The LuL>ac Editrion #5, 604, March 17th

 

DANGER

WHAT’S IN THE TRUMP

BACKED SAVE ACT

 

WHAT THE SAVE 

AMERICA ACT 

WOULD DO

Require proof of citizenship to register to vote

The bill would require Americans to show documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote — a U.S. passport, or a driver’s license paired with proof of a person’s citizenship, such as a birth certificate, a certificate of naturalization or adoption paperwork.

Most people would need to show that proof in person at an election office, though the law would allow states to create some accommodations for disabled voters. That provision would go into effect immediately, complicating voter registration in the months leading up to the midterm elections.

People who have changed their names, like many women, would require even more documentation — like marriage certificates or divorce records — to prove their identities, too.

Those provisions would go into effect immediately if the bill became law, making voter registration in the weeks before the midterms far more complicated. Primary elections have already begun in some states, and the general Election Day is less than eight months away.

Require photo ID to vote

The bill would require voters to show photo IDs to cast ballots in federal elections. For most people, that would mean showing a driver’s license at the polls, but a handful of other ID cards would be accepted, including military IDs and tribal identification cards, if they met specific requirements, such as having photos and expiration dates.

People who vote by mail would need to submit photocopies of the relevant identification documents.

The list of acceptable IDs is more restrictive than existing law in all but one state, Ohio, according to an analysis by the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law.

That provision might cause difficulties for some citizens. Many tribal ID cards don’t have expiration dates, according to a report by the Native American Rights Fund, and student ID cards wouldn’t be acceptable.

Proponents argue that those kinds of ID are increasingly needed in everyday life, including to fly.

The photo ID provision would also take effect immediately, once the bill was signed into law.

Require states to search for noncitizen voters

The bill would also mandate processes to remove noncitizens from the polls. It would require states to submit their voter rolls to the federal SAVE database, which aims to help officials identify noncitizen voters. Election officials in at least 23 states have already begun putting some or all of their voter rolls into the database, which initial reports have found to have high error rates.

All states are required to conduct voter roll list maintenance under federal law, which includes removing the handful of noncitizens who accidentally make it on the voter rolls because of misunderstanding or clerical error.

And while there are few noncitizens on the voter rolls, naturalized citizens do sometimes get caught up in searches for noncitizen voters.

 

WHAT THE SAVE 

 AMERICA ACT 

WOULDN’T DO

Trump has repeatedly misstated the contents of the bill, both explicitly and by omission.

In an interview with NBC News this week, Trump said the bill would ban mail-in voting except in certain cases. He has posted on social media that the only exceptions would be for "ILLNESS, DISABILITY, MILITARY, OR TRAVEL!"

The bill would make it harder to register to vote and cast ballots by mail, requiring most voters to show their proof of citizenship in person and to photocopy their voter IDs when they vote by mail — it wouldn’t exactly stop mail voting.

He also suggested it would add restrictions on gender-affirming medical care and restrict transgender participation in sports, which it wouldn’t.

"NO TRANSGENDER MUTILATION SURGERY FOR CHILDREN," he said this week on Truth Social.

Some Republicans are open to those ideas, but the bill would need to be rewritten, pass the House again and then pass the Senate to become law.

 

HAZLETON POLICE

 TO WORK WITH ICE

News flash to the cowardly lion Democrats of the Luzerne County Council. Hazleton and other communities are now working with ICE. 

Yet a few weeks ago the Democratically controlled Council refused to pass fellow party member Denise Williams resolution on ICE and their tactics. The poor little things didn’t want to stand up for democracy and the rule of law for fear there would be a target on the back of the county by the Trump administration.

They have yet to revisit it and I’m sure they won’t because well they want to stay in  their lane and not get involved in such silly little matters that would never, ever find their way to Luzerne County.

            Hey Lions, say hello to Hazleton. 

 

McCLAY AND STADULIS STILL STANDING 

The race in the 121st legislative race is now between Jessica McClay and Mike Stadulis. Ann Marie Montione started too late and Denise Thomas did not get near the signatures she needed. Word is Thomas put too much faith in the folks at Action Together who failed her miserably.   On the last day of filing, there was a flurry of activity to get her on but with  both McClay and Stadulis hitting over the goal they needed, it just didn't happen. It's a valuable lesson fir future candidates, don't believe the hype of third parties. Do it yourself.