153 
training programs with the participation and input 
of experts in adult learning. 
(b) REQUIREMENTS FOR ELIGIBILITY.— 
(1) APPLICATION.—Each State that desires to 
receive a payment under this section shall submit an 
application for the payment to the Commission at 
such time and in such manner and containing such 
information as the Commission shall require. 
(2) CONTENTS OF APPLICATION.—Each appli-
cation submitted under paragraph (1) shall— 
(A) describe the activities for which assist-
ance under this section is sought; 
(B) provide assurances that the funds pro-
vided under this section will be used to supple-
ment and not supplant other funds used to 
carry out the activities; 
(C) provide assurances that the State will 
furnish the Commission with information on the 
number of individuals who served as poll work-
ers after recruitment and training with the 
funds provided under this section; and 
(D) provide such additional information 
and certifications as the Commission deter-
mines to be essential to ensure compliance with 
the requirements of this section. 
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(c) AMOUNT OF GRANT.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The amount of a grant 
made to a State under this section shall be equal to 
the product of— 
(A) the aggregate amount made available 
for grants to States under this section; and 
(B) the voting age population percentage 
for the State. 
(2) VOTING AGE POPULATION PERCENTAGE DE-
FINED.—In paragraph (1), the ‘‘voting age popu-
lation percentage’’ for a State is the quotient of— 
(A) the voting age population of the State 
(as determined on the basis of the most recent 
information available from the Bureau of the 
Census); and 
(B) the total voting age population of all 
States (as determined on the basis of the most 
recent information available from the Bureau of 
the Census). 
(d) REPORTS TO CONGRESS.— 
(1) REPORTS BY RECIPIENTS OF GRANTS.—Not 
later than 6 months after the date on which the 
final grant is made under this section, each recipient 
of a grant shall submit a report to the Commission 
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on the activities conducted with the funds provided 
by the grant. 
(2) REPORTS BY COMMISSION.—Not later than 
1 year after the date on which the final grant is 
made under this section, the Commission shall sub-
mit a report to Congress on the grants made under 
this section and the activities carried out by recipi-
ents with the grants, and shall include in the report 
such recommendations as the Commission considers 
appropriate. 
(e) FUNDING.— 
(1) CONTINUING AVAILABILITY OF AMOUNT AP-
PROPRIATED.—Any amount appropriated to carry 
out this section shall remain available without fiscal 
year limitation until expended. 
(2) 
ADMINISTRATIVE
EXPENSES.—Of 
the 
amount appropriated for any fiscal year to carry out 
this section, not more than 3 percent shall be avail-
able for administrative expenses of the Commission. 
SEC. 1803. STATE DEFINED. 
In this subtitle, the term ‘‘State’’ includes the Dis-
trict of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, 
Guam, American Samoa, the United States Virgin Is-
lands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
Islands. 
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Subtitle L—Enhancement of 
Enforcement 
SEC. 1811. ENHANCEMENT OF ENFORCEMENT OF HELP 
AMERICA VOTE ACT OF 2002. 
(a) COMPLAINTS; AVAILABILITY OF PRIVATE RIGHT 
OF ACTION.—Section 401 of the Help America Vote Act 
of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21111) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘The Attorney General’’ and in-
serting ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Attorney General’’; 
and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new sub-
sections: 
‘‘(b) FILING OF COMPLAINTS BY AGGRIEVED PER-
SONS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—A person who is aggrieved 
by a violation of title III which has occurred, is oc-
curring, or is about to occur may file a written, 
signed, notarized complaint with the Attorney Gen-
eral describing the violation and requesting the At-
torney General to take appropriate action under this 
section. The Attorney General shall immediately pro-
vide a copy of a complaint filed under the previous 
sentence to the entity responsible for administering 
the State-based administrative complaint procedures 
described in section 402(a) for the State involved. 
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‘‘(2) RESPONSE BY ATTORNEY GENERAL.—The 
Attorney General shall respond to each complaint 
filed under paragraph (1), in accordance with proce-
dures established by the Attorney General that re-
quire responses and determinations to be made with-
in the same (or shorter) deadlines which apply to a 
State under the State-based administrative com-
plaint procedures described in section 402(a)(2). 
The Attorney General shall immediately provide a 
copy of the response made under the previous sen-
tence to the entity responsible for administering the 
State-based administrative complaint procedures de-
scribed in section 402(a) for the State involved. 
‘‘(c) AVAILABILITY
OF PRIVATE RIGHT
OF AC-
TION.—Any person who is authorized to file a complaint 
under subsection (b)(1) (including any individual who 
seeks to enforce the individual’s right to a voter-verified 
paper ballot, the right to have the voter-verified paper bal-
lot counted in accordance with this Act, or any other right 
under title III) may file an action under section 1979 of 
the Revised Statutes of the United States (42 U.S.C. 
1983) to enforce the uniform and nondiscriminatory elec-
tion technology and administration requirements under 
subtitle A of title III. 
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‘‘(d) NO EFFECT ON STATE PROCEDURES.—Nothing 
in this section may be construed to affect the availability 
of the State-based administrative complaint procedures re-
quired under section 402 to any person filing a complaint 
under this subsection.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall apply with respect to violations occurring 
with respect to elections for Federal office held in 2020 
or any succeeding year. 
Subtitle M—Federal Election 
Integrity 
SEC. 1821. PROHIBITION ON CAMPAIGN ACTIVITIES BY 
CHIEF STATE ELECTION ADMINISTRATION 
OFFICIALS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Title III of the Federal Election 
Campaign Act of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 30101 et seq.) is 
amended by inserting after section 319 the following new 
section: 
‘‘CAMPAIGN ACTIVITIES BY CHIEF STATE ELECTION 
ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS 
‘‘SEC. 319A. (a) PROHIBITION.—It shall be unlawful 
for a chief State election administration official to take 
an active part in political management or in a political 
campaign with respect to any election for Federal office 
over which such official has supervisory authority. 
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‘‘(b) CHIEF STATE ELECTION ADMINISTRATION OF-
FICIAL.—The term ‘chief State election administration of-
ficial’ means the highest State official with responsibility 
for the administration of Federal elections under State 
law. 
‘‘(c) ACTIVE PART IN POLITICAL MANAGEMENT OR 
IN A POLITICAL CAMPAIGN.—The term ‘active part in po-
litical management or in a political campaign’ means— 
‘‘(1) serving as a member of an authorized com-
mittee of a candidate for Federal office; 
‘‘(2) the use of official authority or influence 
for the purpose of interfering with or affecting the 
result of an election for Federal office; 
‘‘(3) the solicitation, acceptance, or receipt of a 
contribution from any person on behalf of a can-
didate for Federal office; and 
‘‘(4) any other act which would be prohibited 
under paragraph (2) or (3) of section 7323(b) of 
title 5, United States Code, if taken by an individual 
to whom such paragraph applies (other than any 
prohibition on running for public office). 
‘‘(d) EXCEPTION IN CASE OF RECUSAL FROM AD-
MINISTRATION OF ELECTIONS INVOLVING OFFICIAL OR 
IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBER.— 
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‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—This section does not apply 
to a chief State election administration official with 
respect to an election for Federal office in which the 
official or an immediate family member of the offi-
cial is a candidate, but only if such official recuses 
himself or herself from all of the official’s respon-
sibilities for the administration of such election. 
‘‘(2) IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBER DEFINED.— 
In paragraph (1), the term ‘immediate family mem-
ber’ means, with respect to a candidate, a father, 
mother, son, daughter, brother, sister, husband, 
wife, father-in-law, or mother-in-law.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
subsection (a) shall apply with respect to elections for 
Federal office held after December 2019. 
Subtitle N—Promoting Voter Ac-
cess Through Election Adminis-
tration Improvements 
PART 1—PROMOTING VOTER ACCESS 
SEC. 1901. TREATMENT OF UNIVERSITIES AS VOTER REG-
ISTRATION AGENCIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 7(a) of the National Voter 
Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 20506(a)) is amend-
ed— 
(1) in paragraph (2)— 
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(A) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of sub-
paragraph (A); 
(B) by striking the period at the end of 
subparagraph (B) and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following new 
subparagraph: 
‘‘(C) each institution of higher education 
(as defined in section 101 of the Higher Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)) in the 
State that receives Federal funds.’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (6)(A), by inserting ‘‘or, in 
the case of an institution of higher education, with 
each registration of a student for enrollment in a 
course of study’’ after ‘‘assistance,’’. 
(b) AMENDMENT TO HIGHER EDUCATION ACT OF 
1965.—Section 487(a) of the Higher Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1094(a)) is amended by striking para-
graph (23). 
(c) SENSE OF CONGRESS RELATING TO OPTION OF 
STUDENTS TO REGISTER IN JURISDICTION OF INSTITU-
TION OF HIGHER EDUCATION OR JURISDICTION OF DOMI-
CILE.—It is the sense of Congress that, as provided under 
existing law, students who attend an institution of higher 
education and reside in the jurisdiction of the institution 
while attending the institution should have the option of 
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registering to vote in elections for Federal office in that 
jurisdiction or in the jurisdiction of their own domicile. 
(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall apply with respect to elections held on 
or after January 1, 2020. 
SEC. 1902. MINIMUM NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR 
VOTERS 
AFFECTED 
BY 
POLLING 
PLACE 
CHANGES. 
(a) REQUIREMENTS.—Section 302 of the Help Amer-
ica Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21082), as amended by 
section 1601(a), is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsection (f) as sub-
section (g); and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (e) the fol-
lowing new subsection: 
‘‘(f) MINIMUM NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR 
VOTERS AFFECTED BY POLLING PLACE CHANGES.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—If a State assigns an indi-
vidual who is a registered voter in a State to a poll-
ing place with respect to an election for Federal of-
fice which is not the same polling place to which the 
individual was previously assigned with respect to 
the most recent election for Federal office in the 
State in which the individual was eligible to vote— 
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163 
‘‘(A) the State shall notify the individual of 
the location of the polling place not later than 
7 days before the date of the election; or 
‘‘(B) if the State makes such an assign-
ment fewer than 7 days before the date of the 
election and the individual appears on the date 
of the election at the polling place to which the 
individual was previously assigned, the State 
shall make every reasonable effort to enable the 
individual to vote on the date of the election. 
‘‘(2) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This subsection shall 
apply with respect to elections held on or after Janu-
ary 1, 2020.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 302(g) of 
such Act (52 U.S.C. 21082(g)), as redesignated by sub-
section (a) and as amended by section 1601(b), is amend-
ed by striking ‘‘(d)(2) and (e)(2)’’ and inserting ‘‘(d)(2), 
(e)(2), and (f)(2)’’. 
SEC. 1903. ELECTION DAY HOLIDAY. 
(a) TREATMENT OF ELECTION DAY IN SAME MAN-
NER AS LEGAL PUBLIC HOLIDAY FOR PURPOSES OF FED-
ERAL EMPLOYMENT.—For purposes of any law relating 
to Federal employment, the Tuesday next after the first 
Monday in November in 2020 and each even-numbered 
year thereafter shall be treated in the same manner as 
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164 
a legal public holiday described in section 6103 of title 
5, United States Code. 
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS RELATING TO TREATMENT 
OF DAY BY PRIVATE EMPLOYERS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that private employers in the United States should 
give their employees a day off on the Tuesday next after 
the first Monday in November in 2020 and each even- 
numbered year thereafter to enable the employees to cast 
votes in the elections held on that day. 
SEC. 1904. PERMITTING USE OF SWORN WRITTEN STATE-
MENT TO MEET IDENTIFICATION REQUIRE-
MENTS FOR VOTING. 
(a) PERMITTING USE OF STATEMENT.—Title III of 
the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21081 et 
seq.) is amended by inserting after section 303 the fol-
lowing new section: 
‘‘SEC. 303A. PERMITTING USE OF SWORN WRITTEN STATE-
MENT TO MEET IDENTIFICATION REQUIRE-
MENTS. 
‘‘(a) USE OF STATEMENT.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in sub-
section (c), if a State has in effect a requirement 
that an individual present identification as a condi-
tion of receiving and casting a ballot in an election 
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for Federal office, the State shall permit the indi-
vidual to meet the requirement— 
‘‘(A) in the case of an individual who de-
sires to vote in person, by presenting the appro-
priate State or local election official with a 
sworn written statement, signed by the indi-
vidual under penalty of perjury, attesting to the 
individual’s identification and attesting that the 
individual is eligible to vote in the election; or 
‘‘(B) in the case of an individual who de-
sires to vote by mail, by submitting with the 
ballot the statement described in subparagraph 
(A). 
‘‘(2) PROVIDING PRE-PRINTED COPY OF STATE-
MENT.—A State which is subject to paragraph (1) 
shall— 
‘‘(A) prepare a pre-printed version of the 
statement described in paragraph (1)(A) which 
includes a blank space for an individual to pro-
vide a name and signature; 
‘‘(B) make copies of the pre-printed 
version available at polling places for election 
officials to distribute to individuals who desire 
to vote in person; and 
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‘‘(C) include a copy of the pre-printed 
version with each blank absentee or other ballot 
transmitted to an individual who desires to vote 
by mail. 
