Title: Voter Empowerment Act of 2019
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics

Summary:
Voter Empowerment Act of 2019
This bill addresses access to voting, including by

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 549 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 549

     To modernize voter registration, promote access to voting for 
 individuals with disabilities, protect the ability of individuals to 
  exercise the right to vote in elections for Federal office, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 25, 2019

 Mrs. Gillibrand (for herself, Ms. Duckworth, Ms. Harris, Mr. Sanders, 
Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Markey, and Mr. Cardin) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
                 Committee on Rules and Administration

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To modernize voter registration, promote access to voting for 
 individuals with disabilities, protect the ability of individuals to 
  exercise the right to vote in elections for Federal office, and for 
                            other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; STATEMENT OF POLICY.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Voter Empowerment 
Act of 2019''.
    (b) Statement of Policy.--It is the policy of the United States 
that--
            (1) all eligible citizens of the United States should 
        access and exercise their constitutional right to vote in a 
        free, fair, and timely manner; and
            (2) the integrity, security, and accountability of the 
        voting process must be vigilantly protected, maintained, and 
        enhanced in order to protect and preserve electoral and 
        participatory democracy in the United States.

SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    The table of contents of this Act is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; statement of policy.
Sec. 2. Table of contents.
               TITLE I--VOTER REGISTRATION MODERNIZATION

Sec. 100. Short title.
              Subtitle A--Promoting Internet Registration

Sec. 101. Requiring availability of Internet for voter registration.
Sec. 102. Use of Internet to update registration information.
Sec. 103. Provision of election information by electronic mail to 
                            individuals registered to vote.
Sec. 104. Clarification of requirement regarding necessary information 
                            to show eligibility to vote.
Sec. 105. Effective date.
                Subtitle B--Automatic Voter Registration

Sec. 111. Short title; findings and purpose.
Sec. 112. Automatic registration of eligible individuals.
Sec. 113. Contributing agency assistance in registration.
Sec. 114. One-time contributing agency assistance in registration of 
                            eligible voters in existing records.
Sec. 115. Voter protection and security in automatic registration.
Sec. 116. Registration portability and correction.
Sec. 117. Payments and grants.
Sec. 118. Treatment of exempt States.
Sec. 119. Miscellaneous provisions.
Sec. 120. Definitions.
Sec. 121. Effective date.
                Subtitle C--Same Day Voter Registration

Sec. 131. Same day registration.
 Subtitle D--Conditions on Removal on Basis of Interstate Cross-Checks

Sec. 141. Conditions on removal of registrants from official list of 
                            eligible voters on basis of interstate 
                            cross-checks.
      Subtitle E--Other Initiatives To Promote Voter Registration

Sec. 151. Acceptance of voter registration applications from 
                            individuals under 18 years of age.
Sec. 152. Annual reports on voter registration statistics.
         Subtitle F--Availability of HAVA Requirements Payments

Sec. 161. Availability of requirements payments under HAVA to cover 
                            costs of compliance with new requirements.
      Subtitle G--Prohibiting Interference With Voter Registration

Sec. 171. Prohibiting hindering, interfering with, or preventing voter 
                            registration.
Sec. 172. Establishment of best practices.
              Subtitle H--Saving Voters From Voter Purging

Sec. 181. Short title.
Sec. 182. Conditions for removal of voters from list of registered 
                            voters.
      TITLE II--ACCESS TO VOTING FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES

Sec. 201. Requirements for States to promote access to voter 
                            registration and voting for individuals 
                            with disabilities.
Sec. 202. Pilot programs for enabling individuals with disabilities to 
                            register to vote and vote privately and 
                            independently at residences.
Sec. 203. Expansion and reauthorization of grant program to assure 
                            voting access for individuals with 
                            disabilities.
                  TITLE III--PROHIBITING VOTER CAGING

Sec. 301. Voter caging and other questionable challenges prohibited.
Sec. 302. Development and adoption of best practices for preventing 
                            voter caging.
    TITLE IV--PROHIBITING DECEPTIVE PRACTICES AND PREVENTING VOTER 
                              INTIMIDATION

Sec. 401. Short title.
Sec. 402. Prohibition on deceptive practices in Federal elections.
Sec. 403. Corrective action.
Sec. 404. Reports to Congress.
                     TITLE V--DEMOCRACY RESTORATION

Sec. 501. Short title.
Sec. 502. Rights of citizens.
Sec. 503. Enforcement.
Sec. 504. Notification of restoration of voting rights.
Sec. 505. Definitions.
Sec. 506. Relation to other laws.
Sec. 507. Federal prison funds.
Sec. 508. Effective date.
  TITLE VI--PROMOTING ACCURACY, INTEGRITY, AND SECURITY THROUGH VOTER-
                    VERIFIED PERMANENT PAPER BALLOT

Sec. 601. Short title.
Sec. 602. Paper ballot and manual counting requirements.
Sec. 603. Accessibility and ballot verification for individuals with 
                            disabilities.
Sec. 604. Durability and readability requirements for ballots.
Sec. 605. Effective date for new requirements.
Sec. 606. Clarification of ability of States to use election 
                            administration payments to meet 
                            requirements.
                     TITLE VII--PROVISIONAL BALLOTS

Sec. 701. Requirements for counting provisional ballots; establishment 
                            of uniform and nondiscriminatory standards.
                        TITLE VIII--EARLY VOTING

