The fast pace of a bill requiring photo ID at the polls is the latest sign Republicans are moving quickly on their legislative agenda in the face of likely recall elections.
The Joint Finance Committee approved the bill 12-2 Monday on party lines, despite fierce objections from Democrats that the bill was taken up when a key opponent of the bill couldn’t attend for medical reasons. Rep. Robin Vos (R-Rochester), co-chairman of the committee, said the group had to meet Monday because Democrats will likely slow it down when it gets to the floor of the Assembly on Wednesday.
To vote, people would have to show Wisconsin driver’s licenses, state-issued ID cards, military IDs, passports, naturalization certificates, IDs issued by Wisconsin-based tribes or certain student IDs. Those living in nursing homes and the like would be exempt from the law, as would victims of stalking and those opposed to having their photos taken on religious grounds.
The student IDs would be acceptable if they came from accredited colleges and universities in Wisconsin, included signatures, and expired within two years of being issued. Those showing college IDs would have to establish they are current students.
People would be asked to show their IDs at elections later this year but would still be allowed to vote if they didn’t have IDs with them. They would be told that the law is changing and that photo IDs would be required to vote in 2012.
Full Article: GOP moves quickly on voter ID bill – JSOnline.