‘‘(b) REQUIRING USE OF REGULAR BALLOT.—An in-
dividual who presents or submits a sworn written state-
ment in accordance with subsection (a)(1) shall be per-
mitted to cast a regular ballot in the election in the same 
manner as an individual who presents identification. 
‘‘(c) EXCEPTION
FOR FIRST-TIME VOTERS REG-
ISTERING BY MAIL.—Subsections (a) and (b) do not apply 
with respect to any individual described in paragraph (1) 
of section 303(b) who is required to meet the requirements 
of paragraph (2) of such section.’’. 
(b) REQUIRING STATES TO INCLUDE INFORMATION 
ON USE OF SWORN WRITTEN STATEMENT IN VOTING IN-
FORMATION MATERIAL POSTED AT POLLING PLACES.— 
Section 302(b)(2) of such Act (52 U.S.C. 21082(b)(2)), 
as amended by section 1072(b) and section 1202(b), is 
amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of subpara-
graph (G); 
(2) by striking the period at the end of sub-
paragraph (H) and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
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(3) by adding at the end the following new sub-
paragraph: 
‘‘(I) in the case of a State that has in ef-
fect a requirement that an individual present 
identification as a condition of receiving and 
casting a ballot in an election for Federal office, 
information on how an individual may meet 
such requirement by presenting a sworn written 
statement in accordance with section 303A.’’. 
(c) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 
of such Act is amended by inserting after the item relating 
to section 303 the following new item: 
‘‘Sec. 303A. Permitting use of sworn written statement to meet identification 
requirements.’’. 
(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall apply with respect to elections occurring 
on or after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 1905. POSTAGE-FREE BALLOTS. 
(a) ABSENTEE BALLOTS CARRIED FREE OF POST-
AGE.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Chapter 34 of title 39, 
United States Code, is amended by adding after sec-
tion 3406 the following: 
‘‘§ 3407. Absentee ballots carried free of postage 
‘‘(a) Any absentee ballot for any election shall be car-
ried expeditiously and free of postage. 
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‘‘(b) As used in this section, the term ‘absentee ballot’ 
does not include any ballot covered by section 3406.’’. 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions for chapter 34 of such title is amended by in-
serting after the item relating to section 3406 the 
following: 
‘‘3407. Absentee ballots carried free of postage.’’. 
(3) REIMBURSEMENT.—Section 2401(c) of title 
39, United States Code, is amended by striking 
‘‘3406’’ and inserting ‘‘3407’’. 
(b) USE BY STATES OF REQUIREMENTS PAYMENTS 
UNDER HELP AMERICA VOTE ACT OF 2002 TO REIM-
BURSE POSTAL SERVICE.— 
(1) AUTHORIZING USE OF PAYMENTS.—Section 
251(b) of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 
U.S.C. 21001(b)) is amended— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘as pro-
vided in paragraphs (2) and (3)’’ and inserting 
‘‘as otherwise provided in this subsection’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(4) REIMBURSEMENT
OF
POSTAL
SERVICE 
FOR
COSTS
ASSOCIATED
WITH
ABSENTEE
BAL-
LOTS.—A State shall use a requirements payment to 
reimburse the United States Postal Service for the 
revenue which the Postal Service would have ob-
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tained as the result of the mailing of absentee bal-
lots in the State but for section 3407 of title 39, 
United States Code.’’. 
(2) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made 
by paragraph (1) shall apply with respect to the re-
quirements payments made to a State under part 1 
of subtitle D of title II of the Help America Vote 
Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21001 et seq.)— 
(A) for fiscal year 2019 or any previous 
fiscal year, but only to the extent that any such 
payment remains unobligated or unexpended by 
the State as of the date of the enactment of 
this Act; and 
(B) for fiscal year 2020 and each suc-
ceeding fiscal year. 
SEC. 1906. REIMBURSEMENT FOR COSTS INCURRED BY 
STATES 
IN 
ESTABLISHING 
PROGRAM 
TO 
TRACK AND CONFIRM RECEIPT OF ABSENTEE 
BALLOTS. 
(a) REIMBURSEMENT.—Subtitle D of title II of the 
Help America Vote Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 15401 et seq.) 
is amended by adding at the end the following new part: 
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170 
‘‘PART 7—PAYMENTS TO REIMBURSE STATES 
FOR COSTS INCURRED IN ESTABLISHING 
PROGRAM TO TRACK AND CONFIRM RE-
CEIPT OF ABSENTEE BALLOTS 
‘‘SEC. 297. PAYMENTS TO STATES. 
‘‘(a) PAYMENTS FOR COSTS OF ESTABLISHING PRO-
GRAM.—In accordance with this section, the Commission 
shall make a payment to a State to reimburse the State 
for the costs incurred in establishing, if the State so choos-
es to establish, an absentee ballot tracking program with 
respect to elections for Federal office held in the State 
(including costs incurred prior to the date of the enact-
ment of this part). 
‘‘(b) ABSENTEE BALLOT TRACKING PROGRAM DE-
SCRIBED.— 
‘‘(1) PROGRAM DESCRIBED.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—In this part, an ‘ab-
sentee ballot tracking program’ is a program to 
track and confirm the receipt of absentee bal-
lots in an election for Federal office under 
which the State or local election official respon-
sible for the receipt of voted absentee ballots in 
the election carries out procedures to track and 
confirm the receipt of such ballots, and makes 
information on the receipt of such ballots avail-
able to the individual who cast the ballot, by 
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means of online access using the internet site of 
the official’s office. 
‘‘(B) INFORMATION
ON
WHETHER
VOTE 
WAS
COUNTED.—The information referred to 
under subparagraph (A) with respect to the re-
ceipt of an absentee ballot shall include infor-
mation regarding whether the vote cast on the 
ballot was counted, and, in the case of a vote 
which was not counted, the reasons therefor. 
‘‘(2) USE OF TOLL-FREE TELEPHONE NUMBER 
BY OFFICIALS WITHOUT INTERNET SITE.—A pro-
gram established by a State or local election official 
whose office does not have an internet site may meet 
the description of a program under paragraph (1) if 
the official has established a toll-free telephone num-
ber that may be used by an individual who cast an 
absentee ballot to obtain the information on the re-
ceipt of the voted absentee ballot as provided under 
such paragraph. 
‘‘(c) CERTIFICATION OF COMPLIANCE AND COSTS.— 
‘‘(1) CERTIFICATION REQUIRED.—In order to 
receive a payment under this section, a State shall 
submit to the Commission a statement containing— 
‘‘(A) a certification that the State has es-
tablished an absentee ballot tracking program 
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with respect to elections for Federal office held 
in the State; and 
‘‘(B) a statement of the costs incurred by 
the State in establishing the program. 
‘‘(2) AMOUNT OF PAYMENT.—The amount of a 
payment made to a State under this section shall be 
equal to the costs incurred by the State in estab-
lishing the absentee ballot tracking program, as set 
forth in the statement submitted under paragraph 
(1), except that such amount may not exceed the 
product of— 
‘‘(A) the number of jurisdictions in the 
State which are responsible for operating the 
program; and 
‘‘(B) $3,000. 
‘‘(3) LIMIT
ON
NUMBER
OF
PAYMENTS
RE-
CEIVED.—A State may not receive more than one 
payment under this part. 
‘‘SEC. 297A. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
‘‘(a) AUTHORIZATION.—There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Commission for fiscal year 2020 and 
each succeeding fiscal year such sums as may be necessary 
for payments under this part. 
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‘‘(b) CONTINUING AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.—Any 
amounts appropriated pursuant to the authorization under 
this section shall remain available until expended.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 
of such Act is amended by adding at the end of the items 
relating to subtitle D of title II the following: 
‘‘PART 7—PAYMENTS TO REIMBURSE STATES FOR COSTS INCURRED IN ES-
TABLISHING PROGRAM TO TRACK AND CONFIRM RECEIPT OF ABSENTEE 
BALLOTS 
‘‘Sec. 297. Payments to States. 
‘‘Sec. 297A. Authorization of appropriations.’’. 
SEC. 1907. VOTER INFORMATION RESPONSE SYSTEMS AND 
HOTLINE. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT AND OPERATION OF SYSTEMS 
AND SERVICES.— 
(1) STATE-BASED
RESPONSE
SYSTEMS.—The 
Attorney General shall coordinate the establishment 
of a State-based response system for responding to 
questions and complaints from individuals voting or 
seeking to vote, or registering to vote or seeking to 
register to vote, in elections for Federal office. Such 
system shall provide— 
(A) State-specific, same-day, and imme-
diate assistance to such individuals, including 
information on how to register to vote, the loca-
tion and hours of operation of polling places, 
and how to obtain absentee ballots; and 
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(B) State-specific, same-day, and imme-
diate assistance to individuals encountering 
problems with registering to vote or voting, in-
cluding individuals encountering intimidation or 
deceptive practices. 
(2) HOTLINE.—The Attorney General, in con-
sultation with State election officials, shall establish 
and operate a toll-free telephone service, using a 
telephone number that is accessible throughout the 
United States and that uses easily identifiable nu-
merals, through which individuals throughout the 
United States— 
(A) may connect directly to the State- 
based response system described in paragraph 
(1) with respect to the State involved; 
(B) may obtain information on voting in 
elections for Federal office, including informa-
tion on how to register to vote in such elections, 
the locations and hours of operation of polling 
places, and how to obtain absentee ballots; and 
(C) may report information to the Attor-
ney General on problems encountered in reg-
istering to vote or voting, including incidences 
of voter intimidation or suppression. 
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(3) COLLABORATION WITH STATE AND LOCAL 
ELECTION OFFICIALS.— 
(A) COLLECTION OF INFORMATION FROM 
STATES.—The Attorney General shall coordi-
nate the collection of information on State and 
local election laws and policies, including infor-
mation on the Statewide computerized voter 
registration lists maintained under title III of 
the Help America Vote Act of 2002, so that in-
dividuals who contact the free telephone service 
established under paragraph (2) on the date of 
an election for Federal office may receive an 
immediate response on that day. 
(B) FORWARDING
QUESTIONS
AND
COM-
PLAINTS TO STATES.—If an individual contacts 
the free telephone service established under 
paragraph (2) on the date of an election for 
Federal office with a question or complaint with 
respect to a particular State or jurisdiction 
within a State, the Attorney General shall for-
ward the question or complaint immediately to 
the appropriate election official of the State or 
jurisdiction so that the official may answer the 
question or remedy the complaint on that date. 
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(4) CONSULTATION
REQUIREMENTS
FOR
DE-
VELOPMENT OF SYSTEMS AND SERVICES.—The At-
torney General shall ensure that the State-based re-
sponse system under paragraph (1) and the free 
telephone service under paragraph (2) are each de-
veloped in consultation with civil rights organiza-
tions, voting rights groups, State and local election 
officials, voter protection groups, and other inter-
ested community organizations, especially those that 
have experience in the operation of similar systems 
and services. 
(b) USE OF SERVICE BY INDIVIDUALS WITH DIS-
ABILITIES AND INDIVIDUALS WITH LIMITED ENGLISH 
LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY.—The Attorney General shall 
design and operate the telephone service established under 
this section in a manner that ensures that individuals with 
disabilities are fully able to use the service, and that as-
sistance is provided in any language in which the State 
(or any jurisdiction in the State) is required to provide 
election materials under section 203 of the Voting Rights 
Act of 1965. 
(c) VOTER HOTLINE TASK FORCE.— 
(1) APPOINTMENT BY ATTORNEY GENERAL.— 
The Attorney General shall appoint individuals (in 
such number as the Attorney General considers ap-
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propriate but in no event fewer than 3) to serve on 
a Voter Hotline Task Force to provide ongoing anal-
ysis and assessment of the operation of the tele-
phone service established under this section, and 
shall give special consideration in making appoint-
ments to the Task Force to individuals who rep-
resent civil rights organizations. At least one mem-
ber of the Task Force shall be a representative of 
an organization promoting voting rights or civil 
rights which has experience in the operation of simi-
lar telephone services or in protecting the rights of 
individuals to vote, especially individuals who are 
members of racial, ethnic, or linguistic minorities or 
of communities who have been adversely affected by 
efforts to suppress voting rights. 
(2) ELIGIBILITY.—An individual shall be eligi-
ble to serve on the Task Force under this subsection 
if the individual meets such criteria as the Attorney 
General may establish, except that an individual may 
not serve on the task force if the individual has been 
convicted of any criminal offense relating to voter in-
timidation or voter suppression. 
(3) TERM
OF
SERVICE.—An individual ap-
pointed to the Task Force shall serve a single term 
of 2 years, except that the initial terms of the mem-
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bers first appointed to the Task Force shall be stag-
gered so that there are at least 3 individuals serving 
on the Task Force during each year. A vacancy in 
the membership of the Task Force shall be filled in 
the same manner as the original appointment. 