Sec. 801. Early voting.
                        TITLE IX--VOTING BY MAIL

Sec. 901. Voting by mail.
     TITLE X--ABSENT UNIFORMED SERVICES VOTERS AND OVERSEAS VOTERS

Sec. 1001. Extending guarantee of residency for voting purposes to 
                            family members of absent military 
                            personnel.
Sec. 1002. Pre-election reports on availability and transmission of 
                            absentee ballots.
Sec. 1003. Enforcement.
Sec. 1004. Revisions to 45-day absentee ballot transmission rule.
Sec. 1005. Use of single absentee ballot application for subsequent 
                            elections.
Sec. 1006. Effective date.
             TITLE XI--POLL WORKER RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING

Sec. 1101. Leave to serve as a poll worker for Federal employees.
Sec. 1102. Grants to States for poll worker recruitment and training.
Sec. 1103. Model poll worker training program.
Sec. 1104. State defined.
                 TITLE XII--ENHANCEMENT OF ENFORCEMENT

Sec. 1201. Enhancement of enforcement of Help America Vote Act of 2002.
                 TITLE XIII--FEDERAL ELECTION INTEGRITY

Sec. 1301. Prohibition on campaign activities by chief State election 
                            administration officials.
   TITLE XIV--GRANTS FOR RISK-LIMITING AUDITS OF RESULTS OF ELECTIONS

Sec. 1401. Grants to States for conducting risk-limiting audits of 
                            results of elections.
Sec. 1402. GAO analysis of effects of audits.
   TITLE XV--PROMOTING VOTER ACCESS THROUGH ELECTION ADMINISTRATION 
                              IMPROVEMENTS

                   Subtitle A--Promoting Voter Access

Sec. 1501. Treatment of universities as voter registration agencies.
Sec. 1502. Minimum notification requirements for voters affected by 
                            polling place changes.
Sec. 1503. Election Day holiday.
Sec. 1504. Permitting use of sworn written statement to meet 
                            identification requirements for voting.
Sec. 1505. Postage-free ballots.
Sec. 1506. Reimbursement for costs incurred by States in establishing 
                            program to track and confirm receipt of 
                            absentee ballots.
Sec. 1507. Voter information response systems and hotline.
Subtitle B--Improvements in Operation of Election Assistance Commission

Sec. 1511. Reauthorization of Election Assistance Commission.
Sec. 1512. Requiring States to participate in post-general election 
                            surveys.
Sec. 1513. Reports by National Institute of Standards and Technology on 
                            use of funds transferred from Election 
                            Assistance Commission.
Sec. 1514. Recommendations to improve operations of Election Assistance 
                            Commission.
Sec. 1515. Repeal of exemption of Election Assistance Commission from 
                            certain government contracting 
                            requirements.
                  Subtitle C--Miscellaneous Provisions

Sec. 1521. Application of laws to Commonwealth of Northern Mariana 
                            Islands.
Sec. 1522. Repeal of exemption of Election Assistance Commission from 
                            certain government contracting 
                            requirements.
Sec. 1523. No effect on other laws.
                        TITLE XVI--SEVERABILITY

Sec. 1601. Severability.

               TITLE I--VOTER REGISTRATION MODERNIZATION

SEC. 100. SHORT TITLE.

    This title may be cited as the ``Voter Registration Modernization 
Act of 2019''.

              Subtitle A--Promoting Internet Registration

SEC. 101. REQUIRING AVAILABILITY OF INTERNET FOR VOTER REGISTRATION.

    (a) Requiring Availability of Internet for Registration.--The 
National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 20501 et seq.) is 
amended by inserting after section 6 the following new section:

``SEC. 6A. INTERNET REGISTRATION.

