Bill
Bill > SB2588
MS SB2588
MS SB2588The Safeguard Honesty Integrity in Elections for Lasting Democracy (SHIELD) Act; create.
summary
Introduced
01/19/2026
01/19/2026
In Committee
02/13/2026
02/13/2026
Crossed Over
02/05/2026
02/05/2026
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
Potential new amendment
2026 Regular Session
Bill Summary
An Act To Be Known As The "safeguard Honest Integrity In Elections For Lasting Democracy (shield) Act"; To Amend Section 23-15-15, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Revise The Procedure By Which A Registrar Verifies An Applicant's Citizenship Upon Receipt Of A Completed Voter Registration Application; To Require The Registrar To Enter Each Applicant's Information Into The United States Citizenship And Immigration Service's Systematic Alien Verification For Entitlements (save); To Require Registrars To Make Annual Reports To The Secretary Of State Regarding The Number Of Applicants Flagged By A Save System Check And The Number Removed Following Confirmation; To Create New Section 23-15-165.1, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Require The Secretary Of State To Conduct An Annual Comparison Of The Statewide Elections Management System Records With The Save Database And To Report Ineligible Matches To The Appropriate Registrar; To Create New Section 23-15-165.2, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Require The Secretary Of State To Annually Report To The Legislature On The Results Achieved With The Save System; To Create New Section 23-15-165.3, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Exempt Personally Identifiable Information Collected Through Use Of The Save System From The Mississippi Public Records Act Of 1983; To Create New Section 23-15-165.4, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Provide For Severability Of The Provisions Of The Preceding Sections; And For Related Purposes.
AI Summary
This bill, known as the Safeguard Honest Integrity in Elections for Lasting Democracy (SHIELD) Act, revises how voter citizenship is verified in Mississippi. It requires registrars to enter all new voter applicants into the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) system, a federal database used to check immigration and entitlement status, to confirm their U.S. citizenship. If the SAVE system flags an applicant as potentially not a citizen, the registrar must notify the applicant and request proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate or passport. If the applicant fails to provide proof within a specified timeframe, their registration will be marked as "PENDING" and later "REJECTED" if they do not respond or provide documentation after casting an affidavit ballot. The bill also mandates that the Secretary of State annually compare statewide election records with the SAVE database to identify potential ineligible matches and report these to registrars for further verification, and requires the Secretary of State to report annually to the legislature on the results of using the SAVE system, while also exempting personally identifiable information collected through SAVE from public disclosure under the Mississippi Public Records Act.
Committee Categories
Government Affairs
Sponsors (2)
Last Action
Returned For Concurrence (on 03/11/2026)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2026/pdf/history/SB/SB2588.xml |
| Committee Amendment No 1 | https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/html/ham/SB2588_H_Cmte_Amend_01.htm |
| BillText | https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/html/SB/2500-2599/SB2588PS.htm |
| BillText | https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/html/SB/2500-2599/SB2588CS.htm |
| BillText | https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/html/SB/2500-2599/SB2588IN.htm |
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