(4) NO COMPENSATION FOR SERVICE.—Mem-
bers of the Task Force shall serve without pay, but 
shall receive travel expenses, including per diem in 
lieu of subsistence, in accordance with applicable 
provisions under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 
5, United States Code. 
(d) BI-ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later 
than March 1 of each odd-numbered year, the Attorney 
General shall submit a report to Congress on the operation 
of the telephone service established under this section dur-
ing the previous 2 years, and shall include in the report— 
(1) an enumeration of the number and type of 
calls that were received by the service; 
(2) a compilation and description of the reports 
made to the service by individuals citing instances of 
voter intimidation or suppression; 
(3) an assessment of the effectiveness of the 
service in making information available to all house-
holds in the United States with telephone service; 
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(4) any recommendations developed by the 
Task Force established under subsection (c) with re-
spect to how voting systems may be maintained or 
upgraded to better accommodate voters and better 
ensure the integrity of elections, including but not 
limited to identifying how to eliminate coordinated 
voter suppression efforts and how to establish effec-
tive mechanisms for distributing updates on changes 
to voting requirements; and 
(5) any recommendations on best practices for 
the State-based response systems established under 
subsection (a)(1). 
(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 
(1) AUTHORIZATION.—There are authorized to 
be appropriated to the Attorney General for fiscal 
year 2019 and each succeeding fiscal year such sums 
as may be necessary to carry out this section. 
(2) 
SET-ASIDE
FOR
OUTREACH.—Of 
the 
amounts appropriated to carry out this section for a 
fiscal year pursuant to the authorization under para-
graph (1), not less than 15 percent shall be used for 
outreach activities to make the public aware of the 
availability of the telephone service established under 
this section, with an emphasis on outreach to indi-
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viduals with disabilities and individuals with limited 
proficiency in the English language. 
PART 2—IMPROVEMENTS IN OPERATION OF 
ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION 
SEC. 1911. REAUTHORIZATION OF ELECTION ASSISTANCE 
COMMISSION. 
Section 210 of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 
(52 U.S.C. 20930) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘for each of the fiscal years 
2003 through 2005’’ and inserting ‘‘for fiscal year 
2019 and each succeeding fiscal year’’; and 
(2) by striking ‘‘(but not to exceed $10,000,000 
for each such year)’’. 
SEC. 1913. REQUIRING STATES TO PARTICIPATE IN POST- 
GENERAL ELECTION SURVEYS. 
(a) REQUIREMENT.—Title III of the Help America 
Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21081 et seq.), as amended 
by section 1904(a), is further amended by inserting after 
section 303A the following new section: 
‘‘SEC. 303B. REQUIRING PARTICIPATION IN POST-GENERAL 
ELECTION SURVEYS. 
‘‘(a) REQUIREMENT.—Each State shall furnish to the 
Commission such information as the Commission may re-
quest for purposes of conducting any post-election survey 
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of the States with respect to the administration of a regu-
larly scheduled general election for Federal office. 
‘‘(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section shall apply 
with respect to the regularly scheduled general election for 
Federal office held in November 2020 and any succeeding 
election.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 
of such Act, as amended by section 1904(c), is further 
amended by inserting after the item relating to section 
303A the following new item: 
‘‘Sec. 303B. Requiring participation in post-general election surveys.’’. 
SEC. 1914. REPORTS BY NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STAND-
ARDS AND TECHNOLOGY ON USE OF FUNDS 
TRANSFERRED FROM ELECTION ASSISTANCE 
COMMISSION. 
(a) REQUIRING REPORTS ON USE OF FUNDS AS 
CONDITION OF RECEIPT.—Section 231 of the Help Amer-
ica Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 20971) is amended by 
adding at the end the following new subsection: 
‘‘(e) REPORT
ON USE
OF FUNDS TRANSFERRED 
FROM COMMISSION.—To the extent that funds are trans-
ferred from the Commission to the Director of the Na-
tional Institute of Standards and Technology for purposes 
of carrying out this section during any fiscal year, the Di-
rector may not use such funds unless the Director certifies 
at the time of transfer that the Director will submit a re-
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port to the Commission not later than 90 days after the 
end of the fiscal year detailing how the Director used such 
funds during the year.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 
subsection (a) shall apply with respect to fiscal year 2020 
and each succeeding fiscal year. 
SEC. 1915. RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE OPERATIONS 
OF ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION. 
(a) ASSESSMENT
OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 
AND CYBERSECURITY.—Not later than December 31, 
2019, the Election Assistance Commission shall carry out 
an assessment of the security and effectiveness of the 
Commission’s information technology systems, including 
the cybersecurity of such systems. 
(b) IMPROVEMENTS TO ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINT 
PROCEDURES.— 
(1) REVIEW
OF
PROCEDURES.—The Election 
Assistance Commission shall carry out a review of 
the effectiveness and efficiency of the State-based 
administrative complaint procedures established and 
maintained under section 402 of the Help America 
Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21112) for the inves-
tigation and resolution of allegations of violations of 
title III of such Act. 
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(2) RECOMMENDATIONS TO STREAMLINE PRO-
CEDURES.—Not later than December 31, 2019, the 
Commission shall submit to Congress a report on 
the review carried out under paragraph (1), and 
shall include in the report such recommendations as 
the Commission considers appropriate to streamline 
and improve the procedures which are the subject of 
the review. 
SEC. 1916. REPEAL OF EXEMPTION OF ELECTION ASSIST-
ANCE COMMISSION FROM CERTAIN GOVERN-
MENT CONTRACTING REQUIREMENTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 205 of the Help America 
Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 20925) is amended by strik-
ing subsection (e). 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 
subsection (a) shall apply with respect to contracts entered 
into by the Election Assistance Commission on or after 
the date of the enactment of this Act. 
PART 3—MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS 
SEC. 1921. APPLICATION OF LAWS TO COMMONWEALTH OF 
NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS. 
(a) NATIONAL
VOTER
REGISTRATION
ACT
OF 
1993.—Section 3(4) of the National Voter Registration 
Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 20502(4)) is amended by striking 
‘‘States and the District of Columbia’’ and inserting 
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‘‘States, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth 
of the Northern Mariana Islands’’. 
(b) HELP AMERICA VOTE ACT OF 2002.— 
(1) COVERAGE
OF
COMMONWEALTH
OF
THE 
NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS.—Section 901 of the 
Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21141) 
is amended by striking ‘‘and the United States Vir-
gin Islands’’ and inserting ‘‘the United States Virgin 
Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern 
Mariana Islands’’. 
(2) CONFORMING
AMENDMENTS
TO
HELP 
AMERICA VOTE ACT OF 2002.—Such Act is further 
amended as follows: 
(A) The second sentence of section 
213(a)(2) (52 U.S.C. 20943(a)(2)) is amended 
by striking ‘‘and American Samoa’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘American Samoa, and the Commonwealth 
of the Northern Mariana Islands’’. 
(B) 
Section 
252(c)(2) 
(52 
U.S.C. 
21002(c)(2)) is amended by striking ‘‘or the 
United States Virgin Islands’’ and inserting 
‘‘the United States Virgin Islands, or the Com-
monwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands’’. 
(3) CONFORMING
AMENDMENT
RELATING
TO 
CONSULTATION OF HELP AMERICA VOTE FOUNDA-
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TION
WITH
LOCAL
ELECTION
OFFICIALS.—Section 
90102(c) of title 36, United States Code, is amend-
ed by striking ‘‘and the United States Virgin Is-
lands’’ and inserting ‘‘the United States Virgin Is-
lands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mar-
iana Islands’’. 
(4) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made 
by this subsection shall apply with respect to fiscal 
years beginning with the first fiscal year which be-
gins after funds are appropriated to the Common-
wealth of the Northern Mariana Islands pursuant to 
the payment under section 2. 
SEC. 1922. NO EFFECT ON OTHER LAWS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Except as specifically provided, 
nothing in this subtitle may be construed to authorize or 
require conduct prohibited under any of the following laws, 
or to supersede, restrict, or limit the application of such 
laws: 
(1) The Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. 
10301 et seq.). 
(2) The Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and 
Handicapped Act (52 U.S.C. 20101 et seq.). 
(3) The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Ab-
sentee Voting Act (52 U.S.C. 20301 et seq.). 
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(4) The National Voter Registration Act of 
1993 (52 U.S.C. 20501 et seq.). 
(5) The Americans with Disabilities Act of 
1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.). 
(6) The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 
701 et seq.). 
(b) NO EFFECT ON PRECLEARANCE OR OTHER RE-
QUIREMENTS UNDER VOTING RIGHTS ACT.—The ap-
proval by any person of a payment or grant application 
under this title, or any other action taken by any person 
under this title, shall not be considered to have any effect 
on requirements for preclearance under section 5 of the 
Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. 10304) or any other 
requirements of such Act. 
Subtitle O—Severability 
SEC. 1931. SEVERABILITY. 
If any provision of this title or amendment made by 
this title, or the application of a provision or amendment 
to any person or circumstance, is held to be unconstitu-
tional, the remainder of this title and amendments made 
by this title, and the application of the provisions and 
amendment to any person or circumstance, shall not be 
affected by the holding. 
TITLE II—ELECTION INTEGRITY 
Subtitle A—Findings Reaffirming Commitment of Congress To Restore the 
Voting Rights Act 
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Sec. 2001. Findings reaffirming commitment of Congress to restore the Voting 
Rights Act. 
Subtitle B—Findings Relating to Native American Voting Rights 
Sec. 2101. Findings relating to Native American voting rights. 
Subtitle C—Findings Relating to District of Columbia Statehood 
Sec. 2201. Findings relating to District of Columbia statehood. 
Subtitle D—Findings Relating to Territorial Voting Rights 
Sec. 2301. Findings relating to territorial voting rights. 
Subtitle E—Redistricting Reform 
Sec. 2400. Short title; finding of constitutional authority. 
PART 1—REQUIREMENTS FOR CONGRESSIONAL REDISTRICTING 
Sec. 2401. Limit on congressional redistricting after an apportionment. 
Sec. 2402. Requiring congressional redistricting to be conducted through plan 
of independent State commission. 
PART 2—INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING COMMISSIONS 
Sec. 2411. Independent redistricting commission. 
Sec. 2412. Establishment of selection pool of individuals eligible to serve as 
members of commission. 
Sec. 2413. Criteria for redistricting plan by independent commission; public no-
tice and input. 
Sec. 2414. Establishment of related entities. 
PART 3—ROLE OF COURTS IN DEVELOPMENT OF REDISTRICTING PLANS 
Sec. 2421. Enactment of plan developed by 3-judge court. 
Sec. 2422. Special rule for redistricting conducted under order of Federal 
court. 
PART 4—ADMINISTRATIVE AND MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS 
Sec. 2431. Payments to States for carrying out redistricting. 
Sec. 2432. Civil enforcement. 
Sec. 2433. State apportionment notice defined. 
Sec. 2434. No effect on elections for State and local office. 
Sec. 2435. Effective date. 
Subtitle F—Saving Voters From Voter Purging 
Sec. 2501. Short title. 
Sec. 2502. Conditions for removal of voters from list of registered voters. 
Subtitle G—Severability 
Sec. 2601. Severability. 
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Subtitle A—Findings Reaffirming 
Commitment of Congress To Re-
store the Voting Rights Act 
SEC. 2001. FINDINGS REAFFIRMING COMMITMENT OF CON-
GRESS TO RESTORE THE VOTING RIGHTS 
ACT. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) The right to vote for all Americans is sac-
rosanct and rules for voting and election administra-
tion should protect the right to vote and promote 
voter participation. 
(2) The Voting Rights Act has empowered the 
Department of Justice and Federal courts for nearly 
a half a century to block discriminatory voting prac-
tices before their implementation in States and local-
ities with the most troubling histories and ongoing 
records of racial discrimination. 
(3) There continues to be an alarming move-
ment to erect barriers to make it more difficult for 
Americans to participate in our Nation’s democratic 
process. The Nation has witnessed unprecedented ef-
forts to turn back the clock and erect barriers to 
voting for communities of color which have faced 
historic and continuing discrimination, as well as 
disabled, young, elderly, and low-income Americans. 
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(4) The Supreme Court’s 2013 Shelby County 
v. Holder decision gutted decades-long Federal pro-
tections for communities of color that face historic 
and continuing discrimination, emboldening States 
and local jurisdictions to pass voter suppression laws 
and implement procedures, such as those requiring 
photo identification, limiting early voting hours, 
eliminating same-day registration, purging voters 
from the rolls, and reducing the number of polling 
places. Congress is committed to reversing the dev-
astating impact of this decision. 
(5) Racial discrimination in voting is a clear 
and persistent problem. The actions of States and 
localities around the country post-Shelby County, in-
cluding at least 10 findings by Federal courts of in-
tentional discrimination, underscore the need for 
Congress to conduct investigatory and evidentiary 
hearings to determine the legislation necessary to re-
store the Voting Rights Act and combat continuing 
efforts in America that suppress the free exercise of 
the franchise in communities of color. 
