HJR B is Michigan's version of the federal SAVE Act — both would gut voter registration and block voters. The proposed requirement of documentary proof of citizenship in order to vote would disenfranchise millions of Republican, Democratic, and independent voters who do not have passports, birth certificates, or other forms of identification required under the legislation.
Imagine this: You show up to vote like you always have — but this time, you’re turned away. Why? Because of a paperwork error you didn’t even know existed. Maybe your name changed when you got married, or your birth certificate is hard to track down. Or maybe, like more than half of Michiganders, you don’t have a passport.
That’s exactly what could happen if lawmakers pass HJR B.
How is this different from the SAVE Act?
HJR B is part of a larger, nationwide strategy. Trump and his allies are pushing the federal SAVE Act to impose similar restrictions across the country. While the SAVE Act targets the nation as a whole, HJR B is Michigan’s version of that same playbook—an attack tailored specifically to our local and state elections. Both are designed to block eligible voters, and both need to be stopped.
The SAVE Act would affect all federal elections, aka, the elections where you vote for people that represent you in Congress and/or the President, but not local elections.
This means that we would have different requirements for voting depending on the type of election we are running, unless a similar Constitutional amendment were to be passed in Michigan.
But let’s be clear — any attempts to make it more difficult for eligible voters to participate in elections IS VOTER SUPPRESSION.
But don't we want voters to show ID to vote?
Absolutely! And they are required to by law.
Voters are required to not prove their identity when they are registered to vote through various forms of proof, and are still required to prove their identity when heading to the polls. However, voters have already proved they are eligible to vote when they registered, so those that do not have their ID when voting, for any reason, are able to sign an affidavit. An affidavit is a sworn legal statement under the penalty of perjury, that they are who they say they are.
This has been the case since 2007, and was cemented into the Michigan Constitution in 2022 when an overwhelming majority (60%) of voters supported this.
HJR B is a confusing, costly, and dangerous proposal that would make it harder for everyday Michiganders to vote. It would create new, unnecessary hoops for people to jump through—hoops that many simply can’t clear.
Here are just a few ways it could affect you:
Prove your citizenship—again. Even if you’ve been registered for decades, you’d have to provide specific documents like a passport or birth certificate. No exceptions.
Get stuck in long lines. Election officials would be buried in red tape, causing delays and confusion at polling places.
Lose your right to vote—without knowing it. If the state can’t verify your citizenship, you could be purged from the rolls.
This bill isn’t about protecting elections, it’s about pushing people out of the democratic process. And we know what happens when states try laws like this. In Kansas, a similar law blocked nearly 1 in 8 eligible voters from registering until a court stepped in and stopped it.
We can’t let that happen in Michigan.
If HJR B passes, everyday Michiganders will pay the price. Seniors. Students. Military families. People who work multiple jobs. People who don’t have the time or resources to jump through these bureaucratic hoops.
This isn’t just a policy fight. It’s personal. It’s about protecting our neighbors, our friends, and ourselves.
HJR B is a Michigan anti-voter proposal that would force residents to provide additional documents like passports or birth certificates to vote—even if they’ve been registered for decades. This bill would create confusion, long lines, and purge eligible voters from the rolls.
This isn’t about election security—it’s about making voting harder for Michiganders, especially seniors, students, and working families. Don’t let Michigan lawmakers follow the dangerous anti-voter playbook.
FAQs
What does HJR B mean?
HJR B stands for House Joint Resolution B.
When joint resolutions are proposed in either the House or the Senate, they get labeled with a letter the tells you which was proposed first. So, the House could have HJR A, then HJR B, then HJR C, etc. and the Senate can have SJR A, SJR B, etc.
Bills get labeled with numbers. For each bill that is introduced it is assigned a SB (Senate Bill) or HB (House Bill) number in order starting with SB 0001 in the Senate, and starting with HB 4001 in the House.
What is a "joint resolution" vs a "resolution" vs a "bill"?
There are a few terms to know here with different purpose
A joint resolution matters greatly, because it alters our Constitution. Because of this, the requirements are higher to pass the legislation, requiring a 2/3 vote from legislators in both the Michigan House and Michigan Senate, and cannot be repealed or vetoed.
The only way to change or reverse a Constitutional amendment, is with another Constitutional amendment. This can be in one of only 3 ways:
Initiative: This is a citizen-led ballot measure that gets voted on during an election. This requires a certain number of petition signatures to get on the ballot, followed by a majority of voters voted in favor during the election.
Legislature: This requires both the state House and Senate to pass legislation with a 2/3 vote, skipping the Governor, where it then can be placed on the ballot for voters to vote on.
Convention: Every 16 years, according to the Michigan Constitution, a question is posed on the ballot for voters to choose if they want to hold a Constitutional Convention, where elected delegates would vote on any constitutional changes, skipping the general public.
This is all different than a traditional bill/law that can be passed, modified, or repealed with only a simple majority vote in both chambers, and signoff from the Governor.
How do I find the language of HJR B and what the status is?
You can find the language and status of HJR B here.
All legislation from the Michigan House and Senate, as well as additional resources, are located at the official Michigan Legislature website. You can search for legislation any time after it has been introduced and officially entered into the record. This information includes:
Bill language for all draft versions
Fiscal analysis (if available, and includes simple language summary)
Sponsors and co-sponsors of the legislation
Committee information (if assigned)
Vote information (if voted on)
and the official journals/minutes of the sessions that this legislation was addressed in -which present as HJ (House Journal) or SJ (Senate Journal).
You can also search through additional helpful resources, including, but not limited to:
MCLs (Michigan Compiled Laws), which are pieces of legislation that have been signed into law.
The Michigan Constitution
Over a dozen government publications (print versions are available at your elected officials offices), including Legislative Process, Services for Seniors, Tax Payers Guide, A Citizens Guide to Government, etc.
Tell Your Representative: Vote NO on Michigan’s Anti-Voter Bill
Michigan lawmakers are pushing a bill that would force voters to prove their citizenship—again—just to stay registered. It’s a copycat of Trump’s federal SAVE Act and could purge eligible voters from the rolls, create long lines at the polls, and block people from casting their ballot. The bill (HJR B) has passed out of committee and is now heading to the full Michigan House for a vote—and it could happen any day now. Send a...
Share your story about barriers to voting and help us fight back!
Have you faced barriers when trying to vote? Whether it’s missing documents, financial hurdles, or changing requirements, we want to hear from you. Your story can help highlight the real impact of voter suppression and push lawmakers to protect our rights. Fill out the form below to share your experience. Together, we can stand up against harmful proposals like HJR B and ensure every Michigander has a voice.
Tell Michigan Lawmakers: Stop HJR B and Protect Our Right to Vote!
We urge you to reject HJR B and any efforts that make it harder for Michiganders to vote.
HJR B would impose unnecessary barriers to voter registration, disproportionately impacting seniors, students, military families, and working people.
Our democracy is strongest when every eligible voter can participate without fear of bureaucratic hurdles or unjust purges. Please stand against HJR B and protect the fundamental right to vote for all Michiganders.
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Common Cause Michigan is calling on Michigan's two U.S. Senators to derail a voter suppression bill named the SAVE Act that passed the U.S. House today.
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