I

107TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 1151

To direct the Federal Election Commission to issue voluntary standards

to promote the accessibility and effective use of voting systems, voting

equipment, and polling places, to make grants to assist States in complying with such standards and carrying out other activities to promote

accessibility in voting, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

MARCH 21, 2001

Mr. LANGEVIN (for himself, Mrs. MALONEY of New York, Mr. BROWN of

Ohio, Mr. STARK, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. FRANK, Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode

Island, and Mr. LANTOS) introduced the following bill; which was referred

to the Committee on House Administration

A BILL

To direct the Federal Election Commission to issue voluntary

standards to promote the accessibility and effective use

of voting systems, voting equipment, and polling places,

to make grants to assist States in complying with such

standards and carrying out other activities to promote

accessibility in voting, 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 ‘‘Voting Opportunity

5 Through Technology and Education Act of 2001’’.
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1 SEC. 2. VOLUNTARY ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS FOR

2 POLLING PLACES AND VOTING EQUIPMENT.

3 (a) REVISION AND EXPANSION OF CURRENT VOTING

4 SYSTEM STANDARDS.—

5 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 9 months

6 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Of7 fice of Election Administration of the Federal Elec8 tion Commission (hereafter in this section referred

9 to as the ‘‘Office’’) shall develop and publish revi10 sions to the most recent version of voting system

11 standards issued by the Office, and shall expand the

12 scope of such standards to include voluntary stand13 ards to promote for all individuals, including the el14 derly and individuals with disabilities, the accessi15 bility of polling places and the effective use of voting

16 systems and voting equipment which provide the op17 portunity for casting a secure and secret ballot.

18 (2) FUTURE UPDATES.—The Office shall up19 date the revised and expanded standards under

20 paragraph (1) at such intervals as the Office con21 siders appropriate.

22 (b) CONSULTATION.—In developing the revised and

23 expanded standards under subsection (a), the Office shall

24 consult with officials of the Federal Government and State

25 and local governments with expertise in assessing the ac26 cessibility of facilities and voting systems for the elderly
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1 and individuals with disabilities, and with appropriate or2 ganizations with expertise in developing accessibility

3 standards for the elderly and individuals with disabilities.

4 (c) POSTING ON INTERNET.—The Office shall post

5 the revised and expanded standards under this section on

6 the Internet, and shall take such other measures to dis7 seminate the standards to the public as the Office con8 siders appropriate.

9 SEC. 3. REQUIRING OFFICE OF ELECTION ADMINISTRA10 TION TO SERVE AS CLEARINGHOUSE OF IN11 FORMATION ON ACCESSIBILITY OF VOTING

12 SYSTEMS.

13 Section 311(a)(10) of the Federal Election Campaign

14 Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 438(a)(10)) is amended by striking

15 ‘‘Federal elections.’’ and inserting the following: ‘‘Federal

16 elections (including information regarding the accessibility

17 of voting systems, voting equipment, and polling places for

18 the elderly and individuals with disabilities), and provide

19 information on methods to improve the administration of

20 Federal elections upon request to a State or unit of local

21 government.’’.

22 SEC. 4. GRANT PROGRAM FOR ACTIVITIES TO PROMOTE

23 ACCESSIBILITY IN VOTING.

24 (a) IN GENERAL.—After the issuance of the revised

25 voting system standards by the Office of Election Admin-
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1 istration of the Commission pursuant to section 2, the

2 Federal Election Commission shall make grants to eligible

3 States—

4 (1) to bring voting systems, voting equipment,

5 polling places, and voter registration facilities in the

6 State into compliance with such revised standards;

7 and

8 (2) to carry out other activities to promote the

9 accessibility of voting systems, voting equipment,

10 polling places, and voter registration facilities for the

11 elderly and individuals with disabilities.

12 (b) ELIGIBILITY.—

13 (1) IN GENERAL.—A State is eligible to receive

14 a grant under this section if it submits to the Com15 mission (at such time and in such form as the Com16 mission may require) an application containing—

17 (A) a description of the activities the State

18 will carry out with the funds provided under the

19 grant;

20 (B) assurances that the State will carry

21 out such activities in a manner consistent with

22 the revised voting system standards issued pur23 suant to section 2; and

24 (C) such other information and assurances

25 as the Commission may require.
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1 (2) USE OF FUNDS FOR EDUCATIONAL ACTIVI2 TIES.—At the option of the State, a State may use

3 funds provided under a grant made under this sec4 tion to educate poll workers, election officials, and

5 voters on the availability and use of voting tech6 nology and equipment which is designed to be fully

7 accessible to the elderly and individuals with disabil8 ities.

9 (c) REPORT.—At such time as the Commission may

10 require, each State receiving a grant under this section

11 shall submit a report to the Commission which describes

12 the activities carried out with the funds provided under

13 the grant and contains such other information as the Com14 mission may require.

15 (d) ACTION THROUGH OFFICE OF ELECTION ADMIN16 ISTRATION.—The Commission shall carry out its duties

17 under this section through its Office of Election Adminis18 tration.

19 (e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There

20 are authorized to be appropriated to the Commission for

21 each of fiscal years 2002 through 2005—

22 (1) $200,000,000 for grants under this section;

23 and

24 (2) such sums as may be necessary for the ad25 ministrative expenses of carrying out this section, in-
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1 cluding expenses relating to the hiring of additional

2 personnel.

3 SEC. 5. REVISIONS TO VOTING ACCESSIBILITY FOR THE EL4 DERLY AND HANDICAPPED ACT.

5 (a) STATEMENT OF PURPOSE.—Section 2 of the Vot6 ing Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act (42

7 U.S.C. 1973ee) is amended by striking ‘‘to promote the

8 fundamental right’’ and all that follows and inserting the

9 following: ‘‘to ensure that no citizen is denied the right

10 to vote because the citizen is elderly or has a disability.’’.

11 (b) RESTORATION OF REPORTING REQUIRE12 MENTS.—

13 (1) IN GENERAL.—Section 3(c) of such Act (42

14 U.S.C. 1973ee–1(c)) is amended by striking para15 graph (3).

16 (2) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made

17 by paragraph (1) shall apply with respect to years

18 beginning with 2002.

Æ