Gov. Rick Scott signs controversial election bill into law

Gov. Rick Scott has signed HB 1355 making sweeping changes to voting and elections procedures in Florida. Here are the highlights of those changes.

Early voting is reduced from 15 days to eight days, but the total number of early voting hours will stay at 96; no additional early voting sites.

Voters who have moved or changed their name since the last election can only update their status at the polls if they have moved within the same county. All others must cast provisional ballots.

Third-party groups that register new voters must submit forms within 48 hours or face fines of up to $1,000.

A nine-member panel will choose the date of Florida’s 2012 presidential preference primary to maximize the state’s influence in selecting the Republican nominee.

The 2012 primary election will be on Aug. 14, two weeks earlier than usual.