The Senate Rules committee on Wednesday approved a bill proposing a constitutional amendment that would require voters show a photo ID at the polls.

“There was a long debate about the fact that it’s going from the legislator directly to being an amendment and going before the voters,” Rep. Jeanne Poppe, DFL-Austin, said.

The measure will come up on the Senate floor Friday, said Majority Leader Dave Senjem, R-Rochester.

A companion measure was passed 72-62 by the House early Wednesday morning.

Senjem said if the Senate bill passes, a conference committee will likely be needed to resolve the Senate and House versions.

If both chambers approve, a proposed amendment would be added to the ballot this November asking voters whether to amend the state constitution to require voters to present a photo ID. The state would provide eligible voters with an ID for free.

Supporters have said the change is a way to modernize the election system and discourage fraud, while opponents say it will disenfranchise the elderly, college students and others who might not have current photo IDs. According to the House proposal, the ballot would read:

Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to require all voters to present valid photo identification on election day and that the state provide free identification to eligible voters?

—The Associated Press contributed to this report