The Justice Department has rejected Georgia's attempt to require prospective voters in the state to provide proof of citizenship.

Gov. Sonny Perdue signed the bill last month making Georgia the second state in the nation to require newly registering voters to prove they are U.S. citizens before casting a ballot. Under the Voting Rights Act, the state was required to get preclearance for the measure from the U.S. Department of Justice.

The law was to require would-be voters to provide documented proof of U.S. citizenship with their registration application.

Secretary of State Karen Handel says she is disappointed with the department's decision, which she says leaves the integrity of the state's elections in jeopardy.