Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe, a Democrat, vetoed a bill Monday that proposed residents produce photo identification before voting, the governor's office said.

"Senate Bill 2 is, then, an expensive solution in search of a problem," Beebe wrote in a veto letter written to the state Senate. "[It] will cost approximately $300,000 in tax dollars to implement. ... I cannot approve such an unnecessary measure that would negatively impact one of our most precious rights as citizens."

The bill, passed by a 22-12 vote of the Senate last week, was supposed to take effect on the first day of 2014. The state House passed the legislation 51-44 on March 13.