(6) The 2018 midterm election provides further 
evidence that systemic voter discrimination and in-
timidation continues to occur in communities of 
color across the country, making it clear that democ-
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racy reform cannot be achieved until Congress re-
stores key provisions of the Voting Rights Act. 
(7) Congress must remain vigilant in protecting 
every eligible citizen’s right to vote. Congress should 
respond by modernizing the electoral system to— 
(A) improve access to the ballot; 
(B) enhance the integrity and security of 
our voting systems; 
(C) ensure greater accountability for the 
administration of elections; and 
(D) restore protections for voters against 
practices in States and localities plagued by the 
persistence of voter disenfranchisement; and 
(E) ensure that Federal civil rights laws 
protect the rights of voters against discrimina-
tory and deceptive practices. 
Subtitle B—Findings Relating to 
Native American Voting Rights 
SEC. 2101. FINDINGS RELATING TO NATIVE AMERICAN VOT-
ING RIGHTS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) The right to vote for all Americans is sa-
cred. Congress must fulfill the Federal Government’s 
trust responsibility to protect and promote Native 
Americans’ exercise of their fundamental right to 
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vote, including equal access to voter registration vot-
ing mechanisms and locations, and the ability to 
serve as election officials. 
(2) The Native American Voting Rights Coali-
tion’s four-State survey of voter discrimination 
(2016) and nine field hearings in Indian Country 
(2017–2018) revealed obstacles that Native Ameri-
cans must overcome, including a lack of accessible 
and proximate registration and polling sites, non-
traditional addresses for residents on Indian reserva-
tions, inadequate language assistance for Tribal 
members, and voter identification laws that discrimi-
nate against Native Americans. The Department of 
Justice and courts have recognized that some juris-
dictions have been unresponsive to reasonable re-
quests from federally recognized Indian Tribes for 
more accessible and proximate voter registration 
sites and in-person voting locations. 
(3) The 2018 elections provide further evidence 
that systemic voter discrimination and intimidation 
continues to occur in communities of color and Trib-
al lands across the country, making it clear that de-
mocracy reform cannot be achieved until Congress 
restores key provisions of the Voting Rights Act and 
passes additional protections. 
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(4) Congress has broad, plenary authority to 
enact legislation to safeguard the voting rights of 
Native American voters. 
(5) Congress must conduct investigatory and 
evidentiary hearings to determine the necessary leg-
islation to restore the Voting Rights Act and combat 
continuous efforts that suppress the voter franchise 
within Tribal lands, to include, but not to be limited 
to, the Native American Voting Rights Act 
(NAVRA) and the Voting Rights Advancement Act 
(VRAA). 
Subtitle C—Findings Relating to 
District of Columbia Statehood 
SEC. 2201. FINDINGS RELATING TO DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 
STATEHOOD. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) District of Columbia residents deserve full 
congressional voting rights and self-government, 
which only statehood can provide. 
(2) The 700,000 residents of the District of Co-
lumbia pay more Federal taxes per capita than resi-
dents of any State in the country, yet do not have 
full and equal representation in Congress and self- 
government. 
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(3) Since the founding of the United States, the 
residents of the District of Columbia have always 
carried all the obligations of citizenship, including 
serving in all of the Nation’s wars and paying Fed-
eral taxes, all without voting representation on the 
floor in either Chamber of Congress or freedom from 
congressional interference in purely local matters. 
(4) There are no constitutional, historical, fi-
nancial, or economic reasons why the 700,000 Amer-
icans who live in the District of Columbia should not 
be granted statehood. 
(5) The District of Columbia has a larger popu-
lation than two States, Wyoming and Vermont, and 
is close to the population of the seven States that 
have a population of under one million fully rep-
resented residents. 
(6) The District of Columbia government has 
one of the strongest fiscal positions of any jurisdic-
tion in the United States, with a $14,600,000,000 
budget and a $2,700,000,000 general fund balance, 
or surplus. 
(7) The District of Columbia’s total personal 
income is higher than that of seven States, its per 
capita personal consumption expenditures is higher 
than those of any State, and its total personal con-
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sumption expenditures is greater than those of seven 
States. 
(8) Congress has authority under article IV, 
section 3, clause 1, which gives Congress power to 
admit new States to the Union, and Article I, Sec-
tion 8, Clause 17, which grants Congress power over 
the seat of the Federal Government, to admit the 
new State carved out of the residential areas of the 
Federal seat of Government, while maintaining as 
the Federal seat of Government the United States 
Capitol Complex, the principal Federal monuments, 
Federal buildings and grounds, the National Mall, 
the White House and other Federal property. 
Subtitle D—Findings Relating to 
Territorial Voting Rights 
SEC. 2301. FINDINGS RELATING TO TERRITORIAL VOTING 
RIGHTS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) The right to vote is one of the most power-
ful instruments residents of the territories of the 
United States have to ensure that their voices are 
heard. 
(2) These Americans have played an important 
part in the American democracy for more than 120 
years. 
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(3) Political participation and the right to vote 
are among the highest concerns of territorial resi-
dents in part because they were not always afforded 
these rights. 
(4) Voter participation in the territories consist-
ently ranks higher than many communities on the 
mainland. 
(5) Territorial residents serve and die, on a per 
capita basis, at a higher rate in every United States 
war and conflict since WWI, as an expression of 
their commitment to American democratic principles 
and patriotism. 
Subtitle E—Redistricting Reform 
SEC. 2400. SHORT TITLE; FINDING OF CONSTITUTIONAL AU-
THORITY. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This subtitle may be cited as the 
‘‘Redistricting Reform Act of 2019’’. 
(b) FINDING
OF CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY.— 
Congress finds that it has the authority to establish the 
terms and conditions States must follow in carrying out 
Congressional redistricting after an apportionment of 
Members of the House of Representatives because— 
(1) the authority granted to Congress under ar-
ticle I, section 4 of the Constitution of the United 
States gives Congress the power to enact laws gov-
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erning the time, place, and manner of elections for 
Members of the House of Representatives; and 
(2) the authority granted to Congress under 
section 5 of the fourteenth amendment to the Con-
stitution gives Congress the power to enact laws to 
enforce section 2 of such amendment, which requires 
Representatives to be apportioned among the several 
States according to their number. 
PART 1—REQUIREMENTS FOR CONGRESSIONAL 
REDISTRICTING 
SEC. 2401. LIMIT ON CONGRESSIONAL REDISTRICTING 
AFTER AN APPORTIONMENT. 
The Act entitled ‘‘An Act for the relief of Doctor Ri-
cardo Vallejo Samala and to provide for congressional re-
districting’’, approved December 14, 1967 (2 U.S.C. 2c), 
is amended by adding at the end the following: ‘‘A State 
which has been redistricted in the manner provided by law 
after an apportionment under section 22(a) of the Act en-
titled ‘An Act to provide for the fifteenth and subsequent 
decennial censuses and to provide for an apportionment 
of Representatives in Congress’, approved June 18, 1929 
(2 U.S.C. 2a), may not be redistricted again until after 
the next apportionment of Representatives under such sec-
tion, unless a court requires the State to conduct such 
subsequent redistricting to comply with the Constitution 
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or to enforce the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. 
10301 et seq.).’’. 
SEC. 2402. REQUIRING CONGRESSIONAL REDISTRICTING 
TO BE CONDUCTED THROUGH PLAN OF INDE-
PENDENT STATE COMMISSION. 
(a) USE OF PLAN REQUIRED.—Notwithstanding any 
other provision of law, any Congressional redistricting 
conducted by a State shall be conducted in accordance 
with— 
(1) the redistricting plan developed and enacted 
into law by the independent redistricting commission 
established in the State, in accordance with part 2; 
or 
(2) if a plan developed by such commission is 
not enacted into law, the redistricting plan developed 
and enacted into law by a 3-judge court of the 
United States District Court for the District of Co-
lumbia, in accordance with section 2421. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 22(c) of 
the Act entitled ‘‘An Act to provide for the fifteenth and 
subsequent decennial censuses and to provide for an ap-
portionment of Representatives in Congress’’, approved 
June 18, 1929 (2 U.S.C. 2a(c)), is amended by striking 
‘‘in the manner provided by the law thereof’’ and insert-
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ing: ‘‘in the manner provided by the Redistricting Reform 
Act of 2019’’. 
PART 2—INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING 
COMMISSIONS 
SEC. 2411. INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING COMMISSION. 
(a) APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The nonpartisan agency es-
tablished or designated by a State under section 
2414(a) shall establish an independent redistricting 
commission for the State, which shall consist of 15 
members appointed by the agency as follows: 
(A) The agency shall first appoint 6 mem-
bers as follows: 
(i) The agency shall appoint 2 mem-
bers on a random basis from the majority 
category of the approved selection pool (as 
described in section 2412(b)(1)(A)). 
(ii) The agency shall appoint 2 mem-
bers on a random basis from the minority 
category of the approved selection pool (as 
described in section 2412(b)(1)(B)). 
(iii) The agency shall appoint 2 mem-
bers on a random basis from the inde-
pendent category of the approved selection 
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pool 
(as 
described 
in 
section 
2412(b)(1)(C)). 
(B) The members appointed by the agency 
under subparagraph (A) shall then appoint 9 
members as follows: 
(i) The members shall appoint 3 mem-
bers on a random basis from the majority 
category of the approved selection pool (as 
described in section 2412(b)(1)(A)). 
(ii) The members shall appoint 3 
members on a random basis from the mi-
nority category of the approved selection 
pool 
(as 
described 
in 
section 
2412(b)(1)(B)). 
(iii) The members shall appoint 3 
members on a random basis from the inde-
pendent category of the approved selection 
pool 
(as 
described 
in 
section 
2412(b)(1)(C)). 
(2) APPOINTMENT OF ALTERNATES TO SERVE 
IN CASE OF VACANCIES.— 
(A) MEMBERS APPOINTED BY AGENCY.— 
At the time the agency appoints the members 
of the independent redistricting commission 
under subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) from 
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each of the categories referred to in such sub-
paragraph, the agency shall, on a random basis, 
designate 2 other individuals from such cat-
egory to serve as alternate members who may 
be appointed to fill vacancies in the commission 
in accordance with paragraph (3). 
(B) MEMBERS APPOINTED BY FIRST MEM-
BERS.—At the time the members appointed by 
the agency appoint the other members of the 
independent redistricting commission under 
subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) from each 
of the categories referred to in such subpara-
graph, the members shall, on a random basis, 
designate 2 other individuals from such cat-
egory to serve as alternate members who may 
be appointed to fill vacancies in the commission 
in accordance with paragraph (3). 
(3) VACANCY.— 
(A) MEMBERS APPOINTED BY AGENCY.—If 
a vacancy occurs in the commission with respect 
to a member who was appointed by the non-
partisan agency under subparagraph (A) of 
paragraph (1) from one of the categories re-
ferred to in such subparagraph, the agency 
shall fill the vacancy by appointing, on a ran-
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(4) SPECIAL
RULES
FOR
APPOINTMENT
OF 
MEMBERS
APPOINTED
BY
FIRST
MEMBERS.—The 
appointment of any of the 9 members of the inde-
pendent redistricting commission who are appointed 
by the first members of the commission pursuant to 
subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1), as well as the 
appointment of alternates for such members pursu-
ant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2) and the 
appointment of members to fill vacancies with re-
spect to such members pursuant to subparagraph 
(B) of paragraph (3), shall require the affirmative 
vote of at least 4 of the members appointed by the 
nonpartisan agency under subparagraph (A) of para-
graph (1), including at least one member from each 
of the categories referred to in such subparagraph. 
The 9 members appointed pursuant to subparagraph 
(B) of paragraph (1), as well as the alternates ap-
pointed pursuant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph 
(2) and the members appointed to fill vacancies pur-
suant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (3), shall 
be selected, if necessary, to ensure that the commis-
sion as a whole reflects the demographic and geo-
graphic diversity of the State, including racial and 
language minorities protected under the Voting 
Rights Act, and that such minorities are provided 
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with a meaningful opportunity to participate in the 
development and enactment of the State’s redis-
tricting plan. 
(b) PROCEDURES
FOR CONDUCTING COMMISSION 
BUSINESS.— 
(1) CHAIR.—Members of an independent redis-
tricting commission established under this section 
shall select by majority vote one member who was 
appointed from the independent category of the ap-
proved 
selection 
pool 
described 
in 
section 
2412(b)(1)(C) to serve as chair of the commission. 
The commission may not take any action to develop 
a redistricting plan for the State under section 2413 
until the appointment of the commission’s chair. 
(2) REQUIRING MAJORITY APPROVAL FOR AC-
TIONS.—The independent redistricting commission 
of a State may not publish and disseminate any 
draft or final redistricting plan, or take any other 
action, without the approval of at least— 
(A) a majority of the whole membership of 
the commission; and 
(B) at least one member of the commission 
appointed from each of the categories of the ap-
proved selection pool described in section 
2412(b)(1). 
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(3) QUORUM.—A majority of the members of 
the commission shall constitute a quorum. 
