I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2471 
To prohibit the unauthorized possession of a firearm at a Federal election 
site. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 3, 2023 
Mr. RUIZ introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on the Judiciary 
A BILL 
To prohibit the unauthorized possession of a firearm at a 
Federal election site. 
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 ‘‘Vote Without Fear 
Act’’. 
SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON UNAUTHORIZED FIREARM POS-
SESSION AT A FEDERAL ELECTION SITE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 44 of title 18, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
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‘‘§ 935. Prohibition on unauthorized firearm posses-
sion at a Federal election site 
‘‘(a)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), whoever 
knowingly possesses or causes to be present a firearm in, 
or within 100 yards of an entrance to, a place that the 
individual knows, or has reasonable cause to believe, is a 
Federal election site, or attempts to do so, shall be fined 
under this title, imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both. 
‘‘(2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to— 
‘‘(A) the possession of a firearm by a law en-
forcement officer employed by the United States, a 
State, or a political subdivision thereof, or a private 
security guard hired or arranged for by the owner 
or manager of a building in which there is a Federal 
election site, who is authorized by law to possess a 
firearm and who is on duty; 
‘‘(B) the possession of a firearm in a vehicle 
within 100 yards of an entrance to a Federal elec-
tion site, if the firearm is not removed from the ve-
hicle or brandished while the vehicle is in, or within 
100 yards of the entrance to, a Federal election site; 
or 
‘‘(C) the otherwise lawful possession of a fire-
arm in a place of residence, in a place of business, 
or on private property, in or within 100 yards of an 
entrance to a Federal election site. 
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‘‘(b) Whoever, with intent that a firearm be used in 
the commission of a crime, knowingly possesses or causes 
to be present the firearm in, or within 100 yards of an 
entrance to, a place that the individual knows, or has rea-
sonable cause to believe, is a Federal election site, or at-
tempts to do so, shall be fined under this title, imprisoned 
not more than 5 years, or both. 
‘‘(c) A person who kills any person in the course of 
a violation of subsection (a) or (b), or in the course of 
an attack on a Federal election site, involving the use of 
a firearm, or attempts or conspires to do so, shall be pun-
ished as provided in sections 1111, 1112, 1113, and 1117. 
‘‘(d) In this section, the term ‘Federal election site’ 
means a building or any part thereof at which an employee 
of the United States, a State, or a political subdivision 
thereof is engaged in— 
‘‘(1) the administration of a polling place in an 
election for Federal office; or 
‘‘(2) the processing or counting of ballots cast 
in such an election.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
for such chapter is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new item: 
‘‘935. Prohibition on unauthorized firearm possession at a Federal election 
site.’’. 
Æ 
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