52 U.S.C. § 21061 (VOTING AND ELECTIONS)
§ 21061. Payments for protection and advocacy systems
(a) In general
In addition to any other payments made under this part, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall pay the protection and advocacy system (as defined in section 102 of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 15002)) of each State to ensure full participation in the electoral process for individuals with disabilities, including registering to vote, casting a vote and accessing polling places. In providing such services, protection and advocacy systems shall have the same general authorities as they are afforded under subtitle C of title I of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 15041 et seq.).
(b) Minimum grant amount
The minimum amount of each grant to a protection and advocacy system shall be determined and allocated as set forth in subsections (c)(1)(B), (c)(3), (c)(4), (c)(5), (e), and (g) of section 794e of title 29, except that the amount of the grants to systems referred to in subsection (c)(3)(B) 1 shall not be less than $70,000, and the amount of the grants to systems referred to in subsections (c)(1)(B) and (c)(4) 1 shall not be less than $35,000.
(c) Eligible grant recipients
(1) Definition of State
For the purposes of this section, the term “State” shall have the meaning given such term in section 102 of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 15002).
(2) American Indian consortium eligible
A system serving the American Indian consortium for which funds have been reserved under section 794e(c)(1)(B) of title 29 shall be eligible for payments under subsection (a) in the same manner as a protection and advocacy system of a State.
(d) Training and technical assistance program
(1) In general
Not later than 90 days after the date on which the initial appropriation of funds for a fiscal year is made pursuant to the authorization under section 21062 of this title, the Secretary shall set aside 7 percent of the amount appropriated under such section and use such portion to make payments to eligible entities to provide training and technical assistance with respect to the activities carried out under this section.
(2) Use of funds
A recipient of a payment under this subsection may use the payment to support training in the use of voting systems and technologies, and to demonstrate and evaluate the use of such systems and technologies, by individuals with disabilities (including blindness) in order to assess the availability and use of such systems and technologies for such individuals. At least one of the recipients under this subsection shall use the payment to provide training and technical assistance for nonvisual access.
(3) Eligibility
An entity is eligible to receive a payment under this subsection if the entity—
(A) is a public or private nonprofit entity with demonstrated experience in voting issues for individuals with disabilities;
(B) is governed by a board with respect to which the majority of its members are individuals with disabilities or family members of such individuals or individuals who are blind; and
(C) submits to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.
(Pub. L. 107–252, title II, § 291, Oct. 29, 2002, 116 Stat. 1702; Pub. L. 117–182, § 2, Sept. 30, 2022, 136 Stat. 2178.)
heading: Editorial Notes
heading: References in Text
text: The Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000, referred to in subsec. (a), is Pub. L. 106–402, Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1677. Subtitle C of title I of the Act is classified generally to part C (§ 15041 et seq.) of subchapter I of chapter 144 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 15001 of Title 42 and Tables.
heading: Codification
text: Section was formerly classified to section 15461 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.
heading: Amendments
text: 2022—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 117–182, § 2(b), inserted “(c)(1)(B),” after “as set forth in subsections” and substituted “subsection (c)(3)(B) shall not be less than $70,000, and the amount of the grants to systems referred to in subsections (c)(1)(B) and (c)(4) shall not be less than $35,000.” for “subsections (c)(3)(B) and (c)(4)(B) of that section shall be not less than $70,000 and $35,000, respectively.”
Subsecs. (c), (d). Pub. L. 117–182, § 2(a), added subsec. (c) and redesignated former subsec. (c) as (d).
heading: Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
heading: Effective Date of 2022 Amendment
text: Pub. L. 117–182, § 3, Sept. 30, 2022, 136 Stat. 2179, provided that: “The amendments made by section 2 [amending this section] shall take effect at the start of the first fiscal year starting after the date of the enactment of this Act [Sept. 30, 2022].”