(c) STAFF; CONTRACTORS.— 
(1) 
STAFF.—The 
independent 
redistricting 
commission of a State may appoint and set the pay 
of such staff as it considers appropriate, subject to 
State law. 
(2) CONTRACTORS.—The independent redis-
tricting commission of a State may enter into such 
contracts with vendors as it considers appropriate, 
subject to State law, except that any such contract 
shall be valid only if approved by the vote of a ma-
jority of the members of the commission, including 
at least one member appointed from each of the cat-
egories of the approved selection pool described in 
section 2412(b)(1). 
(3) GOAL OF IMPARTIALITY.—The commission 
shall take such steps as it considers appropriate to 
ensure that any staff appointed under this sub-
section, and any vendor with whom the commission 
enters into a contract under this subsection, will 
work in an impartial manner, and may require any 
person who applies for an appointment to a staff po-
sition or for a vendor’s contract with the commission 
to provide information on the person’s history of po-
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litical activity (including donations to candidates, po-
litical committees, and political parties) as a condi-
tion of the appointment or the contract. 
(d) TERMINATION.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The independent redis-
tricting commission of a State shall terminate on the 
earlier of— 
(A) June 14 of the following year ending 
in the numeral zero; or 
(B) the day on which the nonpartisan 
agency established or designated by a State 
under section 2414(a) has, in accordance with 
section 2412(b)(1), submitted a selection pool 
to the Select Committee on Redistricting for the 
State established under section 2414(b). 
(2) PRESERVATION
OF
RECORDS.—The State 
shall ensure that the records of the independent re-
districting commission are retained in the appro-
priate State archive in such manner as may be nec-
essary to enable the State to respond to any civil ac-
tion brought with respect to Congressional redis-
tricting in the State. 
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SEC. 2412. ESTABLISHMENT OF SELECTION POOL OF INDI-
VIDUALS ELIGIBLE TO SERVE AS MEMBERS 
OF COMMISSION. 
(a) CRITERIA FOR ELIGIBILITY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—An individual is eligible to 
serve as a member of an independent redistricting 
commission if the individual meets each of the fol-
lowing criteria: 
(A) As of the date of appointment, the in-
dividual is registered to vote in elections for 
Federal office held in the State. 
(B) During the 3-year period ending on 
the date of the individual’s appointment, the in-
dividual has been continuously registered to 
vote with the same political party, or has not 
been registered to vote with any political party. 
(C) The individual submits to the non-
partisan agency established or designated by a 
State under section 2413, at such time and in 
such form as the agency may require, an appli-
cation for inclusion in the selection pool under 
this section, and includes with the application a 
written statement containing the following in-
formation and assurances: 
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(i) A statement of the political party 
with which the individual is affiliated, if 
any. 
(ii) An assurance that the individual 
shall commit to carrying out the individ-
ual’s duties under this subtitle in an hon-
est, independent, and impartial fashion, 
and to upholding public confidence in the 
integrity of the redistricting process. 
(iii) An assurance that, during the 
covered periods described in paragraph (3), 
the individual has not taken and will not 
take any action which would disqualify the 
individual from serving as a member of the 
commission under paragraph (2). 
(2) DISQUALIFICATIONS.—An individual is not 
eligible to serve as a member of the commission if 
any of the following applies during any of the cov-
ered periods described in paragraph (3): 
(A) The individual or (in the case of the 
covered periods described in subparagraphs (A) 
and (B) of paragraph (3)) an immediate family 
member of the individual holds public office or 
is a candidate for election for public office. 
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(B) The individual or (in the case of the 
covered periods described in subparagraphs (A) 
and (B) of paragraph (3)) an immediate family 
member of the individual serves as an officer of 
a political party or as an officer, employee, or 
paid consultant of a campaign committee of a 
candidate for public office. 
(C) The individual or (in the case of the 
covered periods described in subparagraphs (A) 
and (B) of paragraph (3)) an immediate family 
member of the individual holds a position as a 
registered lobbyist under the Lobbying Disclo-
sure Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) or an 
equivalent State or local law. 
(D) The individual or (in the case of the 
covered periods described in subparagraphs (A) 
and (B) of paragraph (3)) an immediate family 
member of the individual is an employee of an 
elected public official, a contractor with the leg-
islature of the State, or a donor to the cam-
paign of any candidate for public office (other 
than a donor who, during any of such covered 
periods, gives an aggregate amount of $20,000 
or less to the campaigns of all candidates for all 
public offices). 
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(3) COVERED
PERIODS
DESCRIBED.—In this 
subsection, the term ‘‘covered period’’ means, with 
respect to the appointment of an individual to the 
commission, any of the following: 
(A) The 5-year period ending on the date 
of the individual’s appointment. 
(B) The period beginning on the date of 
the individual’s appointment and ending on Au-
gust 14 of the next year ending in the numeral 
one. 
(C) The 5-year period beginning on the 
day after the last day of the period described in 
subparagraph (B). 
(4) IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBER DEFINED.—In 
this subsection, the term ‘‘immediate family mem-
ber’’ means, with respect to an individual, a father, 
stepfather, mother, stepmother, son, stepson, daugh-
ter, stepdaughter, brother, stepbrother, sister, step-
sister, husband, wife, father-in-law, or mother-in- 
law. 
(b) DEVELOPMENT AND SUBMISSION OF SELECTION 
POOL.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than June 15 of 
each year ending in the numeral zero, the non-
partisan agency established or designated by a State 
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under section 2414(a) shall develop and submit to 
the Select Committee on Redistricting for the State 
established under section 2414(b) a selection pool of 
36 individuals who are eligible to serve as members 
of the independent redistricting commission of the 
State under this subtitle, consisting of individuals in 
the following categories: 
(A) A majority category, consisting of 12 
individuals who are affiliated with the political 
party with the largest percentage of the reg-
istered voters in the State who are affiliated 
with a political party (as determined with re-
spect to the most recent Statewide election for 
Federal office held in the State for which such 
information is available). 
(B) A minority category, consisting of 12 
individuals who are affiliated with the political 
party with the second largest percentage of the 
registered voters in the State who are affiliated 
with a political party (as so determined). 
(C) An independent category, consisting of 
12 individuals who are not affiliated with either 
of the political parties described in subpara-
graph (A) or subparagraph (B). 
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(2) FACTORS TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT IN DEVEL-
OPING POOL.—In selecting individuals for the selec-
tion pool under this subsection, the nonpartisan 
agency shall— 
(A) to the maximum extent practicable, en-
sure that the pool reflects the representative de-
mographic groups (including races, ethnicities, 
and genders) and geographic regions of the 
State; and 
(B) take into consideration the analytical 
skills of the individuals selected in relevant 
fields (including mapping, data management, 
law, community outreach, demography, and the 
geography of the State) and their ability to 
work on an impartial basis. 
(3) DETERMINATION OF POLITICAL PARTY AF-
FILIATION OF INDIVIDUALS IN SELECTION POOL.— 
For purposes of this section, an individual shall be 
considered to be affiliated with a political party on 
the basis of the information the individual provides 
in the application submitted under subsection 
(a)(1)(D). 
(4) ENCOURAGING RESIDENTS TO APPLY FOR 
INCLUSION IN POOL.—The nonpartisan agency shall 
take such steps as may be necessary to ensure that 
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residents of the State across various geographic re-
gions and demographic groups are aware of the op-
portunity to serve on the independent redistricting 
commission, including publicizing the role of the 
panel and using newspapers, broadcast media, and 
online sources, including ethnic media, to encourage 
individuals to apply for inclusion in the selection 
pool developed under this subsection. 
(5) REPORT
ON
ESTABLISHMENT
OF
SELEC-
TION POOL.—At the time the nonpartisan agency 
submits the selection pool to the Select Committee 
on Redistricting under paragraph (1), it shall pub-
lish a report describing the process by which the 
pool was developed, and shall include in the report 
a description of how the individuals in the pool meet 
the eligibility criteria of subsection (a) and of how 
the pool reflects the factors the agency is required 
to take into consideration under paragraph (2). 
(6) ACTION BY SELECT COMMITTEE.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 14 days 
after receiving the selection pool from the non-
partisan agency under paragraph (1), the Select 
Committee on Redistricting shall— 
(i) approve the pool as submitted by 
the nonpartisan agency, in which case the 
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213 
pool shall be considered the approved selec-
tion 
pool 
for 
purposes 
of 
section 
2411(a)(1); or 
(ii) reject the pool, in which case the 
nonpartisan agency shall develop and sub-
mit a replacement selection pool in accord-
ance with subsection (c). 
(B) INACTION
DEEMED
REJECTION.—If 
the Select Committee on Redistricting fails to 
approve or reject the pool within the deadline 
set forth in subparagraph (A), the Select Com-
mittee shall be deemed to have rejected the pool 
for purposes of such subparagraph. 
(c) DEVELOPMENT
OF REPLACEMENT SELECTION 
POOL.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—If the Select Committee on 
Redistricting rejects the selection pool submitted by 
the nonpartisan agency under subsection (b), not 
later than 14 days after the rejection, the non-
partisan agency shall develop and submit to the Se-
lect Committee a replacement selection pool, under 
the same terms and conditions that applied to the 
development and submission of the selection pool 
under paragraphs (1) through (5) of subsection (b). 
The replacement pool submitted under this para-
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graph may include individuals who were included in 
the rejected selection pool submitted under sub-
section (b), so long as at least one of the individuals 
in the replacement pool was not included in such re-
jected pool. 
(2) ACTION BY SELECT COMMITTEE.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 14 days 
after receiving the replacement selection pool 
from the nonpartisan agency under paragraph 
(1), the Select Committee on Redistricting 
shall— 
(i) approve the pool as submitted by 
the nonpartisan agency, in which case the 
pool shall be considered the approved selec-
tion 
pool 
for 
purposes 
of 
section 
2411(a)(1); or 
(ii) reject the pool, in which case the 
nonpartisan agency shall develop and sub-
mit a second replacement selection pool in 
accordance with subsection (d). 
(B) INACTION
DEEMED
REJECTION.—If 
the Select Committee on Redistricting fails to 
approve or reject the pool within the deadline 
set forth in subparagraph (A), the Select Com-
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215 
mittee shall be deemed to have rejected the pool 
for purposes of such subparagraph. 
(d) DEVELOPMENT OF SECOND REPLACEMENT SE-
LECTION POOL.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—If the Select Committee on 
Redistricting rejects the replacement selection pool 
submitted by the nonpartisan agency under sub-
section (c), not later than 14 days after the rejec-
tion, the nonpartisan agency shall develop and sub-
mit to the Select Committee a second replacement 
selection pool, under the same terms and conditions 
that applied to the development and submission of 
the selection pool under paragraphs (1) through (5) 
of subsection (b). The second replacement selection 
pool submitted under this paragraph may include in-
dividuals who were included in the rejected selection 
pool submitted under subsection (b) or the rejected 
replacement selection pool submitted under sub-
section (c), so long as at least one of the individuals 
in the replacement pool was not included in either 
such rejected pool. 
(2) ACTION BY SELECT COMMITTEE.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 14 days 
after receiving the second replacement selection 
pool from the nonpartisan agency under para-
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graph (1), the Select Committee on Redis-
tricting shall— 
(i) approve the pool as submitted by 
the nonpartisan agency, in which case the 
pool shall be considered the approved selec-
tion 
pool 
for 
purposes 
of 
section 
2411(a)(1); or 
(ii) reject the pool, in which case— 
(I) the nonpartisan agency shall 
not develop or submit any other selec-
tion pool for purposes of this subtitle; 
and 
(II) the United States District 
Court for the District of Columbia 
shall develop and enact the redis-
tricting plan for the State, in accord-
ance with section 2421. 
(B) INACTION
DEEMED
REJECTION.—If 
the Select Committee on Redistricting fails to 
approve or reject the pool within the deadline 
set forth in subparagraph (A), the Select Com-
mittee shall be deemed to have rejected the pool 
for purposes of such subparagraph. 
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SEC. 2413. CRITERIA FOR REDISTRICTING PLAN BY INDE-
PENDENT COMMISSION; PUBLIC NOTICE AND 
INPUT. 
(a) DEVELOPMENT OF REDISTRICTING PLAN.— 
(1) CRITERIA.—In developing a redistricting 
plan of a State, the independent redistricting com-
mission of a State shall establish single-member con-
gressional districts using the following criteria as set 
forth in the following order of priority: 
(A) Districts shall comply with the United 
States Constitution, including the requirement 
that they equalize total population. 
(B) Districts shall comply with the Voting 
Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. 10301 et seq.) 
and all applicable Federal laws. 
(C) Districts shall provide racial, ethnic, 
and language minorities with an equal oppor-
tunity to participate in the political process and 
to elect candidates of choice and shall not dilute 
or diminish their ability to elect candidates of 
choice whether alone or in coalition with others. 
