HispanicBusiness

A bill that would require people to provide proof of citizenship before registering to vote was delayed Wednesday in the Senate.

Three groups oppose the bill, but a ticking clock and the U.S. Supreme Court are more responsible for the hold up.

The Supreme Court heard arguments this week on a similar bill in Arizona, and Sen. Chip Campsen, a Charleston Republican who sponsored the bill, said he would prefer to wait on the high court's decision before moving ahead. He also continued the bill's consideration because the subcommittee ran out of time before finishing its discussion.

If approved, the bill would require people to show one of six documents, including an S.C. driver's license or a passport, to prove they are U.S. citizens.

Opponents included the American Civil Liberties Union and the League of Women Voters who argued the bill was one more attempt to put an obstacle in the way of people's right to vote. They also pointed out that there is no evidence that non-citizens are voting in state elections.

"Any measure that would make voting more difficult should address a very significant problem in the integrity of elections," said Lynn Teague of the League of Women Voters.

But Campsen said voting is too important to trust people to fill out federal voter registration forms honestly. Right now, prospective voters only sign an oath that they are citizens. There have been instances in other states where non-citizens voted, he said.

"I'm a true believer that human nature doesn't change at the state line," he said.