# H.R. 22 (119th): Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act or the SAVE Act

Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act or the SAVE Act This bill requires individuals to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections. 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. The bill specifies what documents are considered acceptable proof of U.S. citizenship, such as identification that complies with the REAL ID Act of 2005 that indicates U.S. citizenship. 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. 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 certain sources. Additionally, states must remove noncitizens from their official lists of eligible voters. 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. 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.

## How this bill is scored

Tier: no Tier 1 record. A bill with no record cannot newly become Tier 1.
Lane: documentary_proof. Category: not stored. Lane tag: not stored.
Lane: election_integrity. Category: not stored. Lane tag: not stored.
Lane: federal_elections. Category: not stored. Lane tag: not stored.
Lane: noncitizen_voting. Category: not stored. Lane tag: not stored.
Lane: unclear. Category: not stored. Lane tag: not stored.
Lane: voter_eligibility. Category: not stored. Lane tag: not stored.
Tier 1 sign-off: no record. A bill with no record cannot newly become Tier 1.
Stored polarity: mixed. Only tags the rules mark scoreable on a mixed bill are scored. A yea can draw a penalty or a credit according to the tag. A nay on a tag scored as good can draw a penalty.
Roll 101: On Motion to Recommit. Vote type: recommit.
Roll 102: On Passage. Vote type: final_passage.
Polarity rationale: Reviewed enrichment (llm_import) polarity: The measure pursues a legitimate civic goal, keeping noncitizens off federal voter rolls, which accords with general equity in protecting the franchise of citizens. It also imposes documentary-proof requirements, an enforcement private right of action, and criminal penalties, which raise real concerns about burdens on eligible citizens and the proportionality of enforcement. The metadata shows a prudential election-administration dispute, not direct advancement of moral harm or direct restraint of evil, so 'mixed' fits better than 'good' or 'evil'.
Theological note: Scripture grounds civil authority in justice and the protection of the vulnerable, and it calls for honest weights and measures in public trust. Election rules bear on civil equity: they protect the integrity of self-government and the franchise of lawful citizens, while also raising concern that eligible citizens not be burdened or excluded by proof requirements. This bill is relevant to those civic duties, but the issue is one of prudential means rather than a direct moral verdict.

## Recorded votes

Roll 101: On Motion to Recommit. Yea 211 · Nay 215 · Other 7.
Roll 102: On Passage. Yea 220 · Nay 208 · Other 5.

HTML: https://justmeasure.org/bill/hr-22-119/