1. United States
2. Tenn.
3. Letter

I urge you to oppose HB22, the SAVE Act, and prevent this legislation from reaching the floor for consideration. This bill would impose documentary proof of citizenship requirements on voter registration that would disenfranchise millions of eligible American citizens while solving a problem that does not exist. The financial burden alone makes this legislation untenable. A passport currently costs a minimum of $165, and birth certificates require fees that vary by state. For families already struggling with the cost of groceries, rent, and basic necessities, these expenses effectively function as a poll tax prohibited by the Twenty-Fourth Amendment. Requiring married citizens to pay for additional documentation to exercise their constitutional right to vote is fundamentally un-American. Married women face particular barriers under this bill. When women change their names after marriage, they must obtain updated documentation showing the connection between their birth name and current legal name. This requires marriage certificates, court orders, and multiple trips to government offices, each involving fees and processing times. Elderly women who married decades ago may struggle to locate marriage certificates from courthouses that no longer exist or have incomplete records. The SAVE Act provides no federal funding to states despite imposing massive administrative costs for new verification systems, database integration, and personnel training. States would be forced to redirect resources from actual election administration to process documentation for millions of voters. The private right of action provision invites endless litigation against election officials, further draining public resources. Research shows non-citizen voting in federal elections is virtually non-existent, making this legislation a solution in search of a problem. Meanwhile, the bill would reduce voter registration rates among eligible citizens, particularly affecting elderly voters, naturalized citizens, and those born in states with incomplete vital records systems. I ask that you oppose HB22 and work to ensure it never receives floor consideration. Protecting the fundamental right to vote for all eligible citizens must take precedence over manufactured concerns about election security.