II 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 621 

To amend the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to require each 

State to implement a process under which individuals who are 16 years 

of age may apply to register to vote in elections for Federal office 

in the State, to direct the Election Assistance Commission to make 

grants to States to increase the involvement of minors in public election 

activities, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 28, 2019 

Ms. DUCKWORTH (for herself, Mr. WHITEHOUSE, Mr. BROWN, Mr. 

BLUMENTHAL, Mr. JONES, Ms. HIRONO, Mr. BENNET, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, 

Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mr. MERKLEY, Mr. WYDEN, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Ms. 

HARRIS, Mr. CARDIN, Ms. SMITH, and Mr. MURPHY) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules 

and Administration 

A BILL 

To amend the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to 

require each State to implement a process under which 

individuals who are 16 years of age may apply to register 

to vote in elections for Federal office in the State, to 

direct the Election Assistance Commission to make 

grants to States to increase the involvement of minors 

in public election activities, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Pre-Registration Of 

3 Voters Everywhere Act’’ or the ‘‘PROVE Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. PRE-REGISTRATION OF MINORS FOR VOTING IN 

5 FEDERAL ELECTIONS. 

6 (a) REQUIRING IMPLEMENTATION OF PROCESS.— 

7 The National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 

8 20501 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 8 the 

9 following new section: 

10 ‘‘SEC. 8A. PRE-REGISTRATION PROCESS FOR MINORS. 

11 ‘‘(a) REQUIRING IMPLEMENTATION OF PRE-REG12 ISTRATION PROCESS.—Each State shall implement a 

13 process under which— 

14 ‘‘(1) an individual who is a resident of the State 

15 may apply to register to vote in elections for Federal 

16 office in the State at any time after the individual 

17 turns 16 years of age; and 

18 ‘‘(2) if the individual is not 18 years of age or 

19 older at the time the individual applies under para20 graph (1) but would be eligible to vote in such elec21 tions if the individual were 18 years of age, the 

22 State shall ensure that the individual is registered to 

23 vote in elections for Federal office in the State that 

24 are held on or after the date on which the individual 

25 turns 18 years of age. 


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1 ‘‘(b) PERMITTING AVAILABILITY OF PROCESS FOR

2 YOUNGER INDIVIDUALS.—A State may, at its option, 

3 make the process implemented under subsection (a) avail4 able to individuals who are younger than 16 years of 

5 age.’’. 

6 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 

7 subsection (a) shall take effect upon the expiration of the 

8 90-day period that begins on the date of the enactment 

9 of this Act. 

10 SEC. 3. GRANTS TO STATES FOR ACTIVITIES TO ENCOUR11 AGE INVOLVEMENT OF MINORS IN ELECTION 

12 ACTIVITIES. 

13 (a) GRANTS.— 

14 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Election Assistance 

15 Commission (hereafter in this section referred to as 

16 the ‘‘Commission’’) shall make grants to eligible 

17 States to enable such States to carry out a plan to 

18 increase the involvement of individuals under 18 

19 years of age in public election activities in the State. 

20 (2) CONTENTS OF PLANS.—A State’s plan 

21 under this subsection shall include— 

22 (A) methods to promote the use of the pre23 registration process implemented under section 

24 8A of the National Voter Registration Act of 

25 1993 (as added by section 2(a)); 


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1 (B) modifications to the curriculum of sec2 ondary schools in the State to promote civic en3 gagement; and 

4 (C) such other activities to encourage the 

5 involvement of young people in the electoral 

6 process as the State considers appropriate. 

7 (b) ELIGIBILITY.—A State is eligible to receive a 

8 grant under this section if the State submits to the Com9 mission, at such time and in such form as the Commission 

10 may require, an application containing— 

11 (1) a description of the State’s plan under sub12 section (a); 

13 (2) a description of the performance measures 

14 and targets the State will use to determine its suc15 cess in carrying out the plan; and 

16 (3) such other information and assurances as 

17 the Commission may require. 

18 (c) PERIOD OF GRANT; REPORT.— 

19 (1) PERIOD OF GRANT.—A State receiving a 

20 grant under this section shall use the funds provided 

21 by the grant over a 2-year period agreed to between 

22 the State and the Commission. 

23 (2) REPORT.—Not later than 6 months after 

24 the end of the 2-year period agreed to under para25 graph (1), the State shall submit to the Commission 


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1 a report on the activities the State carried out with 

2 the funds provided by the grant, and shall include 

3 in the report an analysis of the extent to which the 

4 State met the performance measures and targets in5 cluded in its application under subsection (b)(2). 

6 (d) STATE DEFINED.—In this section, the term 

7 ‘‘State’’ means each of the several States and the District 

8 of Columbia. 

9 (e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 

10 are authorized to be appropriated for grants under this 

11 section $25,000,000, to remain available until expended. 

Æ 


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