I
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 1971
To amend the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to require States
to give notice and an opportunity for review prior to removing individuals
from the official list of eligible voters in elections for Federal office
by reason of criminal conviction, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MAY 23, 2001
Mrs. MEEK of Florida 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 States to give notice and an opportunity for
review prior to removing individuals from the official
list of eligible voters in elections for Federal office by
reason of criminal conviction, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Voting Rights Protec-
tion Act of 2001’’.
SEC. 2. REQUIRING STATES TO GIVE NOTICE AND OPPOR-
TUNITY FOR REVIEW PRIOR TO REMOVING
INDIVIDUALS FROM VOTING ROLLS BY REA-
SON OF CRIMINAL CONVICTION.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The National Voter Registration
Act of 1993 (42 U.S.C. 1973gg et seq.) is amended by
inserting after section 8 the following new section:
‘‘SEC. 8A. NOTICE AND REVIEW REQUIREMENTS FOR RE-
MOVAL 
OF 
INDIVIDUALS 
FROM 
VOTING
ROLLS FOR CRIMINAL CONVICTION.
‘‘(a) NOTICE OF REMOVAL.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—A State may not remove a
registrant from the official list of eligible voters for
elections for Federal office by reason of criminal
conviction unless the State provides the registrant
with a notice of removal containing the information
required under paragraph (2)—
‘‘(A) not later than 60 days before the
date of the first election for Federal office
which occurs after the date on which the reg-
istrant is convicted; or
‘‘(B) if the first election for Federal office
occurs fewer than 60 days after the date on
which the registrant is convicted, not later than
60 days before the date of the second such elec-
tion which occurs after the registrant is con-
victed.
‘‘(2) CONTENTS OF NOTICE.—The notice of re-
moval required under this subsection shall include
the following:
‘‘(A) A statement that the State intends to
remove the registrant from the official list of el-
igible voters for elections for Federal office.
‘‘(B) A description of the reasons for re-
moval, including sufficient identifying informa-
tion on the criminal conviction alleged to be the
basis for removal to enable the registrant to de-
termine whether the registrant was convicted of
the offense cited in the notice.
‘‘(C) A statement that the registrant may
obtain a review of the removal from an appro-
priate election official of the State in accord-
ance with subsection (b).
‘‘(b) REVIEW.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—A registrant who receives a
notice of removal under subsection (a) may submit
a written request to an appropriate election official
of the State to withdraw the notice and retain the
registrant on the official list of eligible voters, and
may include in the request such information and evi-
dence as the registrant considers appropriate to
show that the registrant was not convicted of the
criminal offense cited in the notice or is otherwise
not subject to removal from the list under State law.
‘‘(2) RESPONSE
BY
STATE.—If a registrant
submits a written request under paragraph (1), the
State shall review the information and evidence in-
cluded and accept or reject the request not later
than 10 days after receipt, and shall notify the reg-
istrant in writing of its decision.
‘‘(3) STAY
OF
REMOVAL
IF
REQUEST
SUB-
MITTED WITHIN 30 DAYS.—If a registrant submits a
written request under paragraph (1) within the 30-
day period which begins on the date the registrant
receives the notice of removal under subsection (a),
the State may not remove the registrant from the of-
ficial list of eligible voters until it has completed its
review of the request under this subsection and noti-
fied the registrant of its decision. Nothing in this
paragraph may be construed to permit a State to
refuse to consider a written request submitted under
paragraph (1) by a registrant after the 30-day pe-
riod referred to in the previous sentence, or to limit
any other rights provided to the registrant under the
laws of the State to challenge the proposed removal
of the registrant from the official list of eligible vot-
ers.’’.
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 8(a)(3)(B)
of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1973gg–6(a)(3)(B)) is amended
by inserting after ‘‘criminal conviction’’ the following:
‘‘(subject to the requirements of section 8A)’’.
SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.
The amendments made by this Act shall apply with
respect to elections occurring after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act.
Æ