(D) Districts shall minimize the division of 
communities of interest, neighborhoods, and po-
litical subdivisions to the extent practicable. A 
community of interest is defined as an area 
with recognized similarities of interests, includ-
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ing but not limited to ethnic, economic, social, 
cultural, geographic or historic identities. The 
term communities of interest may, in cir-
cumstances, include political subdivisions such 
as counties, municipalities, or school districts, 
but shall not include common relationships with 
political parties, officeholders, or political can-
didates. 
(2) NO FAVORING OR DISFAVORING OF POLIT-
ICAL PARTIES.—The redistricting plan developed by 
the independent redistricting commission shall not, 
when considered on a Statewide basis, unduly favor 
or disfavor any political party. 
(3) FACTORS
PROHIBITED
FROM
CONSIDER-
ATION.—In developing the redistricting plan for the 
State, the independent redistricting commission may 
not take into consideration any of the following fac-
tors, except to the extent necessary to comply with 
the Voting Rights Act of 1965: 
(A) The political party affiliation or voting 
history of the population of a district. 
(B) The residence of any Member of the 
House of Representatives or candidate. 
(b) PUBLIC NOTICE AND INPUT.— 
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(1) USE OF OPEN AND TRANSPARENT PROC-
ESS.—The independent redistricting commission of a 
State shall hold each of its meetings in public, shall 
solicit and take into consideration comments from 
the public throughout the process of developing the 
redistricting plan for the State, and shall carry out 
its duties in an open and transparent manner which 
provides for the widest public dissemination reason-
ably possible of its proposed and final redistricting 
plans. 
(2) WEBSITE.—The commission shall maintain 
a public internet site which is not affiliated with or 
maintained by the office of any elected official and 
which includes the following features: 
(A) General information on the commission 
and its members, including contact information. 
(B) An updated schedule of commission 
hearings and activities, including deadlines for 
the submission of comments. 
(C) All draft redistricting plans developed 
by the commission under subsection (c) and the 
final redistricting plan developed under sub-
section (d). 
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(D) Live streaming of commission hearings 
and an archive of previous meetings and other 
commission records. 
(E) A method by which members of the 
public may submit comments directly to the 
commission. 
(F) Access to the demographic data used 
by the commission to develop the proposed re-
districting plans, together with any software 
used to draw maps of proposed districts. 
(3) PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.—The commis-
sion shall solicit, accept, and consider comments 
from the public with respect to its duties, activities, 
and procedures at any time during the period— 
(A) which begins on January 1 of the year 
ending in the numeral one; and 
(B) which ends 7 days before the date of 
the meeting at which the commission shall vote 
on approving the final redistricting plan for en-
actment into law under subsection (d)(2). 
(4) MEETINGS AND HEARINGS IN VARIOUS GEO-
GRAPHIC LOCATIONS.—To the greatest extent prac-
ticable, the commission shall hold its meetings and 
hearings in various geographic regions and locations 
throughout the State. 
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221 
(c) DEVELOPMENT AND PUBLICATION OF PRELIMI-
NARY REDISTRICTING PLAN.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Prior to developing and pub-
lishing a final redistricting plan under subsection 
(d), the independent redistricting commission of a 
State shall develop and publish a preliminary redis-
tricting plan. 
(2) MINIMUM PUBLIC HEARINGS PRIOR TO DE-
VELOPMENT.— 
(A) 3 HEARINGS REQUIRED.—Prior to de-
veloping a preliminary redistricting plan under 
this subsection, the commission shall hold not 
fewer than 3 public hearings at which members 
of the public may provide input and comments 
regarding the potential contents of redistricting 
plans for the State and the process by which 
the commission will develop the preliminary 
plan under this subsection. 
(B) MINIMUM PERIOD FOR NOTICE PRIOR 
TO
HEARINGS.—The commission shall notify 
the public through the website maintained 
under subsection (b)(2), as well as through pub-
lication of notice in newspapers of general cir-
culation throughout the State, of the date, time, 
and location of each of the hearings held under 
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222 
this paragraph not fewer than 14 days prior to 
the date of the hearing. 
(3) PUBLICATION OF PRELIMINARY PLAN.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The commission shall 
post the preliminary redistricting plan devel-
oped under this subsection, together with a re-
port that includes the commission’s responses 
to any public comments received under sub-
section (b)(3), on the website maintained under 
subsection (b)(2), and shall provide for the pub-
lication of each such plan in newspapers of gen-
eral circulation throughout the State. 
(B) MINIMUM PERIOD FOR NOTICE PRIOR 
TO
PUBLICATION.—Not fewer than 14 days 
prior to the date on which the commission posts 
and publishes the preliminary plan under this 
paragraph, the commission shall notify the pub-
lic through the website maintained under sub-
section (b)(2), as well as through publication of 
notice in newspapers of general circulation 
throughout the State, of the pending publica-
tion of the plan. 
(4) MINIMUM PERIOD FOR PUBLIC COMMENT 
AFTER
PUBLICATION
OF
PLAN.—The commission 
shall accept and consider comments from the public 
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with respect to the preliminary redistricting plan 
published under paragraph (3) for not fewer than 30 
days after the date on which the plan is published. 
(5) POST-PUBLICATION HEARINGS.— 
(A) 3 HEARINGS REQUIRED.—After post-
ing and publishing the preliminary redistricting 
plan under paragraph (3), the commission shall 
hold not fewer than 3 public hearings at which 
members of the public may provide input and 
comments regarding the preliminary plan. 
(B) MINIMUM PERIOD FOR NOTICE PRIOR 
TO
HEARINGS.—The commission shall notify 
the public through the website maintained 
under subsection (b)(2), as well as through pub-
lication of notice in newspapers of general cir-
culation throughout the State, of the date, time, 
and location of each of the hearings held under 
this paragraph not fewer than 14 days prior to 
the date of the hearing. 
(6) 
PERMITTING
MULTIPLE
PRELIMINARY 
PLANS.—At the option of the commission, after de-
veloping and publishing the preliminary redistricting 
plan under this subsection, the commission may de-
velop and publish subsequent preliminary redis-
tricting plans, so long as the process for the develop-
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224 
ment and publication of each such subsequent plan 
meets the requirements set forth in this subsection 
for the development and publication of the first pre-
liminary redistricting plan. 
(d) PROCESS FOR ENACTMENT OF FINAL REDIS-
TRICTING PLAN.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—After taking into consider-
ation comments from the public on any preliminary 
redistricting plan developed and published under 
subsection (c), the independent redistricting commis-
sion of a State shall develop and publish a final re-
districting plan for the State. 
(2) MEETING; FINAL
VOTE.—Not later than 
August 15 of each year ending in the numeral one, 
the commission shall hold a public hearing at which 
the members of the commission shall vote on approv-
ing the final plan for enactment into law. 
(3) PUBLICATION OF PLAN AND ACCOMPANYING 
MATERIALS.—Not fewer than 14 days before the 
date of the meeting under paragraph (2), the com-
mission shall provide the following information to 
the public through the website maintained under 
subsection (b)(2), as well as through newspapers of 
general circulation throughout the State: 
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225 
(A) The final redistricting plan, including 
all relevant maps. 
(B) A report by the commission to accom-
pany the plan which provides the background 
for the plan and the commission’s reasons for 
selecting the plan as the final redistricting plan, 
including responses to the public comments re-
ceived on any preliminary redistricting plan de-
veloped and published under subsection (c). 
(C) Any dissenting or additional views with 
respect to the plan of individual members of the 
commission. 
(4) ENACTMENT.—The final redistricting plan 
developed and published under this subsection shall 
be deemed to be enacted into law if— 
(A) the plan is approved by a majority of 
the whole membership of the commission; and 
(B) at least one member of the commission 
appointed from each of the categories of the ap-
proved selection pool described in section 
2412(b)(1) approves the plan. 
(e) DEADLINE.—The independent redistricting com-
mission of a State shall approve a final redistricting plan 
for the State not later than August 15 of each year ending 
in the numeral one. 
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226 
SEC. 2414. ESTABLISHMENT OF RELATED ENTITIES. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT
OR DESIGNATION
OF NON-
PARTISAN AGENCY OF STATE LEGISLATURE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Each State shall establish a 
nonpartisan agency in the legislative branch of the 
State government to appoint the members of the 
independent redistricting commission for the State 
in accordance with section 2411. 
(2) NONPARTISANSHIP DESCRIBED.—For pur-
poses of this subsection, an agency shall be consid-
ered to be nonpartisan if under law the agency— 
(A) is required to provide services on a 
nonpartisan basis; 
(B) is required to maintain impartiality; 
and 
(C) is prohibited from advocating for the 
adoption or rejection of any legislative proposal. 
(3) DESIGNATION
OF
EXISTING
AGENCY.—At 
its option, a State may designate an existing agency 
in the legislative branch of its government to appoint 
the members of the independent redistricting com-
mission plan for the State under this subtitle, so 
long as the agency meets the requirements for non-
partisanship under this subsection. 
(4) TERMINATION
OF
AGENCY
SPECIFICALLY 
ESTABLISHED FOR REDISTRICTING.—If a State does 
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227 
not designate an existing agency under paragraph 
(3) but instead establishes a new agency to serve as 
the nonpartisan agency under this section, the new 
agency shall terminate upon the enactment into law 
of the redistricting plan for the State. 
(5) DEADLINE.—The State shall meet the re-
quirements of this subsection not later than each 
August 15 of a year ending in the numeral nine. 
(b) ESTABLISHMENT OF SELECT COMMITTEE ON RE-
DISTRICTING.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Each State shall appoint a 
Select Committee on Redistricting to approve or dis-
approve a selection pool developed by the inde-
pendent redistricting commission for the State under 
section 2412. 
(2) APPOINTMENT.—The Select Committee on 
Redistricting for a State under this subsection shall 
consist of the following members: 
(A) 1 member of the upper house of the 
State legislature, who shall be appointed by the 
leader of the party with the greatest number of 
seats in the upper house. 
(B) 1 member of the upper house of the 
State legislature, who shall be appointed by the 
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228 
leader of the party with the second greatest 
number of seats in the upper house. 
(C) 1 member of the lower house of the 
State legislature, who shall be appointed by the 
leader of the party with the greatest number of 
seats in the lower house. 
(D) 1 member of the lower house of the 
State legislature, who shall be appointed by the 
leader of the party with the second greatest 
number of seats in the lower house. 
(3) SPECIAL RULE FOR STATES WITH UNICAM-
ERAL LEGISLATURE.—In the case of a State with a 
unicameral legislature, the Select Committee on Re-
districting for the State under this subsection shall 
consist of the following members: 
(A) 2 members of the State legislature ap-
pointed by the leader of the party with the 
greatest number of seats in the legislature. 
(B) 2 members of the State legislature ap-
pointed by the leader of the party with the sec-
ond greatest number of seats in legislature. 
(4) DEADLINE.—The State shall meet the re-
quirements of this subsection not later than each 
January 15 of a year ending in the numeral zero. 
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229 
PART 3—ROLE OF COURTS IN DEVELOPMENT OF 
REDISTRICTING PLANS 
SEC. 2421. ENACTMENT OF PLAN DEVELOPED BY 3-JUDGE 
COURT. 
(a) DEVELOPMENT OF PLAN.—If any of the trig-
gering events described in subsection (c) occur with re-
spect to a State— 
(1) not later than December 15 of the year in 
which the triggering event occurs, the United States 
District Court for the District of Columbia, acting 
through a 3-judge court convened pursuant to sec-
tion 2284 of title 28, United States Code, shall de-
velop and publish the congressional redistricting 
plan for the State; and 
(2) the plan developed and published by the 
Court under this subsection shall be deemed to be 
enacted on the date on which the Court publishes 
the plan. 
(b) PROCEDURES FOR DEVELOPMENT OF PLAN.— 
(1) CRITERIA.—It is the sense of Congress 
that, in developing a redistricting plan for a State 
under this section, the Court should adhere to the 
same terms and conditions that applied (or that 
would have applied, as the case may be) to the devel-
opment of a plan by the independent redistricting 
commission of the State under section 2413(a). 
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(2) ACCESS TO INFORMATION AND RECORDS OF 
COMMISSION.—The Court shall have access to any 
information, data, software, or other records and 
material that was used (or that would have been 
used, as the case may be) by the independent redis-
tricting commission of the State in carrying out its 
duties under this subtitle. 
(c) TRIGGERING EVENTS DESCRIBED.—The ‘‘trig-
gering events’’ described in this subsection are as follows: 
(1) The failure of the State to establish or des-
ignate a nonpartisan agency of the State legislature 
under section 2414(a) prior to the expiration of the 
deadline set forth in section 2414(a)(5). 
(2) The failure of the State to appoint a Select 
Committee on Redistricting under section 2414(b) 
prior to the expiration of the deadline set forth in 
section 2414(b)(4). 
(3) The failure of the Select Committee on Re-
districting to approve any selection pool under sec-
tion 2412 prior to the expiration of the deadline set 
forth for the approval of the second replacement se-
lection pool in section 2412(d)(2). 
(4) The failure of the independent redistricting 
commission of the State to approve a final redis-
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231 
tricting plan for the State prior to the expiration of 
the deadline set forth in section 2413(e). 
