{"id":62485,"date":"2026-02-12T19:34:44","date_gmt":"2026-02-13T00:34:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/?p=62485"},"modified":"2026-02-12T19:34:47","modified_gmt":"2026-02-13T00:34:47","slug":"new-bill-will-add-this-detail-to-your-florida-drivers-license","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/2026\/02\/12\/new-bill-will-add-this-detail-to-your-florida-drivers-license\/","title":{"rendered":"New bill will add this detail to your Florida driver\u2019s license"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If approved, changes will take effect starting on July 1<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img data-dominant-color=\"39373a\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1110px) 100vw, 1110px\" src=\"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AFGU63EELJEOJFVPHZNAWL4QQU.avif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-62486 not-transparent\" style=\"--dominant-color: #39373a; aspect-ratio:1.4988838877300839;width:253px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AFGU63EELJEOJFVPHZNAWL4QQU.avif 640w, https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AFGU63EELJEOJFVPHZNAWL4QQU-300x200.avif 300w\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A new bill is making its way through the Florida legislature that could change driver\u2019s licenses and ID cards in the state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That bill \u2014&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.flhouse.gov\/Sections\/Bills\/billsdetail.aspx?BillId=83623&amp;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">HB 991<\/a>&nbsp;\u2014 was filed early last month by state Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka (R-Ft. Myers), and it would make several changes to the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/files.floridados.gov\/media\/708310\/2024-election-code-final-updated.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Florida Election Code<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">More specifically, the legislation implements the following revisions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Voter Oath<\/strong>: Voter registration applicants must affirm that they are U.S. citizens and may face criminal penalties for perjury if that is not the case<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Federal Courts<\/strong>: Requires the state to provide voter registration lists to federal courts to aid in their jury selection process, and requires those courts to provide the state with information about voters being ineligible due to convictions, death, or being a non-U.S. citizen<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Statute of Limitations<\/strong>: Creates a five-year statute of limitations for the prosecution of a felony under the Election Code<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>New Penalties<\/strong>: Provides new fines and penalties for those who violate the law of involvement of foreign nationals in state elections<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Early Voting<\/strong>: Election supervisors must use local time when uploading the results of all early voting and vote-by-mail ballots by 7 p.m. the day before the election<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, another provision in the bill requires the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) to include&nbsp;whether a person is a U.S. citizen&nbsp;on his\/her driver\u2019s license and Florida ID card.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe bill requires that DHSMV must, at no charge, issue a new or replacement card if a licensee or cardholder timely updates his or her legal status upon becoming a citizen of the U.S.,\u201d&nbsp;the legislative analysis reads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Under HB 991, this change is set to kick in on July 1, and it applies to new issuances and renewals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">HB 991 passed its first committee hearing last week, meaning it has only one more to get through before it can go to a full House vote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If the bill is approved by lawmakers and signed by the governor, it is slated to take effect in full on Jan. 1, 2027.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If approved, changes will take effect starting on July 1 A new bill is making its way through the Florida legislature that could change driver\u2019s licenses and ID cards in&hellip; 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