As several state legislatures draw criticism over voter suppression bills, Kentucky lawmakers passed a bipartisan bill that was signed into law on Wednesday. HB 574 expands access to the polls and introduces new voting security measures. It passed 91-3 in the Kentucky House and 33-3 in the state Senate, which are both controlled by Republicans.

The bill lays out ballot drop box procedures, creates voting centers where anyone registered in that county can cast a ballot even if they are not in that precinct, and adds three days of early voting. It also gives absentee voters a chance to cure mismatched signatures on mail-in ballots and allows election clerks to count votes 14 days before election day.

Previously, Kentucky required voters to cite an excuse in order to vote absentee. Then the pandemic prompted Democratic Governor Andy Beshear and Republican Secretary of State Michael Adams to implement no-excuse-needed absentee voting for the 2020 general elections. Under this new legislation, voters will again need an excuse to vote by mail but will be able to use an online portal to request and track their absentee ballots instead of having to request them through the local clerk. However, this tepid move has drawn criticism from voting rights advocates

Another pandemic holdover includes SB 2, a voter ID law passed last year which made voting more difficult for some marginalized groups even as the state eased other restrictions.

Although these advances display progress for Kentucky voters, the state still has some of the strictest voting laws in the country. The American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky tweeted, “KY is still more restrictive than Georgia, even with new suppression laws.” And some provisions in the bill uphold voter suppression tactics and perpetuate false narratives about the 2020 elections. HB 574 also gives election officials authority more to remove people from voter registration rolls when they re-register elsewhere and requires all voting machines to produce a paper trail.

Beshear said in a statement, “This new law represents important first steps to preserve and protect every individual’s right to make their voice heard.”