill, predicted the exact sequence now unfolding: a lawsuit, a favorable ruling for challengers, and an eventual appeal he expects the state to win. Secretary of State Cord Byrd defended the law as upholding the state constitution's citizens-only voting requirement.

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