HB63 Alabama 2011 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Gregory Canfield

Republican

Co-Sponsors

William RobertsDan WilliamsBarry MooreEd HenryMike HubbardWes LongRichard BaughnBecky NordgrenDonnie ChesteenJohn MerrillKen JohnsonTerri CollinsKerry RichVictor GastonJack WilliamsAlan BakerJim McClendonDuwayne BridgesHoward SanderfordPhil WilliamsGreg WrenAllen TreadawayRon JohnsonMary Sue McClurkinJim Patterson

Session

Regular Session 2011

Title

Elections, photo identification required to register to vote, Secretary of State required to issue identification cards to persons without photo identification at no cost, Sec. 17-9-30 am'd.; Act 2010-687, 2010 Reg. Sess. am'd.

Summary

HB63 would require voters to show government-issued photo ID to vote and would create a free state photo voter identification card for those who lack ID.

What This Bill Does

It requires valid photo identification to vote in person and defines a broad list of acceptable IDs, including driver’s licenses, college IDs, military IDs, and other documents showing name and address. It directs the Secretary of State to issue a free Alabama photo voter identification card to registered voters who do not have valid ID, with production possibly handled by a private vendor and costs paid from the General Fund. It imposes penalties for fraudulent ID applications and outlines rules for absentee ballots, provisional ballots, and identification methods, while excluding municipal elections from certain provisions. The law would take effect at the first statewide primary in 2014, with pre-existing ID requirements applying to earlier elections, and it would not require local government approval under Amendment 621 due to specified exceptions.

Who It Affects

• Registered Alabama voters who currently lack valid photo ID would be able to obtain a free Alabama photo voter identification card to use when voting.
• The Secretary of State, along with any private vendor contracted to produce the ID cards, and state funds (General Fund) would handle issuance, production, and related costs; local governments are affected indirectly through funding and implementation requirements.

Key Provisions

• Requires voters to present valid photo identification to vote in person and expands the list of acceptable IDs to include driver’s licenses, college IDs, government documents, and other specified documents that show name and address.
• The Secretary of State must issue a free Alabama photo voter identification card to registered voters who do not have valid ID, with card production potentially contracted to a private vendor and paid for from the General Fund for Registration of Voters.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Elections