Jun. 04, 2019
HARRISBURG – Legislation sponsored by Rep. Jeff Wheeland (R-Lycoming) to apply voter ID requirements to each and every election, including photo and non-photo options as acceptable forms of ID, has formally been introduced.
House Bill 1579 was discussed at the House State Government Committee informational meeting today regarding voting and election issues.
Meetings with constituents and local election officials confirmed Wheeland’s belief that voter ID requirements in Pennsylvania must be updated to ensure that individuals are not misrepresenting themselves when voting.
Wheeland introduced the legislation in light of challenges to photo ID laws in other states and a Commonwealth Court ruling that nullified Pennsylvania’s 2012 voter ID law. The bill would apply the voter ID requirement to each and every election and includes both photo and non-photo options on the list of acceptable forms of ID.
Under the bill, the forms of ID that would be acceptable are the same as the options that are currently available to first-time voters in Pennsylvania. They include the following forms of photo and non-photo ID:
• Driver’s license or PennDOT non-driver ID card.
• Photo or non-photo ID card issued by other state agency.
• Photo or non-photo ID card issued by the U.S. government.
• Student ID with photo.
• Employee ID with photo.
• Armed Forces of the U.S. ID card.
• Firearm permit.
• Current utility bill.
• Current bank statement.
• Government check.
If a voter is unable to present a valid photo ID, he or she would be required to present two forms of non-photo ID from among those listed above.
“My proposal is a reasonable and common sense solution, which Ohio, Arizona and North Dakota implemented successfully, to enhance the security in our electoral process while increasing convenience for eligible voters,” said Wheeland.
Rep. Jeff C. Wheeland
83rd District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Alison Basley
House Republican Communications
717.772.9843
abasley@pahousegop.com
RepWheeland.com