Connecticut’s top elections official is raising alarms about a voting bill advancing through Congress.

The SAVE Act would require proof of citizenship when you register to vote for federal elections.

But Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas believes it could lead to “chaos” for citizens trying to register.

The SAVE Act stands for Safeguard American Voter Eligibility. The bill narrowly passed the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday and now heads to the Senate.

“You have to show an ID to board a plane, to buy alcohol, to cash a check,” said Rep. Kat Cammack (R-Fla.). “You have to show an ID to buy cold medicine, for God’s sake.”

Proof of citizenship is one President Donald Trump’s top priorities. He also included it in a sweeping election order last month.

“It’s absurd that we’re protecting beer more than we’re protecting ballots,” said Rep. Bryan Steil (R-Wisconsin). “You have to show a photo ID when you go in to buy a six-pack of beer.”

Surveys show the idea is widely popular with voters. A recent Gallup Poll found that 83% of Americans support requiring proof of citizenship when registering to vote.

But Thomas, a Democrat, thinks the law would be a logistical nightmare.

“The SAVE Act, I think, would mean chaos in Connecticut,” Thomas said.

Here's why.

To register, you would need a photo ID like a driver’s license – but only ones indicating that you are a U.S. citizen are acceptable. (Like most states, Connecticut licenses do not, including the new REAL ID-compliant versions).

Otherwise, you would have to present a passport, military card, birth certificate or naturalization papers. Nearly half of Americans don’t have a passport, and 69 million married women have a birth certificate with their maiden name listed, according to an analysis from the non-partisan think tank Center for American Progress.

Thomas, who testified before Congress earlier this week, noted that a similar law backfired in New Hampshire.

“A woman needed her divorce papers from two marriages ago in another state,” Thomas said. “Needless to say, she didn’t know where this document was 30 years later.”

Republicans dismissed the concerns.

Rep. Laurel Lee (R-Fla.), said the bill “contemplates this exact situation” of married women whose names have changed, saying it “explicitly directs states to establish a process for them to register to vote.”

But the SAVE Act does not specify which documents would be accepted.

“Any election worker who makes a mistake – well, they can get up to five years of jail time,” she said. “I’m trying to keep our election workers here in Connecticut valued and not sent to jail," says Thomas.

The SAVE Act also requires voters to register in-person at Town or City Hall – so no more registering online, by mail or at the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Despite few documented instances of non-citizens voting, supporters said it’s a small price to pay for election integrity.

"You have to prove your identity because only U.S. citizens should vote and decide U.S. elections,” House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) told reporters. “It’s already in federal law, but there’s no mechanism currently to ensure that that law is always followed.”

Four Democrats voted for the legislation, but none from Connecticut.

The SAVE Act now heads to the U.S. Senate, where it is unlikely to pass because Republicans need 60 votes to overcome a filibuster.

Trump’s executive order on voting is set to go into effect in two weeks. But Connecticut and 18 other states are asking a judge to block it. Courts have previously struck down similar state laws in Arizona and Kansas.