I

106TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. R. 5653

To establish a grant program to assist State and local governments with

improving the administration of elections through activities which may

include the modernization of voting procedures and equipment, and for

other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

DECEMBER 11, 2000

Mr. HUTCHINSON introduced the following bill; which was referred to the

Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee

on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the

Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within

the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

A BILL

To establish a grant program to assist State and local governments with improving the administration of elections

through activities which may include the modernization

of voting procedures and equipment, 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,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Election Procedures

5 Improvement Act’’.
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1 SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF GRANT PROGRAM.

2 (a) IN GENERAL.—There is hereby established a pro3 gram under which the Attorney General shall make grants

4 to eligible States and eligible units of local government for

5 activities to improve the administration of elections.

6 (b) EXAMPLES OF ACTIVITIES FUNDED.—In accord7 ance with such criteria as the Attorney General may

8 adopt, a State or unit of local government may use funds

9 provided under the program under this Act for such activi10 ties as it considers appropriate to improve the administra11 tion of its elections, including the modernization or re12 placement of equipment, the hiring of additional non-ad13 ministrative personnel, and the enhancement of the proce14 dures used to tabulate and report election results.

15 (c) ELIGIBILITY.—A State and a unit of local govern16 ment is eligible to receive a grant under the program

17 under this Act if it submits to the Attorney General (at

18 such time and in such manner as the Attorney General

19 may require) an application containing such information

20 and assurances as the Attorney General may require.

21 SEC. 3. OTHER REQUIREMENTS FOR GRANT RECIPIENTS.

22 (a) MATCHING OF FUNDS.—The amount provided by

23 a grant under the program under this Act may not exceed

24 75 percent of the total cost of the activity funded by the

25 grant.

26 (b) REPORTS.—
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1 (1) IN GENERAL.—During the 1 year-period

2 which begins on the date a State or unit of local

3 government receives a grant under the program

4 under this Act, the State or unit of local government

5 shall submit a report every 6 months to the Attorney

6 General describing the terms of the grant and the

7 activities funded by the grant.

8 (2) REPORT BY ATTORNEY GENERAL TO CON9 GRESS.—Based on the information reported by

10 States and units of local government under para11 graph (1), the Attorney General shall submit a re12 port to Congress on the program under this Act not

13 later than 30 days after each fiscal year during

14 which grants are made under the program.

15 SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

16 (a) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appro17 priated for the first fiscal year which begins after the date

18 of the enactment of this Act $325,000,000 to carry out

19 this Act (which shall remain available until expended), of

20 which not more than 2 percent may be used for adminis21 trative costs associated with the program under this Act.

22 (b) ALLOCATION BETWEEN GRANTS TO STATES AND

23 GRANTS TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.—Of the amount au24 thorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act (other

25 than any amounts used for administrative costs)—
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1 (1) 50 percent shall be used for grants to eligi2 ble States; and

3 (2) 50 percent shall be used for grants to eligi4 ble units of local government.

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