I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1442 

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 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 28, 2019 

Mr. BEYER (for himself, Mr. BUTTERFIELD, Mr. COHEN, Ms. NORTON, Ms. 

SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. RASKIN, Mr. PAYNE, Ms. BONAMICI, Ms. WILSON of 

Florida, Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, Ms. MOORE, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mr. 

LOWENTHAL, Mr. PETERS, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Ms. CLARKE of New 

York, Ms. SEWELL of Alabama, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. CARBAJAL, Mr. 

SERRANO, Ms. JACKSON LEE, Mr. TAKANO, Mr. CUMMINGS, Mr. HASTINGS, Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER, Mr. PALLONE, Mr. MCEACHIN, and Ms. 

SPEIER) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on House 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. 


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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 ‘‘Pre-Registration Of 

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

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

7 FEDERAL ELECTIONS. 

8 (a) REQUIRING IMPLEMENTATION OF PROCESS.— 

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

10 20501 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 8 the 

11 following new section: 

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

13 ‘‘(a) REQUIRING IMPLEMENTATION OF PRE-REG14 ISTRATION PROCESS.—Each State shall implement a 

15 process under which— 

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

17 may apply to register to vote in elections for Federal 

18 office in the State at any time after the individual 

19 turns 16 years of age; and 

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

21 older at the time the individual applies under para22 graph (1) but would be eligible to vote in such elec23 tions if the individual were 18 years of age, the 

24 State shall ensure that the individual is registered to 

25 vote in elections for Federal office in the State that 


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

2 turns 18 years of age. 

3 ‘‘(b) PERMITTING AVAILABILITY OF PROCESS FOR

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

5 make the process implemented under subsection (a) avail6 able to individuals who are younger than 16 years of 

7 age.’’. 

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

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

10 90-day period that begins on the date of the enactment 

11 of this Act. 

12 SEC. 3. GRANTS TO STATES FOR ACTIVITIES TO ENCOUR13 AGE INVOLVEMENT OF MINORS IN ELECTION 

14 ACTIVITIES. 

15 (a) GRANTS.— 

16 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Election Assistance 

17 Commission (hereafter in this section referred to as 

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

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

20 increase the involvement of individuals under 18 

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

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

23 under this subsection shall include— 

24 (A) methods to promote the use of the pre25 registration process implemented under section 


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1 8A of the National Voter Registration Act of 

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

3 (B) modifications to the curriculum of sec4 ondary schools in the State to promote civic en5 gagement; and 

6 (C) such other activities to encourage the 

7 involvement of young people in the electoral 

8 process as the State considers appropriate. 

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

10 grant under this section if the State submits to the Com11 mission, at such time and in such form as the Commission 

12 may require, an application containing— 

13 (1) a description of the State’s plan under sub14 section (a); 

15 (2) a description of the performance measures 

16 and targets the State will use to determine its suc17 cess in carrying out the plan; and 

18 (3) such other information and assurances as 

19 the Commission may require. 

20 (c) PERIOD OF GRANT; REPORT.— 

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

22 grant under this section shall use the funds provided 

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

24 the State and the Commission. 


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

2 the end of the 2-year period agreed to under para3 graph (1), the State shall submit to the Commission 

4 a report on the activities the State carried out with 

5 the funds provided by the grant, and shall include 

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

7 State met the performance measures and targets in8 cluded in its application under subsection (b)(2). 

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

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

11 of Columbia. 

12 (e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 

13 are authorized to be appropriated for grants under this 

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

Æ 


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