GOP Focus on Job Creation Continues to Fade
DES MOINES – Earlier this afternoon House Republicans voted to pass House File 95, which would require voters to show government-issued identification when voting at the polls. In doing so, House Republicans continue to avoid proposing legislation that creates jobs and have ignored the economic impact of voter ID laws.
“Instead of focusing on legislation that creates jobs and strengthens our economy, Republicans continue to pursue a partisan agenda without recognizing the financial impact it has,” said Iowa Democratic Party Chairwoman Sue Dvorsky. “Voter ID legislation not only makes voting less accessible, especially among low income and minority populations. It’s an irresponsible economic decision. Similar legislation has cost other states between five and six million dollars to implement. At a time when Republicans are making deep cuts to education and other successful programs, spending millions to hamper voting in Iowa shouldn’t be a priority.”
Additional costs associated with the bill will include a statewide public information campaign, lost revenue from issuance fees on non-operator licenses and birth certificates, and additional staff to work the polls and process provisional ballots cast. While there has not been a cost estimate for Iowa, similar laws have been estimated to cost $5 million in Texas and $6 million in Missouri in their first year alone.
According the Brennan Center for Justice, 25 percent of African Americans and 18 percent of seniors over the age of 65 do not have government-issued photo IDs. Additionally, 11 percent of the population nationwide has been found to not have adequate identification.
“In a state with absolutely no history of voter fraud, this is a reckless bill that creates barriers to voting,” added Dvorsky.
Sources:
- State of Missouri Committee on Legislative Research Oversight Division, Fiscal Note, L.R. No.: 4947-25.
Comments are closed.