News from KUAR, KASU and AR Public Media

Arkansas Lawmakers Give Final Approval To Reinstate Voter ID Law

KUAR | By Associated Press

Published March 20, 2017 at 4:45 PM CDT

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File photo of a Little Rock polling location in March 2014 asking voters to have a photo identification. The voter ID law was stuck down later that year.

Michael Hibblen

File photo of a sign at a Little Rock polling location in March 2014 asking voters to have a photo identification ready.

Credit Michael Hibblen / KUAR News

Arkansas lawmakers have approved a measure requiring voters to show photo identification before casting a ballot, sending to the governor's desk a requirement that was struck down as unconstitutional more than two years ago.

The House had already approved a previous version of the legislation. On Monday, it signed off on changes added by the Senate that allow voters without identification to cast a provisional ballot if they sign a sworn statement.

The Arkansas Legislature enacted a similar voter ID law in 2013, but the measure was struck by the state Supreme Court the following year. The bill was aimed at addressing some justices' argument that the restriction needed two-thirds legislative approval.