Gov. Ron DeSantis signed new election legislation covering voter ID and citizenship checks while almost immediately being met with a federal lawsuit from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
DeSantis signed the “Florida Save Act” at a news conference in The Villages. The new law requires voters to prove their citizenship status when they register to vote and makes changes to the list of valid voter IDs.
The changes take effect Jan. 1, 2027, so it would not impact the 2026 election cycle. Republicans said the measure upholds Florida’s election integrity.
“Our constitution in the state of Florida says only American citizens are allowed to vote in our elections. And so we need to make sure that that is the law,” DeSantis said before he signed the measure passed during the 2026 Legislative Session. “I am excited to be able to sign this. This is a big deal, but it isn’t as big a deal in Florida because of all the hard work we’ve done over many, many years.”
But the new lawsuit accuses the state of making voting more difficult for married women, transgender people, naturalized citizens, students and low-income residents.
“Florida has enacted a law that will make it harder for eligible U.S. citizens to vote — and for some, impossible,” said the federal lawsuit filed by ACLU and the ACLU Foundation of Florida representing several parties, including the League of Women Voters of Florida, Florida Rising and the Florida Immigrant Coalition.
The lawsuit said the new law puts hurdles in place to vote since many people don’t possess a passport or birth certificate if they were born without one, or if they lose their records in a fire or hurricane.
“Florida voters already confirm their citizenship when they register to vote. Instead of securing elections, HB 991 causes eligible voters to be disenfranchised,” said Jessica Lowe-Minor, President of the League of Women Voters of Florida.
“Despite strong opposition from our state’s voting rights coalition, the Governor signed a bill tying the right to vote to the possession of costly documents that many U.S. citizens don’t have easy access to. No eligible Floridian should be pushed out of the voter rolls simply because of red tape.”
DeSantis implied that a lawsuit was likely coming as he signed the legislation.
“What happens on all these? I sign it, they sue us, right?” DeSantis said. “They go to a liberal judge. The liberal judge sides with them. Then we appeal and then we win, right? So, that’s probably what will happen on this. … I’ve seen the song and dance long enough.”
HB 991 also prevents college students from using their student identification cards as voter ID to vote. Starting in 2027, people’s citizenship status will be put on any new or renewed driver’s licenses going forward by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
The new law also requires federal political candidates in Florida to disclose whether they intend to trade stocks while in office.
Under the law, candidates running under a political party must also be a registered member of that political party for at least 365 consecutive days before the start of the qualifying period. Candidates who changed their name through Florida’s general name-change petition process within the previous year would be prohibited from qualifying. Exceptions are included for name changes related to marriage, divorce or adoption.