(AP) -- Voting and civil rights groups are protesting a House proposal to put new requirements on groups that register people to vote.
The House is expected to debate a bill Wednesday requiring any group that conducts voter registration drives to register with the state Elections Commission and turn in voters' forms within five days of signing them up. Each employee or volunteer must sign a statement swearing they will uphold state election laws. The groups could be fined up to $1,000 for each voter registration form not turned over to election officials.
Critics say the proposal is costly and burdensome and could shut down community-based voter registration drives.
But the bill's sponsor Rep. Alan Clemmons says it's about holding third-party groups accountable for properly handling a person's right to vote.
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