    ``(a) Requiring Availability of Internet for Online Registration.--
            ``(1) Availability of online registration.--Each State, 
        acting through the chief State election official, shall ensure 
        that the following services are available to the public at any 
        time on the official public websites of the appropriate State 
        and local election officials in the State, in the same manner 
        and subject to the same terms and conditions as the services 
        provided by voter registration agencies under section 7(a):
                    ``(A) Online application for voter registration.
                    ``(B) Online assistance to applicants in applying 
                to register to vote.
                    ``(C) Online completion and submission by 
                applicants of the mail voter registration application 
                form prescribed by the Election Assistance Commission 
                pursuant to section 9(a)(2), including assistance with 
                providing a signature as required under subsection (c).
                    ``(D) Online receipt of completed voter 
                registration applications.
    ``(b) Acceptance of Completed Applications.--A State shall accept 
an online voter registration application provided by an individual 
under this section, and ensure that the individual is registered to 
vote in the State, if--
            ``(1) the individual meets the same voter registration 
        requirements applicable to individuals who register to vote by 
        mail in accordance with section 6(a)(1) using the mail voter 
        registration application form prescribed by the Election 
        Assistance Commission pursuant to section 9(a)(2); and
            ``(2) the individual meets the requirements of subsection 
        (c) to provide a signature in electronic form (but only in the 
        case of applications submitted during or after the second year 
        in which this section is in effect in the State).
    ``(c) Signature Requirements.--
            ``(1) In general.--For purposes of this section, an 
        individual meets the requirements of this subsection as 
        follows:
                    ``(A) In the case of an individual who has a 
                signature on file with a State agency, including the 
                State motor vehicle authority, that is required to 
                provide voter registration services under this Act or 
                any other law, the individual consents to the transfer 
                of that electronic signature.
                    ``(B) If subparagraph (A) does not apply, the 
                individual submits with the application an electronic 
                copy of the individual's handwritten signature through 
                electronic means.
                    ``(C) If subparagraph (A) and subparagraph (B) do 
                not apply, the individual executes a computerized mark 
                in the signature field on an online voter registration 
                application, in accordance with reasonable security 
                measures established by the State, but only if the 
                State accepts such mark from the individual.
            ``(2) Treatment of individuals unable to meet 
        requirement.--If an individual is unable to meet the 
        requirements of paragraph (1), the State shall--
                    ``(A) permit the individual to complete all other 
                elements of the online voter registration application;
                    ``(B) permit the individual to provide a signature 
                at the time the individual requests a ballot in an 
                election (whether the individual requests the ballot at 
                a polling place or requests the ballot by mail); and
                    ``(C) if the individual carries out the steps 
                described in subparagraph (A) and subparagraph (B), 
                ensure that the individual is registered to vote in the 
                State.
            ``(3) Notice.--The State shall ensure that individuals 
        applying to register to vote online are notified of the 
        requirements of paragraph (1) and of the treatment of 
        individuals unable to meet such requirements, as described in 
        paragraph (2).
    ``(d) Confirmation and Disposition.--
            ``(1) Confirmation of receipt.--Upon the online submission 
        of a completed voter registration application by an individual 
        under this section, the appropriate State or local election 
        official shall send the individual a notice confirming the 
        State's receipt of the application and providing instructions 
        on how the individual may check the status of the application.
            ``(2) Notice of disposition.--As soon as the appropriate 
        State or local election official has approved or rejected an 
        application submitted by an individual under this section, the 
        official shall send the individual a notice of the disposition 
        of the application.
            ``(3) Method of notification.--The appropriate State or 
        local election official shall send the notices required under 
        this subsection by regular mail, and, in the case of an 
        individual who has requested that the State provide voter 
        registration and voting information through electronic mail, by 
        both electronic mail and regular mail.
    ``(e) Provision of Services in Nonpartisan Manner.--The services 
made available under subsection (a) shall be provided in a manner that 
ensures that, consistent with section 7(a)(5)--
            ``(1) the online application does not seek to influence an 
        applicant's political preference or party registration; and
            ``(2) there is no display on the website promoting any 
        political preference or party allegiance, except that nothing 
        in this paragraph may be construed to prohibit an applicant 
        from registering to vote as a member of a political party.
    ``(f) Protection of Security of Information.--In meeting the 
requirements of this section, the State shall establish appropriate 
technological security measures to prevent to the greatest extent 
practicable any unauthorized access to information provided by 
individuals using the services made available under subsection (a).
    ``(g) Use of Additional Telephone-Based System.--A State shall make 
the services made available online under subsection (a) available 
through the use of an automated telephone-based system, subject to the 
same terms and conditions applicable under this section to the services 
made available online, in addition to making the services available 
online in accordance with the requirements of this section.
    ``(h) Nondiscrimination Among Registered Voters Using Mail and 
Online Registration.--In carrying out this Act, the Help America Vote 
Act of 2002, or any other Federal, State, or local law governing the 
treatment of registered voters in the State or the administration of 
elections for public office in the State, a State shall treat a 
registered voter who registered to vote online in accordance with this 
section in the same manner as the State treats a registered voter who 
registered to vote by mail.''.
    (b) Special Requirements for Individuals Using Online 
Registration.--
            (1) Treatment as individuals registering to vote by mail 
        for purposes of first-time voter identification requirements.--
        Section 303(b)(1)(A) of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 
        U.S.C. 21083(b)(1)(A)) is amended by striking ``by mail'' and 
        inserting ``by mail or online under section 6A of the National 
        Voter Registration Act of 1993''.
            (2) Requiring signature for first-time voters in 
        jurisdiction.--Section 303(b) of such Act (52 U.S.C. 21083(b)) 
        is amended--
                    (A) by redesignating paragraph (5) as paragraph 
                (6); and
                    (B) by inserting after paragraph (4) the following 
                new paragraph:
            ``(5) Signature requirements for first-time voters using 
        online registration.--
                    ``(A) In general.--A State shall, in a uniform and 
                nondiscriminatory manner, require an individual to meet 
                the requirements of subparagraph (B) if--
                            ``(i) the individual registered to vote in 
                        the State online under section 6A of the 
                        National Voter Registration Act of 1993; and
                            ``(ii) the individual has not previously 
                        voted in an election for Federal office in the 
                        State.
                    ``(B) Requirements.--An individual meets the 
                requirements of this subparagraph if--
                            ``(i) in the case of an individual who 
                        votes in person, the individual provides the 
                        appropriate State or local election official 
                        with a handwritten signature; or
                            ``(ii) in the case of an individual who 
                        votes by mail, the individual submits with the 
                        ballot a handwritten signature.
                    ``(C) Inapplicability.--Subparagraph (A) does not 
                apply in the case of an individual who is--
                            ``(i) entitled to vote by absentee ballot 
                        under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens 
                        Absentee Voting Act (52 U.S.C. 20302 et seq.);
                            ``(ii) provided the right to vote otherwise 
                        than in person under section 3(b)(2)(B)(ii) of 
                        the Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and 
                        Handicapped Act (52 U.S.C. 20102(b)(2)(B)(ii)); 
                        or
                            ``(iii) entitled to vote otherwise than in 
                        person under any other Federal law.''.
            (3) Conforming amendment relating to effective date.--
        Section 303(d)(2)(A) of such Act (52 U.S.C. 21083(d)(2)(A)) is 
        amended by striking ``Each State'' and inserting ``Except as 
        provided in subsection (b)(5), each State''.
    (c) Conforming Amendments.--
            (1) Timing of registration.--Section 8(a)(1) of the 
        National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 20507(a)(1)) 
        is amended--
                    (A) by striking ``and'' at the end of subparagraph 
                (C);
                    (B) by redesignating subparagraph (D) as 
                subparagraph (E); and
                    (C) by inserting after subparagraph (C) the 
                following new subparagraph:
                    ``(D) in the case of online registration through 
                the official public website of an election official 
                under section 6A, if the valid voter registration 
                application is submitted online not later than the 
                lesser of 30 days, or the period provided by State law, 
                before the date of the election (as determined by 
                treating the date on which the application is sent 
                electronically as the date on which it is submitted); 
                and''.
            (2) Informing applicants of eligibility requirements and 
        penalties.--Section 8(a)(5) of such Act (52 U.S.C. 20507(a)(5)) 
        is amended by striking ``and 7'' and inserting ``6A, and 7''.

