Tennesseans will be required to have photo identification in order to vote and state employers will have to make sure their employees are legally authorized to work in the U.S. under new laws that took effect Sunday.
The photo ID measure has stirred debate, with critics saying the requirements to comply with the law are excessive and confusing, and could actually deter people from voting.
A public interest and consumer advocacy organization has launched a petition drive that supports proposed legislation to repeal the law. About a week ago, the Justice Department rejected a similar law in South Carolina, saying it makes it harder for minorities to cast ballots. It was the first voter ID law to be refused by the federal agency in nearly 20 years.
Opponents of the Tennessee law say they're most concerned about its effect on senior citizens. One case that made headlines a few months ago involved a 96-year-old Chattanooga woman who was denied a photo ID card.