Georgia officials have settled a lawsuit that accused the state of failing to provide voter registration services at public assistance offices.

Secretary of State Brian Kemp approved the agreement but condemned the lawsuit. He said it will cost taxpayers money to comply with what he called outdated and unnecessary federal voter registration mandates.

The lawsuit accused Georgia of ignoring requirements under the National Voter Registration Act. The settlement details steps the state must follow, including distributing voter registration applications to people seeking public assistance.

Under the agreement, Georgia must pay $175,000 in legal fees to the plaintiffs' lawyers. The agreement still requires final approval from a federal judge.

The director of the ACLU Voting Rights Project, Laughlin McDonald, called the settlement a positive step.

Tags: voting, Brian Kemp, voter registration, Georgia voter registration, voter registration lawsuit