To Create The Only Citizens Vote Act; To Amend The Law Concerning The Driver's Licenses And Identification Cards Of Certain Noncitizens; And To Amend Arkansas Constitution, Amendment 51, Section 13.
Summary
HB1422, titled the “Only Citizens Vote Act,” would change Arkansas election and driver’s license laws to make it easier to identify and restrict noncitizens from voting. The bill amends Arkansas Constitution Amendment 51 and related election statutes to clarify which documents count for voter registration verification, while expressly excluding certain driver’s licenses issued to people with valid, unexpired nonimmigrant visas or nonimmigrant visa status from being used for voter identification purposes.
The bill also requires the Department of Finance and Administration to send the Secretary of State a monthly report listing people who hold driver’s licenses and have valid nonimmigrant visa status. The Secretary of State would compare that list against voter registration records, notify county clerks if a match is found, and trigger cancellation of the voter registration. The Department of Finance and Administration would then suspend the person’s driver’s license. In addition, licenses issued to these noncitizens would have to expire with the visa, be marked “Non-Citizen,” be distinctive in appearance, and be printed in a vertical format.
Impact
HB1422 would substantially affect Arkansas election administration, voter registration verification, and driver licensing rules for noncitizens with nonimmigrant visa status. It would amend Amendment 51 and multiple sections of Titles 7 and 27 of the Arkansas Code to create a reporting-and-cross-check system between the Department of Finance and Administration and the Secretary of State, and it would require county clerks to cancel registrations identified through that process. It also changes the design and legal use of certain driver’s licenses by making them visibly distinct and invalid for federal or voter identification purposes.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests the bill had meaningful support in the House, passing third reading 53-25. No committee transcript is available, so there is no recorded debate to summarize, but the bill’s title and provisions indicate a strong election-integrity and citizenship-verification framing. The vote margin suggests the measure was supported by a majority but remained divisive.
Contention
The main point of contention is the bill’s treatment of noncitizens with lawful nonimmigrant status, especially the automatic sharing of licensing data with election officials, cancellation of voter registrations, and suspension of driver’s licenses. Supporters appear to view these provisions as safeguards to ensure only citizens vote and to prevent noncitizen registration, while opponents would likely focus on privacy, due process, administrative burden, and the risk of wrongly targeting lawful residents who may be eligible for certain state benefits or who are not actually registered voters. The visible labeling of licenses as “Non-Citizen” is also likely to be controversial.