Iowa Secretary of State Matt Schultz says he has no intention of withdrawing a proposed new rule that establishes a process for removing voters from registration rolls if they can't prove citizenship.
Schultz says the rule is needed because he believes people who are not U.S. citizens are voting in Iowa. The Legislature's Administrative Rules Review Committee held a hearing Wednesday but took no action. It will likely vote on the rule in March.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa and other civil rights groups say the rule intimidates minority voters, especially Latino immigrants. The ACLU also says Schultz doesn't have the legal authority to pass the rule himself, instead it should be considered by the Legislature.
Democratic Sen. Pam Jochum of Dubuque agrees and says Schultz should send a bill to the Legislature.
