{"format":1,"id":"118-hr-8281","congress":118,"number":"H.R. 8281","kind":"bill","group":"bills","title":"SAVE Act","title_source":"Short Title(s) as Passed House","official_title":"To amend the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to require proof of United States citizenship to register an individual to vote in elections for Federal office, and for other purposes.","titles":[{"type":"Official Title as Introduced","title":"To amend the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to require proof of United States citizenship to register an individual to vote in elections for Federal office, and for other purposes."},{"type":"Short Title(s) from PCS (Placed on Senate Calendar) bill text","title":"Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act"},{"type":"Short Title(s) from PCS (Placed on Senate Calendar) bill text","title":"SAVE Act"},{"type":"Display Title","title":"SAVE Act"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Passed House","title":"SAVE Act"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Passed House","title":"Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Reported to House","title":"SAVE Act"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Reported to House","title":"Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Introduced","title":"Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Introduced","title":"SAVE Act"}],"outcome":"passed_house","law_number":null,"introduced":"2024-05-07","chambers":{"house":{"status":"roll_call","date":"2024-07-10","vote":{"id":"118-2024-h345","question":"On Passage","title":"Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act","result":"Passed","yea":221,"nay":198,"present":0,"not_voting":14,"source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2024/roll345.xml"}},"senate":{"status":"na","date":null,"vote":null}},"president":{"status":"na","date":null},"vice_president_tie_breaker":null,"latest_action":{"text":"Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 439.","date":"2024-07-23"},"nominees":null,"amendments":[],"other_votes":[{"chamber":"house","date":"2024-07-10","question":"On Motion to Recommit","title":"Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act","result":"Failed","yea":184,"nay":197,"present":0,"not_voting":52,"kind":"procedural","source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2024/roll344.xml"}],"crs_summary":{"date":"2024-07-10","stage":"Passed House","blocks":[{"k":"h","t":"Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act or the SAVE Act"},{"k":"p","t":"This bill requires individuals to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship in order to register to vote in federal elections."},{"k":"p","t":"Specifically, the bill prohibits states from accepting and processing an application to register to vote in a federal election unless the applicant presents documentary proof of U.S. citizenship."},{"k":"p","t":"Further, the bill (1) prohibits states from registering an individual to vote in a federal election unless, at the time the individual applies to register to vote, the individual provides documentary proof of U.S. citizenship; and (2) requires states to establish an alternative process under which an applicant may submit other evidence to demonstrate U.S. citizenship."},{"k":"p","t":"Each state must take affirmative steps on an ongoing basis to ensure that only U.S. citizens are registered to vote, which shall include establishing a program to identify individuals who are not U.S. citizens using information supplied by specified sources."},{"k":"p","t":"Additionally, the bill requires states to remove noncitizens from their official lists of eligible voters."},{"k":"p","t":"The bill allows for a private right of action against an election official who registers an applicant to vote in a federal election who fails to present documentary proof of U.S. citizenship."},{"k":"p","t":"The bill establishes criminal penalties for certain offenses, including registering an applicant to vote in a federal election who fails to present documentary proof of U.S. citizenship."},{"k":"p","t":"The Election Assistance Commission must, within 10 days, adopt and transmit guidance for implementing the bill's requirements to chief state election officials."}],"words":249},"summary":{"main_subject":{"text":"Amends the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to require documentary proof of United States citizenship for an individual to be registered to vote in elections for Federal office.","cites":[{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8281/text/eh#H8F673D402EA5419B91315E093DDBBC03"}]},"core_areas":["Documentary proof of citizenship for Federal voter registration","State processes for applicants who lack or have discrepancies in proof of citizenship","Citizenship verification and removal of noncitizens from voter lists","Private right of action and criminal penalties under the National Voter Registration Act","Election Assistance Commission guidance"],"what_it_does":[{"text":"Defines \"documentary proof of United States citizenship\" in the National Voter Registration Act to include a REAL ID Act-compliant identification indicating citizenship, a valid United States passport, and certain military or government-issued photo identification, some of which must be presented with other listed documents.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8281/text/eh#H8F673D402EA5419B91315E093DDBBC03"}},{"text":"Prohibits a State from accepting and processing an application to register to vote in an election for Federal office unless the applicant presents documentary proof of United States citizenship with the application.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8281/text/eh#H8F673D402EA5419B91315E093DDBBC03"}},{"text":"Requires each State to set up a process for an applicant without documentary proof to sign an attestation under penalty of perjury and submit other evidence of citizenship, which an official reviews and, if accepted, records with a signed affidavit.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8281/text/eh#H8F673D402EA5419B91315E093DDBBC03"}},{"text":"Requires a State to remove an individual who is not a United States citizen from the official list of eligible voters upon receipt of documentation or verified information that the registrant is not a citizen.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8281/text/eh#H8F673D402EA5419B91315E093DDBBC03"}},{"text":"Adds to the National Voter Registration Act a private right of action covering an election official who registers an applicant without documentary proof of citizenship, and a criminal offense for registering such an applicant.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8281/text/eh#H8F673D402EA5419B91315E093DDBBC03"}},{"text":"Requires the Election Assistance Commission, within 10 days after enactment, to adopt and send to each State's chief election official guidance on implementing the amended National Voter Registration Act.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 3","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8281/text/eh#H9A5BCED4A5C14FAEA08A4A494F68DBB5"}}],"unexpected":[{"category":"selective_carve_out","items":[{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8281/text/eh#H8F673D402EA5419B91315E093DDBBC03"},"heading":"Ensuring only citizens are registered to vote in elections for Federal office","effect":"Provides that the new citizenship-proof and verification requirements in section 8(i) and (j) of the National Voter Registration Act do not apply to a State \"described in subsection (c)(2)\" if that State adopts identical requirements by a set deadline before its first Federal election after enactment.","amount":null,"quote":"Subsections (i) and (j) of section 8 shall not apply to a State described in subsection (c)(2) if the State, by law or regulation, adopts requirements which are identical"}]},{"category":"process_change","items":[{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 4","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8281/text/eh#HD84D8E2B2E954DAD816E8925E888142C"},"heading":"Inapplicability of Paperwork Reduction Act","effect":"Provides that the Paperwork Reduction Act's information-collection review process does not apply to developing or modifying voter registration materials and application forms under the National Voter Registration Act.","amount":null,"quote":"shall not apply with respect to the development or modification of voter registration materials under the National Voter Registration Act of 1993"}]}],"version":{"type":"Engrossed in House","date":"2024-07-10","rule":"passed","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8281/text/eh"},"current":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","approved":"2026-10-01","approved_by":"checks"},"sources":{"congress_gov":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8281","text":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8281/text"},"card":{"image":"card/item/118-hr-8281.png","v":"dd1f91d1a7b2","alt":"Votes on Record. H.R. 8281, 118th Congress: SAVE Act. House: 221 Yea, 198 Nay. Outcome: Passed House, 10 Jul 2024."}}