SEC. 102. USE OF INTERNET TO UPDATE REGISTRATION INFORMATION.

    (a) In General.--
            (1) Updates to information contained on computerized 
        statewide voter registration list.--Section 303(a) of the Help 
        America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21083(a)) is amended by 
        adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(6) Use of internet by registered voters to update 
        information.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The appropriate State or local 
                election official shall ensure that any registered 
                voter on the computerized list may at any time update 
                the voter's registration information, including the 
                voter's address and electronic mail address, online 
                through the official public website of the election 
                official responsible for the maintenance of the list, 
                so long as the voter attests to the contents of the 
                update by providing a signature in electronic form in 
                the same manner required under section 6A(c) of the 
                National Voter Registration Act of 1993.
                    ``(B) Processing of updated information by election 
                officials.--If a registered voter updates registration 
                information under subparagraph (A), the appropriate 
                State or local election official shall--
                            ``(i) revise any information on the 
                        computerized list to reflect the update made by 
                        the voter; and
                            ``(ii) if the updated registration 
                        information affects the voter's eligibility to 
                        vote in an election for Federal office, ensure 
                        that the information is processed with respect 
                        to the election if the voter updates the 
                        information not later than the lesser of 7 
                        days, or the period provided by State law, 
                        before the date of the election.
                    ``(C) Confirmation and disposition.--
                            ``(i) Confirmation of receipt.--Upon the 
                        online submission of updated registration 
                        information by an individual under this 
                        paragraph, the appropriate State or local 
                        election official shall send the individual a 
                        notice confirming the State's receipt of the 
                        updated information and providing instructions 
                        on how the individual may check the status of 
                        the update.
                            ``(ii) Notice of disposition.--As soon as 
                        the appropriate State or local election 
                        official has accepted or rejected updated 
                        information submitted by an individual under 
                        this paragraph, the official shall send the 
                        individual a notice of the disposition of the 
                        update.
                            ``(iii) Method of notification.--The 
                        appropriate State or local election official 
                        shall send the notices required under this 
                        subparagraph by regular mail, and, in the case 
                        of an individual who has requested that the 
                        State provide voter registration and voting 
                        information through electronic mail, by both 
                        electronic mail and regular mail.''.
            (2) Conforming amendment relating to effective date.--
        Section 303(d)(1)(A) of such Act (52 U.S.C. 21083(d)(1)(A)) is 
        amended by striking ``subparagraph (B)'' and inserting 
        ``subparagraph (B) and subsection (a)(6)''.
    (b) Ability of Registrant To Use Online Update To Provide 
Information on Residence.--Section 8(d)(2)(A) of the National Voter 
Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 20507(d)(2)(A)) is amended--
            (1) in the first sentence, by inserting after ``return the 
        card'' the following: ``or update the registrant's information 
        on the computerized statewide voter registration list using the 
        online method provided under section 303(a)(6) of the Help 
        America Vote Act of 2002''; and
            (2) in the second sentence, by striking ``returned,'' and 
        inserting the following: ``returned or if the registrant does 
        not update the registrant's information on the computerized 
        statewide voter registration list using such online method,''.

SEC. 103. PROVISION OF ELECTION INFORMATION BY ELECTRONIC MAIL TO 
              INDIVIDUALS REGISTERED TO VOTE.

    (a) Including Option on Voter Registration Application To Provide 
Email Address and Receive Information.--
            (1) In general.--Section 9(b) of the National Voter 
        Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 20508(b)) is amended--
                    (A) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph 
                (3);
                    (B) by striking the period at the end of paragraph 
                (4) and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following new 
                paragraph:
            ``(5) shall include a space for the applicant to provide 
        (at the applicant's option) an electronic mail address, 
        together with a statement that, if the applicant so requests, 
        instead of using regular mail the appropriate State and local 
        election officials shall provide to the applicant, through 
        electronic mail sent to that address, the same voting 
        information (as defined in section 302(b)(2) of the Help 
        America Vote Act of 2002) which the officials would provide to 
        the applicant through regular mail.''.
            (2) Prohibiting use for purposes unrelated to official 
        duties of election officials.--Section 9 of such Act (52 U.S.C. 
        20508) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
        subsection:
    ``(c) Prohibiting Use of Electronic Mail Addresses for Other Than 
Official Purposes.--The chief State election official shall ensure that 
any electronic mail address provided by an applicant under subsection 
(b)(5) is used only for purposes of carrying out official duties of 
election officials and is not transmitted by any State or local 
election official (or any agent of such an official, including a 
contractor) to any person who does not require the address to carry out 
such official duties and who is not under the direct supervision and 
control of a State or local election official.''.
    (b) Requiring Provision of Information by Election Officials.--
Section 302(b) of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 
21082(b)) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(3) Provision of other information by electronic mail.--
        If an individual who is a registered voter has provided the 
        State or local election official with an electronic mail 
        address for the purpose of receiving voting information (as 
        described in section 9(b)(5) of the National Voter Registration 
        Act of 1993), the appropriate State or local election official, 
        through electronic mail transmitted not later than 7 days 
        before the date of the election involved, shall provide the 
        individual with information on how to obtain the following 
        information by electronic means:
                    ``(A) The name and address of the polling place at 
                which the individual is assigned to vote in the 
                election.
                    ``(B) The hours of operation for the polling place.
                    ``(C) A description of any identification or other 
                information the individual may be required to present 
                at the polling place.''.