SEC. 2422. SPECIAL RULE FOR REDISTRICTING CON-
DUCTED UNDER ORDER OF FEDERAL COURT. 
If a Federal court requires a State to conduct redis-
tricting subsequent to an apportionment of Representa-
tives in the State in order to comply with the Constitution 
or to enforce the Voting Rights Act of 1965, section 2413 
shall apply with respect to the redistricting, except that 
the court may revise any of the deadlines set forth in such 
section if the court determines that a revision is appro-
priate in order to provide for a timely enactment of a new 
redistricting plan for the State. 
PART 4—ADMINISTRATIVE AND MISCELLANEOUS 
PROVISIONS 
SEC. 2431. PAYMENTS TO STATES FOR CARRYING OUT RE-
DISTRICTING. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION OF PAYMENTS.—Subject to sub-
section (d), not later than 30 days after a State receives 
a State apportionment notice, the Election Assistance 
Commission shall make a payment to the State in an 
amount equal to the product of— 
(1) the number of Representatives to which the 
State is entitled, as provided under the notice; and 
(2) $150,000. 
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232 
(b) USE OF FUNDS.—A State shall use the payment 
made under this section to establish and operate the 
State’s independent redistricting commission, to imple-
ment the State redistricting plan, and to otherwise carry 
out Congressional redistricting in the State. 
(c) NO PAYMENT TO STATES WITH SINGLE MEM-
BER.—The Election Assistance Commission shall not 
make a payment under this section to any State which 
is not entitled to more than one Representative under its 
State apportionment notice. 
(d) REQUIRING SUBMISSION OF SELECTION POOL AS 
CONDITION OF PAYMENT.—The Election Assistance Com-
mission may not make a payment to a State under this 
section until the State certifies to the Commission that 
the nonpartisan agency established or designated by a 
State under section 2414(a) has, in accordance with sec-
tion 2412(b)(1), submitted a selection pool to the Select 
Committee on Redistricting for the State established 
under section 2414(b). 
(e) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary for payments under this section. 
SEC. 2432. CIVIL ENFORCEMENT. 
(a) CIVIL ENFORCEMENT.— 
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(1) ACTIONS BY ATTORNEY GENERAL.—The At-
torney General may bring a civil action in an appro-
priate district court for such relief as may be appro-
priate to carry out this subtitle. 
(2) AVAILABILITY OF PRIVATE RIGHT OF AC-
TION.—Any citizen of a State who is aggrieved by 
the failure of the State redistricting plan which is 
enacted into law under section 2413 to meet the re-
quirements for such a plan under this subtitle may 
bring a civil action in an appropriate district court 
for such relief as may be appropriate to remedy the 
failure, so long as the individual brings the action 
during the 45-day period which begins on the date 
on which the plan is enacted into law. 
(b) EXPEDITED CONSIDERATION.—In any action 
brought forth under this section, the following rules shall 
apply: 
(1) The action shall be filed in the United 
States District Court for the District of Columbia 
and shall be heard by a 3-judge court convened pur-
suant to section 2284 of title 28, United States 
Code. 
(2) The 3-judge court shall consolidate actions 
brought for relief under subsection (b)(1) with re-
spect to the same State redistricting plan. 
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234 
(3) A copy of the complaint shall be delivered 
promptly to the Clerk of the House of Representa-
tives and the Secretary of the Senate. 
(4) A final decision in the action shall be re-
viewable only by appeal directly to the Supreme 
Court of the United States. Such appeal shall be 
taken by the filing of a notice of appeal within 10 
days, and the filing of a jurisdictional statement 
within 30 days, of the entry of the final decision. 
(5) It shall be the duty of the district court and 
the Supreme Court of the United States to advance 
on the docket and to expedite to the greatest pos-
sible extent the disposition of the action and appeal. 
(c) ATTORNEY’S FEES.—In a civil action under this 
section, the court may allow the prevailing party (other 
than the United States) reasonable attorney fees, includ-
ing litigation expenses, and costs. 
(d) RELATION TO OTHER LAWS.— 
(1) RIGHTS
AND
REMEDIES
ADDITIONAL
TO 
OTHER
RIGHTS
AND
REMEDIES.—The rights and 
remedies established by this section are in addition 
to all other rights and remedies provided by law, and 
neither the rights and remedies established by this 
section nor any other provision of this subtitle shall 
supersede, restrict, or limit the application of the 
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Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. 10301 et 
seq.). 
(2) VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 1965.—Nothing in 
this subtitle authorizes or requires conduct that is 
prohibited by the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52 
U.S.C. 10301 et seq.). 
SEC. 2433. STATE APPORTIONMENT NOTICE DEFINED. 
In this subtitle, the ‘‘State apportionment notice’’ 
means, with respect to a State, the notice sent to the State 
from the Clerk of the House of Representatives under sec-
tion 22(b) of the Act entitled ‘‘An Act to provide for the 
fifteenth and subsequent decennial censuses and to pro-
vide for an apportionment of Representatives in Con-
gress’’, approved June 18, 1929 (2 U.S.C. 2a), of the 
number of Representatives to which the State is entitled. 
SEC. 2434. NO EFFECT ON ELECTIONS FOR STATE AND 
LOCAL OFFICE. 
Nothing in this subtitle or in any amendment made 
by this subtitle may be construed to affect the manner 
in which a State carries out elections for State or local 
office, including the process by which a State establishes 
the districts used in such elections. 
SEC. 2435. EFFECTIVE DATE. 
This subtitle and the amendments made by this sub-
title shall apply with respect to redistricting carried out 
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pursuant to the decennial census conducted during 2020 
or any succeeding decennial census. 
Subtitle F—Saving Voters From 
Voter Purging 
SEC. 2501. SHORT TITLE. 
This subtitle may be cited as the ‘‘Stop Automatically 
Voiding Eligible Voters Off Their Enlisted Rolls in States 
Act’’ or the ‘‘Save Voters Act’’. 
SEC. 2502. CONDITIONS FOR REMOVAL OF VOTERS FROM 
LIST OF REGISTERED VOTERS. 
(a) CONDITIONS DESCRIBED.—The National Voter 
Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 20501 et seq.) is 
amended by inserting after section 8 the following new 
section: 
‘‘SEC. 8A. CONDITIONS FOR REMOVAL OF VOTERS FROM 
OFFICIAL LIST OF REGISTERED VOTERS. 
‘‘(a) VERIFICATION ON BASIS OF OBJECTIVE AND 
RELIABLE
EVIDENCE
OF
INELIGIBILITY.—Notwith-
standing any other provision of this Act, a State may not 
remove any registrant from the official list of voters eligi-
ble to vote in elections for Federal office in the State un-
less the State verifies, on the basis of objective and reliable 
evidence, that the registrant is ineligible to vote in such 
elections on any of the grounds described in paragraph 
(3) or paragraph (4) of section 8(a). 
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‘‘(b) FACTORS NOT CONSIDERED AS OBJECTIVE AND 
RELIABLE EVIDENCE OF INELIGIBILITY.—For purposes 
of subsection (a), the following factors, or any combination 
thereof, shall not be treated as objective and reliable evi-
dence of a registrant’s ineligibility to vote: 
‘‘(1) The failure of the registrant to vote in any 
election. 
‘‘(2) The failure of the registrant to respond to 
any notice sent under section 8(d). 
‘‘(3) The failure of the registrant to take any 
other action with respect to voting in any election or 
with respect to the registrant’s status as a reg-
istrant.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION ACT OF 
1993.—Section 8(a) of such Act (52 U.S.C. 
20507(a)) is amended— 
(A) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘pro-
vide’’ and inserting ‘‘subject to section 8A, pro-
vide’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘con-
duct’’ and inserting ‘‘subject to section 8A, con-
duct’’. 
(2) HELP AMERICA VOTE ACT OF 2002.—Section 
303(a)(4)(A) of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 
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(52 U.S.C. 21083(a)(4)(A)) is amended by striking 
‘‘, registrants’’ and inserting ‘‘, and subject to sec-
tion 8A of such Act, registrants’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall take effect on the date of the enactment 
of this Act. 
Subtitle G—Severability 
SEC. 2601. SEVERABILITY. 
If any provision of this title or amendment made by 
this title, or the application of a provision or amendment 
to any person or circumstance, is held to be unconstitu-
tional, the remainder of this title and amendments made 
by this title, and the application of the provisions and 
amendment to any person or circumstance, shall not be 
affected by the holding. 
TITLE III—ELECTION SECURITY 
Sec. 3000. Short title; sense of Congress. 
Subtitle A—Financial Support for Election Infrastructure 
PART 1—VOTING SYSTEM SECURITY IMPROVEMENT GRANTS 
Sec. 3001. Grants for obtaining compliant paper ballot voting systems and car-
rying out voting system security improvements. 
Sec. 3002. Coordination of voting system security activities with use of require-
ments payments and election administration requirements 
under Help America Vote Act of 2002. 
Sec. 3003. Incorporation of definitions. 
PART 2—GRANTS FOR RISK-LIMITING AUDITS OF RESULTS OF ELECTIONS 
Sec. 3011. Grants to States for conducting risk-limiting audits of results of 
elections. 
Sec. 3012. GAO analysis of effects of audits. 
PART 3—ELECTION INFRASTRUCTURE INNOVATION GRANT PROGRAM 
Sec. 3021. Election infrastructure innovation grant program. 
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Subtitle B—Security Measures 
Sec. 3101. Election infrastructure designation. 
Sec. 3102. Timely threat information. 
Sec. 3103. Security clearance assistance for election officials. 
Sec. 3104. Security risk and vulnerability assessments. 
Sec. 3105. Annual reports. 
Subtitle C—Enhancing Protections for United States Democratic Institutions 
Sec. 3201. National strategy to protect United States democratic institutions. 
Sec. 3202. National Commission to Protect United States Democratic Institu-
tions. 
Subtitle D—Promoting Cybersecurity Through Improvements in Election 
Administration 
Sec. 3301. Testing of existing voting systems to ensure compliance with election 
cybersecurity guidelines and other guidelines. 
Sec. 3302. Treatment of electronic poll books as part of voting systems. 
Sec. 3303. Pre-election reports on voting system usage. 
Sec. 3304. Streamlining collection of election information. 
Subtitle E—Preventing Election Hacking 
Sec. 3401. Short title. 
Sec. 3402. Election Security Bug Bounty Program. 
Sec. 3403. Definitions. 
Subtitle F—Miscellaneous Provisions 
Sec. 3501. Definitions. 
Sec. 3502. Initial report on adequacy of resources available for implementation. 
Subtitle G—Severability 
Sec. 3601. Severability. 
SEC. 3000. SHORT TITLE; SENSE OF CONGRESS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This title may be cited as the 
‘‘Election Security Act’’. 
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS ON NEED TO IMPROVE 
ELECTION INFRASTRUCTURE SECURITY.—It is the sense 
of Congress that, in light of the lessons learned from Rus-
sian interference in the 2016 Presidential election, the 
Federal Government should intensify its efforts to improve 
the security of election infrastructure in the United States, 
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including through the use of individual, durable, paper 
ballots marked by the voter by hand. 
Subtitle A—Financial Support for 
Election Infrastructure 
PART 1—VOTING SYSTEM SECURITY 
IMPROVEMENT GRANTS 
SEC. 3001. GRANTS FOR OBTAINING COMPLIANT PAPER 
BALLOT VOTING SYSTEMS AND CARRYING 
OUT VOTING SYSTEM SECURITY IMPROVE-
MENTS. 
(a) AVAILABILITY OF GRANTS.—Subtitle D of title 
II of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 
21001 et seq.), as amended by section 1906(a), is amend-
ed by adding at the end the following new part: 
‘‘PART 8—GRANTS FOR OBTAINING COMPLIANT 
PAPER BALLOT VOTING SYSTEMS AND CAR-
RYING OUT VOTING SYSTEM SECURITY IM-
PROVEMENTS 
‘‘SEC. 298. GRANTS FOR OBTAINING COMPLIANT PAPER 
BALLOT VOTING SYSTEMS AND CARRYING 
OUT VOTING SYSTEM SECURITY IMPROVE-
MENTS. 
‘‘(a) AVAILABILITY AND USE OF GRANT.—The Com-
mission shall make a grant to each eligible State— 
‘‘(1) to replace a voting system— 
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‘‘(A) which does not meet the requirements 
which are first imposed on the State pursuant 
to the amendments made by the Voter Con-
fidence and Increased Accessibility Act of 2019 
with a voting system which does meet such re-
quirements, for use in the regularly scheduled 
general elections for Federal office held in No-
vember 2020, or 
‘‘(B) which does meet such requirements 
but which is not in compliance with the most 
recent voluntary voting system guidelines issued 
by the Commission prior to the regularly sched-
uled general election for Federal office held in 
November 2020 with another system which does 
meet such requirements and is in compliance 
with such guidelines; and 
‘‘(2) to carry out voting system security im-
provements described in section 298A with respect 
to the regularly scheduled general elections for Fed-
eral office held in November 2020 and each suc-
ceeding election for Federal office. 
