Voter Information and Access Act of 2018

To authorize the use of certain Department of Justice grant funds for voting restoration education, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Voter Information and Access Act of 2018 2. Use of Department of Justice grant funds for voting restoration education (a) Second Chance Act of 2007 Section 3 of the Second Chance Act of 2007 ( 34 U.S.C. 60501 (1) in subsection (a)— (A) in paragraph (5), by striking and (B) in paragraph (6), by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and (C) by inserting after paragraph (6) the following: (7) to provide persons in prisons, jails, and juvenile facilities (as applicable) with counseling, education, and information services on voting restoration and voter registration; and (8) to install polling stations in jails or provide absentee ballots to incarcerated persons who are eligible to vote. ; and (2) in subsection (b), by adding at the end the following: (20) Restoring the voting rights of incarcerated persons after their release can reduce recidivism . (b) Adult and juvenile offender state and local reentry demonstration projects Section 2976 of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 ( 34 U.S.C. 10631 (1) in subsection (b)(1), by inserting after literacy, voting restoration, voter registration, (2) in subsection (e)(3), by inserting after victims services, voting restoration, voter registration, (3) in subsection (j)(2)— (A) in subparagraph (G), by striking and (B) in subparagraph (H), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and (C) by inserting after subparagraph (H) the following: (I) increased voter registration or restoration. ; and (4) in subsection (m)(3)— (A) in subparagraph (H), by striking and (B) in subparagraph (I), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and (C) by inserting after subparagraph (I) the following: (J) disseminate relevant voter restoration and voter registration information for each State. . (c) State, tribal, and local reentry courts Section 2978(b)(4) of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 ( 34 U.S.C. 10633(b)(4) (1) in subparagraph (E), by striking and (2) by inserting after subparagraph (F) the following: (G) voter registration; and . (d) Federal formerly incarcerated persons reentry initiative Section 4042(a)(E) of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: (viii) Voting restoration and voter registration. . 3. Grants to encourage voting among eligible detained and incarcerated persons (a) Authorization The Attorney General is authorized to make grants to States and units of local government to— (1) install polling places in jails for use by detained persons eligible to vote; (2) provide absentee ballots to detained persons eligible to vote; and (3) provide counseling, education, and information services on voting restoration and voter registration in prisons. (b) Application The chief executive officer of a State or unit of local government seeking a grant under this section shall submit to the Attorney General an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Attorney General may reasonably require. (c) Sense of Congress It is the sense of Congress that recipients of grants under this section should continue to partner with entities possessing an existing and proven track record of providing affected populations with services described in subsection (a) on the date of the enactment of this Act.

Summary: Voter Information and Access Act of 2018 This bill expands the uses of certain Department of Justice (DOJ) grant funds to include voting restoration and voter registration education for persons in prisons, jails, and juvenile facilities. DOJ is authorized to make grants to states and units of local government to: (1) install polling places in jails for use by detained persons eligible to vote; (2) provide absentee ballots to detained persons eligible to vote; and (3) provide counseling, education, and information services on voting restoration and voter registration in prisons.