SEC. 104. CLARIFICATION OF REQUIREMENT REGARDING NECESSARY INFORMATION 
              TO SHOW ELIGIBILITY TO VOTE.

    Section 8 of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 
20507) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsection (j) as subsection (k); and
            (2) by inserting after subsection (i) the following new 
        subsection:
    ``(j) Requirement for State To Register Applicants Providing 
Necessary Information To Show Eligibility To Vote.--For purposes 
meeting the requirement of subsection (a)(1) that an eligible applicant 
is registered to vote in an election for Federal office within the 
deadlines required under such subsection, the State shall consider an 
applicant to have provided a `valid voter registration form' if--
            ``(1) the applicant has accurately completed the 
        application form and attested to the statement required by 
        section 9(b)(2); and
            ``(2) in the case of an applicant who registers to vote 
        online in accordance with section 6A, the applicant provides a 
        signature in accordance with subsection (c) of such section.''.

SEC. 105. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    (a) In General.--Except as provided in subsection (b), the 
amendments made by this subtitle (other than the amendments made by 
section 104) shall take effect January 1, 2020.
    (b) Waiver.--Subject to the approval of the Election Assistance 
Commission, if a State certifies to the Election Assistance Commission 
that the State will not meet the deadline referred to in subsection (a) 
because of extraordinary circumstances and includes in the 
certification the reasons for the failure to meet the deadline, 
subsection (a) shall apply to the State as if the reference in such 
subsection to ``January 1, 2020'' were a reference to ``January 1, 
2022''.

                Subtitle B--Automatic Voter Registration

SEC. 111. SHORT TITLE; FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

    (a) Short Title.--This subtitle may be cited as the ``Automatic 
Voter Registration Act of 2019''.
    (b) Findings and Purpose.--
            (1) Findings.--Congress finds that--
                    (A) the right to vote is a fundamental right of 
                citizens of the United States;
                    (B) it is the responsibility of the State and 
                Federal governments to ensure that every eligible 
                citizen is registered to vote;
                    (C) existing voter registration systems can be 
                inaccurate, costly, inaccessible and confusing, with 
                damaging effects on voter participation in elections 
                and disproportionate impacts on young people, persons 
                with disabilities, and racial and ethnic minorities; 
                and
                    (D) voter registration systems must be updated with 
                21st century technologies and procedures to maintain 
                their security.
            (2) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this subtitle--
                    (A) to establish that it is the responsibility of 
                government at every level to ensure that all eligible 
                citizens are registered to vote;
                    (B) to enable the State and Federal governments to 
                register all eligible citizens to vote with accurate, 
                cost-efficient, and up-to-date procedures;
                    (C) to modernize voter registration and list 
                maintenance procedures with electronic and Internet 
                capabilities; and
                    (D) to protect and enhance the integrity, accuracy, 
                efficiency, and accessibility of the electoral process 
                for all eligible citizens.

SEC. 112. AUTOMATIC REGISTRATION OF ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS.

    (a) Requiring States To Establish and Operate Automatic 
Registration System.--
            (1) In general.--The chief State election official of each 
        State shall establish and operate a system of automatic 
        registration for the registration of eligible individuals to 
        vote for elections for Federal office in the State, in 
        accordance with the provisions of this subtitle.
            (2) Definition.--The term ``automatic registration'' means 
        a system that registers an individual to vote in elections for 
        Federal office in a State, if eligible, by electronically 
        transferring the information necessary for registration from 
        government agencies to election officials of the State so that, 
        unless the individual affirmatively declines to be registered, 
        the individual will be registered to vote in such elections.
    (b) Registration of Voters Based on New Agency Records.--The chief 
State election official shall--
            (1) not later than 15 days after a contributing agency has 
        transmitted information with respect to an individual pursuant 
        to section 113, ensure that the individual is registered to 
        vote in elections for Federal office in the State if the 
        individual is eligible to be registered to vote in such 
        elections; and
            (2) send written notice to the individual, in addition to 
        other means of notice established by this subtitle, of the 
        individual's voter registration status.
    (c) One-Time Registration of Voters Based on Existing Contributing 
Agency Records.--The chief State election official shall--
            (1) identify all individuals whose information is 
        transmitted by a contributing agency pursuant to section 114 
        and who are eligible to be, but are not currently, registered 
        to vote in that State;
            (2) promptly send each such individual written notice, in 
        addition to other means of notice established by this subtitle, 
        which shall not identify the contributing agency that 
        transmitted the information but shall include--
                    (A) an explanation that voter registration is 
                voluntary, but if the individual does not decline 
                registration, the individual will be registered to 
                vote;
                    (B) a statement offering the opportunity to decline 
                voter registration through means consistent with the 
                requirements of this subtitle;
                    (C) in the case of a State in which affiliation or 
                enrollment with a political party is required in order 
                to participate in an election to select the party's 
                candidate in an election for Federal office, a 
                statement offering the individual the opportunity to 
                affiliate or enroll with a political party or to 
                decline to affiliate or enroll with a political party, 
                through means consistent with the requirements of this 
                part;
                    (D) the substantive qualifications of an elector in 
                the State as listed in the mail voter registration 
                application form for elections for Federal office 
                prescribed pursuant to section 9 of the National Voter 
                Registration Act of 1993, the consequences of false 
                registration, and a statement that the individual 
                should decline to register if the individual does not 
                meet all those qualifications;
                    (E) instructions for correcting any erroneous 
                information; and
                    (F) instructions for providing any additional 
                information which is listed in the mail voter 
                registration application form for elections for Federal 
                office prescribed pursuant to section 9 of the National 
                Voter Registration Act of 1993;
            (3) ensure that each such individual who is eligible to 
        register to vote in elections for Federal office in the State 
        is promptly registered to vote not later than 45 days after the 
        official sends the individual the written notice under 
        paragraph (2), unless, during the 30-day period which begins on 
        the date the election official sends the individual such 
        written notice, the individual declines registration in 
        writing, through a communication made over the Internet, or by 
        an officially logged telephone communication; and
            (4) send written notice to each such individual, in 
        addition to other means of notice established by this subtitle, 
        of the individual's voter registration status.
    (d) Treatment of Individuals Under 18 Years of Age.--A State may 
not refuse to treat an individual as an eligible individual for 
purposes of this subtitle on the grounds that the individual is less 
than 18 years of age at the time a contributing agency receives 
information with respect to the individual, so long as the individual 
is at least 16 years of age at such time.
    (e) Contributing Agency Defined.--In this subtitle, the term 
``contributing agency'' means, with respect to a State, an agency 
listed in section 113(e).

