{"bill":{"id":"119-s-5271","congress":119,"type":"S","number":5271,"title":"A bill to amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to require voters to provide photo identification.","originChamber":"Senate","introducedDate":"2026-08-05","sponsors":[{"bioguideId":"H001104","fullName":"Sen. Husted, Jon [R-OH]","party":"R","state":"OH","district":null}],"cosponsorsCount":2,"latestAction":{"actionDate":"2026-08-08","text":"Cloture on the motion to proceed to the measure not invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 52 - 46. Record Vote Number: 231."},"policyArea":"Government Operations and Politics","subjects":["Elections, voting, political campaign regulation","Licensing and registrations","State and local government operations","Visas and passports","Voting rights"],"actions":[{"date":"2026-08-08","text":"Cloture on the motion to proceed to the measure not invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 52 - 46. Record Vote Number: 231.","type":"Floor","chamber":"Senate","hasVote":true},{"date":"2026-08-08","text":"Cloture motion on the motion to proceed to the measure presented in Senate. (CR S4556)","type":"Floor","chamber":"Senate","hasVote":false},{"date":"2026-08-08","text":"Motion to proceed to consideration of measure made in Senate. (CR S4556)","type":"Floor","chamber":"Senate","hasVote":false},{"date":"2026-08-06","text":"Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 547.","type":"Calendars","chamber":"Senate","hasVote":false},{"date":"2026-08-05","text":"Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.","type":"Calendars","chamber":"Senate","hasVote":false},{"date":"2026-08-05","text":"Introduced in Senate","type":"IntroReferral","chamber":"Library of Congress","hasVote":false}],"summary":"<p><strong></strong>This bill establishes certain photo identification requirements for voting in federal elections.</p><p>Specifically, the bill prohibits a state or local election official from providing a ballot for a federal election to an individual who does not present valid physical photo identification.</p><p>Next, the bill outlines the availability of provisional ballots and the requirements for counting those ballots. An individual who does not present a valid photo identification must be permitted to cast a provisional ballot. However, an election official may not determine that the individual is eligible under state law to vote in the election unless, not later than three days after casting the provisional ballot, the individual presents (1) the identification required, or (2) an affidavit attesting that the individual does not possess the identification because of a religious objection to being photographed.</p><p>An election official may not allow for voting methods other than in-person voting unless the individual submits with the ballot (1) a copy of their photo identification, or (2) the last four digits of their Social Security number with an affidavit attesting that the individual is unable to obtain a copy of a valid photo identification after making reasonable efforts to obtain a copy. This prohibition shall not apply to overseas military voters and certain disabled or elderly voters.</p><p>States must, to the extent practicable, ensure public access to digital imaging devices for individuals to make a free copy of their valid photo identification.</p><p>These requirements take effect one day after the bill's enactment.</p>","updateDate":"2026-08-12T11:17:20Z"},"markets":[],"stateBills":[],"meta":{"sources":["congress.gov"],"latencyMs":8142,"ts":"2026-08-28T07:03:05.976Z"},"nextActions":{"inspect":[],"related":[{"description":"Search related legislation","method":"GET","url":"https://simplefunctions.dev/api/public/query-gov?q=A%20bill%20to%20amend%20the%20Help%20America%20Vote%20Act%20of%202002%20to%20require"}]}}