‘‘(b) AMOUNT OF GRANT.—The amount of a grant 
made to a State under this section shall be such amount 
as the Commission determines to be appropriate, except 
that such amount may not be less than the product of 
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$1 and the average of the number of individuals who cast 
votes in any of the two most recent regularly scheduled 
general elections for Federal office held in the State. 
‘‘(c) PRO RATA REDUCTIONS.—If the amount of 
funds appropriated for grants under this part is insuffi-
cient to ensure that each State receives the amount of the 
grant calculated under subsection (b), the Commission 
shall make such pro rata reductions in such amounts as 
may be necessary to ensure that the entire amount appro-
priated under this part is distributed to the States. 
‘‘SEC. 298A. VOTING SYSTEM SECURITY IMPROVEMENTS 
DESCRIBED. 
‘‘(a) PERMITTED USES.—A voting system security 
improvement described in this section is any of the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(1) The acquisition of goods and services from 
qualified election infrastructure vendors by purchase, 
lease, or such other arrangements as may be appro-
priate. 
‘‘(2) Cyber and risk mitigation training. 
‘‘(3) A security risk and vulnerability assess-
ment of the State’s election infrastructure which is 
carried out by a provider of cybersecurity services 
under a contract entered into between the chief 
State election official and the provider. 
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‘‘(4) The maintenance of election infrastruc-
ture, including addressing risks and vulnerabilities 
which are identified under either of the security risk 
and vulnerability assessments described in para-
graph (3), except that none of the funds provided 
under this part may be used to renovate or replace 
a building or facility which is used primarily for pur-
poses other than the administration of elections for 
public office. 
‘‘(5) Providing increased technical support for 
any information technology infrastructure that the 
chief State election official deems to be part of the 
State’s election infrastructure or designates as crit-
ical to the operation of the State’s election infra-
structure. 
‘‘(6) Enhancing the cybersecurity and oper-
ations of the information technology infrastructure 
described in paragraph (4). 
‘‘(7) Enhancing the cybersecurity of voter reg-
istration systems. 
‘‘(b) QUALIFIED ELECTION INFRASTRUCTURE VEN-
DORS DESCRIBED.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—For purposes of this part, 
a ‘qualified election infrastructure vendor’ is any 
person who provides, supports, or maintains, or who 
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seeks to provide, support, or maintain, election in-
frastructure on behalf of a State, unit of local gov-
ernment, or election agency (as defined in section 
3501 of the Election Security Act) who meets the 
criteria described in paragraph (2). 
‘‘(2) CRITERIA.—The criteria described in this 
paragraph are such criteria as the Chairman, in co-
ordination with the Secretary of Homeland Security, 
shall establish and publish, and shall include each of 
the following requirements: 
‘‘(A) The vendor must be owned and con-
trolled by a citizen or permanent resident of the 
United States. 
‘‘(B) The vendor must disclose to the 
Chairman and the Secretary, and to the chief 
State election official of any State to which the 
vendor provides any goods and services with 
funds provided under this part, of any sourcing 
outside the United States for parts of the elec-
tion infrastructure. 
‘‘(C) The vendor agrees to ensure that the 
election infrastructure will be developed and 
maintained in a manner that is consistent with 
the cybersecurity best practices issued by the 
Technical Guidelines Development Committee. 
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‘‘(D) The vendor agrees to maintain its in-
formation technology infrastructure in a man-
ner that is consistent with the cybersecurity 
best practices issued by the Technical Guide-
lines Development Committee. 
‘‘(E) The vendor agrees to meet the re-
quirements of paragraph (3) with respect to 
any known or suspected cybersecurity incidents 
involving any of the goods and services provided 
by the vendor pursuant to a grant under this 
part. 
‘‘(F) The vendor agrees to permit inde-
pendent security testing by the Commission (in 
accordance with section 231(a)) and by the Sec-
retary of the goods and services provided by the 
vendor pursuant to a grant under this part. 
‘‘(3) CYBERSECURITY
INCIDENT
REPORTING 
REQUIREMENTS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—A vendor meets the 
requirements of this paragraph if, upon becom-
ing aware of the possibility that an election cy-
bersecurity incident has occurred involving any 
of the goods and services provided by the ven-
dor pursuant to a grant under this part— 
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‘‘(i) the vendor promptly assesses 
whether or not such an incident occurred, 
and submits a notification meeting the re-
quirements of subparagraph (B) to the 
Secretary and the Chairman of the assess-
ment as soon as practicable (but in no case 
later than 3 days after the vendor first be-
comes aware of the possibility that the in-
cident occurred); 
‘‘(ii) if the incident involves goods or 
services provided to an election agency, the 
vendor submits a notification meeting the 
requirements of subparagraph (B) to the 
agency as soon as practicable (but in no 
case later than 3 days after the vendor 
first becomes aware of the possibility that 
the incident occurred), and cooperates with 
the agency in providing any other nec-
essary notifications relating to the inci-
dent; and 
‘‘(iii) the vendor provides all necessary 
updates to any notification submitted 
under clause (i) or clause (ii). 
‘‘(B) CONTENTS
OF
NOTIFICATIONS.— 
Each notification submitted under clause (i) or 
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clause (ii) of subparagraph (A) shall contain 
the following information with respect to any 
election cybersecurity incident covered by the 
notification: 
‘‘(i) The date, time, and time zone 
when the election cybersecurity incident 
began, if known. 
‘‘(ii) The date, time, and time zone 
when the election cybersecurity incident 
was detected. 
‘‘(iii) The date, time, and duration of 
the election cybersecurity incident. 
‘‘(iv) The circumstances of the elec-
tion cybersecurity incident, including the 
specific election infrastructure systems be-
lieved to have been accessed and informa-
tion acquired, if any. 
‘‘(v) Any planned and implemented 
technical measures to respond to and re-
cover from the incident. 
‘‘(vi) In the case of any notification 
which is an update to a prior notification, 
any additional material information relat-
ing to the incident, including technical 
data, as it becomes available. 
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248 
‘‘SEC. 298B. ELIGIBILITY OF STATES. 
‘‘A State is eligible to receive a grant under this part 
if the State submits to the Commission, at such time and 
in such form as the Commission may require, an applica-
tion containing— 
‘‘(1) a description of how the State will use the 
grant to carry out the activities authorized under 
this part; 
‘‘(2) a certification and assurance that, not 
later than 5 years after receiving the grant, the 
State will carry out risk-limiting audits and will 
carry out voting system security improvements, as 
described in section 298A; and 
‘‘(3) such other information and assurances as 
the Commission may require. 
‘‘SEC. 298C. REPORTS TO CONGRESS. 
‘‘Not later than 90 days after the end of each fiscal 
year, the Commission shall submit a report to the appro-
priate congressional committees, including the Committees 
on Homeland Security, House Administration, and the Ju-
diciary of the House of Representatives and the Commit-
tees on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, the 
Judiciary, and Rules and Administration of the Senate, 
on the activities carried out with the funds provided under 
this part. 
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‘‘SEC. 298D. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
‘‘(a) AUTHORIZATION.—There are authorized to be 
appropriated for grants under this part— 
‘‘(1) $1,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2019; and 
‘‘(2) $175,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 
2020, 2022, 2024, and 2026. 
‘‘(b) CONTINUING AVAILABILITY OF AMOUNTS.—Any 
amounts appropriated pursuant to the authorization of 
this section shall remain available until expended.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 
of such Act, as amended by section 1906(b), is amended 
by adding at the end of the items relating to subtitle D 
of title II the following: 
‘‘PART 8—GRANTS FOR OBTAINING COMPLIANT PAPER BALLOT VOTING 
SYSTEMS AND CARRYING OUT VOTING SYSTEM SECURITY IMPROVEMENTS 
‘‘Sec. 298. Grants for obtaining compliant paper ballot voting systems and 
carrying out voting system security improvements. 
‘‘Sec. 298A. Voting system security improvements described. 
‘‘Sec. 298B. Eligibility of States. 
‘‘Sec. 298C. Reports to Congress. 
‘‘Sec. 298D. Authorization of appropriations. 
SEC. 3002. COORDINATION OF VOTING SYSTEM SECURITY 
ACTIVITIES WITH USE OF REQUIREMENTS 
PAYMENTS AND ELECTION ADMINISTRATION 
REQUIREMENTS 
UNDER 
HELP 
AMERICA 
VOTE ACT OF 2002. 
(a) DUTIES
OF ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMIS-
SION.—Section 202 of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 
(52 U.S.C. 20922) is amended in the matter preceding 
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paragraph (1) by striking ‘‘by’’ and inserting ‘‘and the se-
curity of election infrastructure by’’. 
(b) MEMBERSHIP OF SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SE-
CURITY ON BOARD OF ADVISORS OF ELECTION ASSIST-
ANCE COMMISSION.—Section 214(a) of such Act (52 
U.S.C. 20944(a)) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘37 members’’ and inserting 
‘‘38 members’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(17) The Secretary of Homeland Security or 
the Secretary’s designee.’’. 
(c) REPRESENTATIVE OF DEPARTMENT OF HOME-
LAND SECURITY ON TECHNICAL GUIDELINES DEVELOP-
MENT COMMITTEE.—Section 221(c)(1) of such Act (52 
U.S.C. 20961(c)(1)) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subparagraph (E) as sub-
paragraph (F); and 
(2) by inserting after subparagraph (D) the fol-
lowing new subparagraph: 
‘‘(E) A representative of the Department 
of Homeland Security.’’. 
(d) GOALS OF PERIODIC STUDIES OF ELECTION AD-
MINISTRATION ISSUES; CONSULTATION WITH SECRETARY 
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251 
OF HOMELAND SECURITY.—Section 241(a) of such Act 
(52 U.S.C. 20981(a)) is amended— 
(1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by 
striking ‘‘the Commission shall’’ and inserting ‘‘the 
Commission, in consultation with the Secretary of 
Homeland Security (as appropriate), shall’’; 
(2) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of paragraph 
(3); 
(3) by redesignating paragraph (4) as para-
graph (5); and 
(4) by inserting after paragraph (3) the fol-
lowing new paragraph: 
‘‘(4) will be secure against attempts to under-
mine the integrity of election systems by cyber or 
other means; and’’. 
(e) REQUIREMENTS PAYMENTS.— 
(1) USE OF PAYMENTS FOR VOTING SYSTEM 
SECURITY IMPROVEMENTS.—Section 251(b) of such 
Act (52 U.S.C. 21001(b)), as amended by section 
1905(b)(1), is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new paragraph: 
‘‘(5) PERMITTING USE OF PAYMENTS FOR VOT-
ING
SYSTEM
SECURITY
IMPROVEMENTS.—A State 
may use a requirements payment to carry out any 
of the following activities: 
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‘‘(A) Cyber and risk mitigation training. 
‘‘(B) Providing increased technical support 
for any information technology infrastructure 
that the chief State election official deems to be 
part of the State’s election infrastructure or 
designates as critical to the operation of the 
State’s election infrastructure. 
‘‘(C) Enhancing the cybersecurity and op-
erations of the information technology infra-
structure described in subparagraph (B). 
‘‘(D) Enhancing the security of voter reg-
istration databases.’’. 
(2) INCORPORATION
OF
ELECTION
INFRA-
STRUCTURE PROTECTION IN STATE PLANS FOR USE 
OF PAYMENTS.—Section 254(a)(1) of such Act (52 
U.S.C. 21004(a)(1)) is amended by striking the pe-
riod at the end and inserting ‘‘, including the protec-
tion of election infrastructure.’’. 
(3) COMPOSITION OF COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE 
FOR DEVELOPING STATE PLAN FOR USE OF PAY-
MENTS.—Section 255 of such Act (52 U.S.C. 
21005) is amended— 
(A) by redesignating subsection (b) as sub-
section (c); and 
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(B) by inserting after subsection (a) the 
following new subsection: 
‘‘(b) GEOGRAPHIC REPRESENTATION.—The mem-
bers of the committee shall be a representative group of 
individuals from the State’s counties, cities, towns, and 
Indian tribes, and shall represent the needs of rural as 
well as urban areas of the State, as the case may be.’’. 
(f) ENSURING
PROTECTION
OF
COMPUTERIZED 
STATEWIDE
VOTER
REGISTRATION
LIST.—Section 
303(a)(3) of such Act (52 U.S.C. 21083(a)(3)) is amend-
ed by striking the period at the end and inserting ‘‘, as 
well as other measures to prevent and deter cybersecurity 
incidents, as identified by the Commission, the Secretary 
of Homeland Security, and the Technical Guidelines De-
velopment Committee.’’. 
SEC. 3003. INCORPORATION OF DEFINITIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 901 of the Help America 
Vote Act of 2001 (52 U.S.C. 21141) is amended to read 
as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 901. DEFINITIONS. 
‘‘In this Act, the following definitions apply: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘cybersecurity incident’ has the 
meaning given the term ‘incident’ in section 227 of 
the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 148). 
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