SEC. 113. CONTRIBUTING AGENCY ASSISTANCE IN REGISTRATION.

    (a) In General.--In accordance with this subtitle, each 
contributing agency in a State shall assist the State's chief election 
official in registering to vote all eligible individuals served by that 
agency.
    (b) Requirements for Contributing Agencies.--
            (1) Instructions on automatic registration.--With each 
        application for service or assistance, and with each related 
        recertification, renewal, or change of address, or, in the case 
        of an institution of higher education, with each registration 
        of a student for enrollment in a course of study, each 
        contributing agency that (in the normal course of its 
        operations) requests individuals to affirm United States 
        citizenship (either directly or as part of the overall 
        application for service or assistance) shall inform each such 
        individual who is a citizen of the United States of the 
        following:
                    (A) Unless that individual declines to register to 
                vote, or is found ineligible to vote, the individual 
                will be registered to vote or, if applicable, the 
                individual's registration will be updated.
                    (B) The substantive qualifications of an elector in 
                the State as listed in the mail voter registration 
                application form for elections for Federal office 
                prescribed pursuant to section 9 of the National Voter 
                Registration Act of 1993, the consequences of false 
                registration, and the individual should decline to 
                register if the individual does not meet all those 
                qualifications.
                    (C) In the case of a State in which affiliation or 
                enrollment with a political party is required in order 
                to participate in an election to select the party's 
                candidate in an election for Federal office, the 
                requirement that the individual must affiliate or 
                enroll with a political party in order to participate 
                in such an election.
                    (D) Voter registration is voluntary, and neither 
                registering nor declining to register to vote will in 
                any way affect the availability of services or 
                benefits, nor be used for other purposes.
            (2) Opportunity to decline registration required.--Each 
        contributing agency shall ensure that each application for 
        service or assistance, and each related recertification, 
        renewal, or change of address, or, in the case of an 
        institution of higher education, each registration of a student 
        for enrollment in a course of study, cannot be completed until 
        the individual is given the opportunity to decline to be 
        registered to vote.
            (3) Information transmittal.--Upon the expiration of the 
        30-day period which begins on the date the contributing agency 
        informs the individual of the information described in 
        paragraph (1), each contributing agency shall electronically 
        transmit to the appropriate State election official, in a 
        format compatible with the statewide voter database maintained 
        under section 303 of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 
        U.S.C. 21083), the following information, unless during such 
        30-day period the individual declined to be registered to vote:
                    (A) The individual's given name(s) and surname(s).
                    (B) The individual's date of birth.
                    (C) The individual's residential address.
                    (D) Information showing that the individual is a 
                citizen of the United States.
                    (E) The date on which information pertaining to 
                that individual was collected or last updated.
                    (F) If available, the individual's signature in 
                electronic form.
                    (G) Information regarding the individual's 
                affiliation or enrollment with a political party, if 
                the individual provides such information.
                    (H) Any additional information listed in the mail 
                voter registration application form for elections for 
                Federal office prescribed pursuant to section 9 of the 
                National Voter Registration Act of 1993, including any 
                valid driver's license number or the last 4 digits of 
                the individual's social security number, if the 
                individual provided such information.
    (c) Alternate Procedure for Certain Contributing Agencies.--With 
each application for service or assistance, and with each related 
recertification, renewal, or change of address, or in the case of an 
institution of higher education, with each registration of a student 
for enrollment in a course of study, any contributing agency that in 
the normal course of its operations does not request individuals 
applying for service or assistance to affirm United States citizenship 
(either directly or as part of the overall application for service or 
assistance) shall--
            (1) complete the requirements of section 7(a)(6) of the 
        National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 
        20506(a)(6));
            (2) ensure that each applicant's transaction with the 
        agency cannot be completed until the applicant has indicated 
        whether the applicant wishes to register to vote or declines to 
        register to vote in elections for Federal office held in the 
        State; and
            (3) for each individual who wishes to register to vote, 
        transmit that individual's information in accordance with 
        subsection (b)(3).
    (d) Required Availability of Automatic Registration Opportunity 
With Each Application for Service or Assistance.--Each contributing 
agency shall offer each individual, with each application for service 
or assistance, and with each related recertification, renewal, or 
change of address, or in the case of an institution of higher 
education, with each registration of a student for enrollment in a 
course of study, the opportunity to register to vote as prescribed by 
this section without regard to whether the individual previously 
declined a registration opportunity.
    (e) Contributing Agencies.--
            (1) State agencies.--In each State, each of the following 
        agencies shall be treated as a contributing agency:
                    (A) Each agency in a State that is required by 
                Federal law to provide voter registration services, 
                including the State motor vehicle authority and other 
                voter registration agencies under the National Voter 
                Registration Act of 1993.
                    (B) Each agency in a State that administers a 
                program pursuant to title III of the Social Security 
                Act (42 U.S.C. 501 et seq.), title XIX of the Social 
                Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.), or the Patient 
                Protection and Affordable Care Act (Public Law 111-
                148).
                    (C) Each State agency primarily responsible for 
                regulating the private possession of firearms.
                    (D) Each State agency primarily responsible for 
                maintaining identifying information for students 
                enrolled at public secondary schools, including, where 
                applicable, the State agency responsible for 
                maintaining the education data system described in 
                section 6201(e)(2) of the America COMPETES Act (20 
                U.S.C. 9871(e)(2)).
                    (E) In the case of a State in which an individual 
                disenfranchised by a criminal conviction may become 
                eligible to vote upon completion of a criminal sentence 
                or any part thereof, or upon formal restoration of 
                rights, the State agency responsible for administering 
                that sentence, or part thereof, or that restoration of 
                rights.
                    (F) Any other agency of the State which is 
                designated by the State as a contributing agency.
            (2) Federal agencies.--In each State, each of the following 
        agencies of the Federal Government shall be treated as a 
        contributing agency with respect to individuals who are 
        residents of that State (except as provided in subparagraph 
        (C)):
                    (A) The Social Security Administration, the 
                Department of Veterans Affairs, the Defense Manpower 
                Data Center of the Department of Defense, the Employee 
                and Training Administration of the Department of Labor, 
                and the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services of the 
                Department of Health and Human Services.
                    (B) The Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration 
                Services, but only with respect to individuals who have 
                completed the naturalization process.
                    (C) In the case of an individual who is a resident 
                of a State in which an individual disenfranchised by a 
                criminal conviction under Federal law may become 
                eligible to vote upon completion of a criminal sentence 
                or any part thereof, or upon formal restoration of 
                rights, the Federal agency responsible for 
                administering that sentence or part thereof (without 
                regard to whether the agency is located in the same 
                State in which the individual is a resident), but only 
                with respect to individuals who have completed the 
                criminal sentence or any part thereof.
                    (D) Any other agency of the Federal Government 
                which the State designates as a contributing agency, 
                but only if the State and the head of the agency 
                determine that the agency collects information 
                sufficient to carry out the responsibilities of a 
                contributing agency under this section.
            (3) Institutions of higher education.--Each institution of 
        higher education that receives Federal funds shall be treated 
        as a contributing agency in the State in which it is located, 
        but only with respect to students of the institution (including 
        students who attend classes online) who reside in the State. An 
        institution of higher education described in the previous 
        sentence shall be exempt from the voter registration 
        requirements of section 487(a)(23) of the Higher Education Act 
        of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1094(a)(23)) if the institution is in 
        compliance with the applicable requirements of this subtitle.
            (4) Publication.--Not later than 180 days prior to the date 
        of each election for Federal office held in the State, the 
        chief State election official shall publish on the public 
        website of the official an updated list of all contributing 
        agencies in that State.
            (5) Public education.--The chief State election official of 
        each State, in collaboration with each contributing agency, 
        shall take appropriate measures to educate the public about 
        voter registration under this section.

