FL S1582

Creates the "Florida Voting Rights Act," establishing a Florida Voting Rights Act (FLVRA) Commission within the Department of State to prohibit voter suppression and vote dilution, require preclearance of election policy changes by covered jurisdictions, mandate language assistance for non-English-speaking voters, and enforce protections for racial, color, and language minority groups

Changes the Secretary of State from a gubernatorial appointee to an elected position with a 4-year term, repeals the Office of Election Crimes and Security, repeals the prohibition on ranked-choice voting, and repeals the ban on private funds for election-related expenses

Establishes same-day voter registration at early voting sites and polling places, implements automatic voter registration through driver license and identification card applications unless the applicant declines, and makes General Election Day a paid holiday

Extends vote-by-mail ballot request validity indefinitely until canceled by the voter, requires supervisors to provide postage-prepaid return envelopes, allows voters to verify their identity using the last four digits of their social security number in lieu of a signature, and removes the cap on ballots a designee may pick up

Requires the Florida Commission on Offender Review to develop a public database by July 1, 2027, to help individuals with felony convictions determine whether their voting rights have been restored, and provides that persons who register or vote in reasonable reliance on that database may not be criminally charged for fraudulent registration or voting