Kobach Concedes Voter-Citizenship Bill Dead

Secretary of State Kris Kobach is conceding

that Kansas legislators have effectively killed his proposal to

require first-time voters to provide proof of citizenship starting

next month.

Kobach acknowledged Thursday his bill is dead because a fellow

Republican, Senate President Steve Morris, has assigned it to a

hostile committee. Morris hasn’t allowed an up-or-down Senate vote

after the measure passed the GOP-led House.

Kansas already has a proof-of-citizenship rule for people

registering to vote for the first time in the state, but it doesn’t

take effect until January. Kobach wanted the rule in place by June

15th.

The House passed one version of Kobach’s proposal in February,

but it stalled in a Senate committee. House members passed a new

version Wednesday, hoping senators would take a quick vote.