SEC. 114. ONE-TIME CONTRIBUTING AGENCY ASSISTANCE IN REGISTRATION OF 
              ELIGIBLE VOTERS IN EXISTING RECORDS.

    (a) Initial Transmittal of Information.--For each individual 
already listed in a contributing agency's records as of the date of 
enactment of this Act, and for whom the agency has the information 
listed in section 113(b)(3), the agency shall promptly transmit that 
information to the appropriate State election official in accordance 
with section 113(b)(3) not later than the effective date described in 
section 111(a).
    (b) Transition.--For each individual listed in a contributing 
agency's records as of the effective date described in section 111(a) 
(but who was not listed in a contributing agency's records as of the 
date of enactment of this Act), and for whom the agency has the 
information listed in section 113(b)(3), the Agency shall promptly 
transmit that information to the appropriate State election official in 
accordance with section 113(b)(3) not later than 6 months after the 
effective date described in section 111(a).

SEC. 115. VOTER PROTECTION AND SECURITY IN AUTOMATIC REGISTRATION.

    (a) Protections for Errors in Registration.--An individual shall 
not be prosecuted under any Federal law, adversely affected in any 
civil adjudication concerning immigration status or naturalization, or 
subject to an allegation in any legal proceeding that the individual is 
not a citizen of the United States on any of the following grounds:
            (1) The individual notified an election office of the 
        individual's automatic registration to vote under this 
        subtitle.
            (2) The individual is not eligible to vote in elections for 
        Federal office but was automatically registered to vote under 
        this subtitle.
            (3) The individual was automatically registered to vote 
        under this subtitle at an incorrect address.
            (4) The individual declined the opportunity to register to 
        vote or did not make an affirmation of citizenship, including 
        through automatic registration, under this subtitle.
    (b) Limits on Use of Automatic Registration.--The automatic 
registration of any individual or the fact that an individual declined 
the opportunity to register to vote or did not make an affirmation of 
citizenship (including through automatic registration) under this 
subtitle may not be used as evidence against that individual in any 
State or Federal law enforcement proceeding, and an individual's lack 
of knowledge or willfulness of such registration may be demonstrated by 
the individual's testimony alone.
    (c) Protection of Election Integrity.--Nothing in subsections (a) 
or (b) may be construed to prohibit or restrict any action under color 
of law against an individual who--
            (1) knowingly and willfully makes a false statement to 
        effectuate or perpetuate automatic voter registration by any 
        individual; or
            (2) casts a ballot knowingly and willfully in violation of 
        State law or the laws of the United States.
    (d) Contributing Agencies' Protection of Information.--Nothing in 
this subtitle authorizes a contributing agency to collect, retain, 
transmit, or publicly disclose any of the following:
            (1) An individual's decision to decline to register to vote 
        or not to register to vote.
            (2) An individual's decision not to affirm his or her 
        citizenship.
            (3) Any information that a contributing agency transmits 
        pursuant to section 113(b)(3), except in pursuing the agency's 
        ordinary course of business.
    (e) Election Officials' Protection of Information.--
            (1) Public disclosure prohibited.--
                    (A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), with 
                respect to any individual for whom any State election 
                official receives information from a contributing 
                agency, the State election officials shall not publicly 
                disclose any of the following:
                            (i) The identity of the contributing 
                        agency.
                            (ii) Any information not necessary to voter 
                        registration.
                            (iii) Any voter information otherwise 
                        shielded from disclosure under State law or 
                        section 8(a) of the National Voter Registration 
                        Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 20507(a)).
                            (iv) Any portion of the individual's social 
                        security number.
                            (v) Any portion of the individual's motor 
                        vehicle driver's license number.
                            (vi) The individual's signature.
                            (vii) The individual's telephone number.
                            (viii) The individual's email address.
                    (B) Special rule for individuals registered to 
                vote.--With respect to any individual for whom any 
                State election official receives information from a 
                contributing agency and who, on the basis of such 
                information, is registered to vote in the State under 
                this subtitle, the State election officials shall not 
                publicly disclose any of the following:
                            (i) The identity of the contributing 
                        agency.
                            (ii) Any information not necessary to voter 
                        registration.
                            (iii) Any voter information otherwise 
                        shielded from disclosure under State law or 
                        section 8(a) of the National Voter Registration 
                        Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 20507(a)).
                            (iv) Any portion of the individual's social 
                        security number.
                            (v) Any portion of the individual's motor 
