Tampa will be site of congressional hearing on state voting laws

TAMPA — Tampa will host a Jan. 27 congressional hearing about voting laws in Florida that critics contend were a political effort to disenfranchise seniors, young people and minorities.

The hearing by the U.S. Senate's Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Rights is expected to seek testimony from Florida lawmakers, Sen. Bill Nelson announced Monday. It will be the panel's first field hearing on voting laws that also passed in more than a dozen other states.

Florida's controversial voting law curtailed the time for early voting from 14 to eight days and requires organizers of voting drives to submit voter registration paperwork within 48 hours.