(RALEIGH) -- House Republicans moved forward a proposal that would require North Carolina voters to show photo identification prior to casting a ballot. The House Elections Committee voted 18-14 for the measure after restoring more stringent ID provisions.

Republican bill sponsors eliminated the photo requirement last week after opponents expressed concerns about the potential costs of the proposal. An earlier draft would have allowed voters to use documents such as bank statements, utility bills or paychecks to verify their name and address. GOP leaders said that change ultimately weakened support among bill sponsors, prompting lawmakers to return to the original proposal.

Primary co-sponsor Rep. Ric Killian, R-Mecklenburg, said the legislation is aimed at restoring confidence in the elections process. “In our society we require a photo ID to do many, many things,” Killian told the committee. “And I could list them all day long and we all know what they are – everything from writing a check to getting in a building and so forth. ”

Rep. Deborah Ross, D-Wake, said the ID requirement will disenfranchise voters, especially seniors, minorities and students. She also warned the legislation would increase voter intimidation. “Because we also have a fine history in North Carolina of people mailing things to voters and telling them why they won’t be able to vote – fine history of that. And I cannot imagine that would not be happening in the next election should this bill become law. This is a farce.”

Killian insisted the legislation is not aimed at disenfranchising voters. “I know that it may be perceived differently by some. But for what it’s worth, it’s certainly not my intention to do that. ”

Other opponents like Rep. Mickey Michaux, D-Durham, said the bill is trying to solve a problem that doesn’t exist. “I haven’t seen yet anybody prove to me that any type of fraud other than the little bit that’s been reported in the state,” said Michaux. “We’ve been getting along well without any type of photo ID. We get 4.3 million votes in the last election and what’s attempted to be voter fraud shown now actually is nothing. ”

Michaux also argued the legislation would pass significant costs to county governments. Bill supporters acknowledged that the state would have to provide a free photo ID in order to avoid the law being overturned in court. But Michaux said there’s no money for county elections boards to pay for those free IDs.

Committee chairman and bill co-sponsor Rep. David Lewis, downplayed criticism of excessive cost. He said the legislation is based on a similar law in Georgia. “Since they’ve began requiring voter IDs, they’ve only had to issue about 24,000 voter IDs,” said Lewis. “The total amount that they have spent on the issuing of IDs, the voter education component of this – the whole shooting match since 2006 is about $760,000. ”

The legislation now heads to the House Appropriations Committee. House Speaker Thom Tillis said a full floor vote is likely sometime next week.