                        vehicle driver's license number.
                            (vi) The individual's signature.
            (2) Voter record changes.--Each State shall maintain for at 
        least 2 years and shall make available for public inspection 
        and, where available, photocopying at a reasonable cost, all 
        records of changes to voter records, including removals and 
        updates.
            (3) Database management standards.--The Director of the 
        National Institute of Standards and Technology shall, after 
        providing the public with notice and the opportunity to 
        comment--
                    (A) establish standards governing the comparison of 
                data for voter registration list maintenance purposes, 
                identifying as part of such standards the specific data 
                elements, the matching rules used, and how a State may 
                use the data to determine and deem that an individual 
                is ineligible under State law to vote in an election, 
                or to deem a record to be a duplicate or outdated;
                    (B) ensure that the standards developed pursuant to 
                this paragraph are uniform and nondiscriminatory and 
                are applied in a uniform and nondiscriminatory manner; 
                and
                    (C) publish the standards developed pursuant to 
                this paragraph on the Director's website and make those 
                standards available in written form upon request.
            (4) Security policy.--The Director of the National 
        Institute of Standards and Technology shall, after providing 
        the public with notice and the opportunity to comment, publish 
        privacy and security standards for voter registration 
        information. The standards shall require the chief State 
        election official of each State to adopt a policy that shall 
        specify--
                    (A) each class of users who shall have authorized 
                access to the computerized statewide voter registration 
                list, specifying for each class the permission and 
                levels of access to be granted, and setting forth other 
                safeguards to protect the privacy, security, and 
                accuracy of the information on the list; and
                    (B) security safeguards to protect personal 
                information transmitted through the information 
                transmittal processes of section 113 or section 114, 
                the online system used pursuant to section 117, any 
                telephone interface, the maintenance of the voter 
                registration database, and any audit procedure to track 
                access to the system.
            (5) State compliance with national standards.--
                    (A) Certification.--The chief executive officer of 
                the State shall annually file with the Election 
                Assistance Commission a statement certifying to the 
                Director of the National Institute of Standards and 
                Technology that the State is in compliance with the 
                standards referred to in paragraphs (4) and (5). A 
                State may meet the requirement of the previous sentence 
                by filing with the Commission a statement which reads 
                as follows: ``_____ hereby certifies that it is in 
                compliance with the standards referred to in paragraphs 
                (4) and (5) of section 115(e) of the Automatic Voter 
                Registration Act of 2019.'' (with the blank to be 
                filled in with the name of the State involved).
                    (B) Publication of policies and procedures.--The 
                chief State election official of a State shall publish 
                on the official's website the policies and procedures 
                established under this section, and shall make those 
                policies and procedures available in written form upon 
                public request.
                    (C) Funding dependent on certification.--If a State 
                does not timely file the certification required under 
                this paragraph, it shall not receive any payment under 
                this subtitle for the upcoming fiscal year.
                    (D) Compliance of states that require changes to 
                state law.--In the case of a State that requires State 
                legislation to carry out an activity covered by any 
                certification submitted under this paragraph, for a 
                period of not more than 2 years the State shall be 
                permitted to make the certification notwithstanding 
                that the legislation has not been enacted at the time 
                the certification is submitted, and such State shall 
                submit an additional certification once such 
                legislation is enacted.
    (f) Restrictions on Use of Information.--No person acting under 
color of law may discriminate against any individual based on, or use 
for any purpose other than voter registration, election administration, 
or enforcement relating to election crimes, any of the following:
            (1) Voter registration records.
            (2) An individual's declination to register to vote or 
        complete an affirmation of citizenship under section 113(b).
            (3) An individual's voter registration status.
    (g) Prohibition on the Use of Voter Registration Information for 
Commercial Purposes.--Information collected under this subtitle shall 
not be used for commercial purposes. Nothing in this subsection may be 
construed to prohibit the transmission, exchange, or dissemination of 
information for political purposes, including the support of campaigns 
for election for Federal, State, or local public office or the 
activities of political committees (including committees of political 
parties) under the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971.

SEC. 116. REGISTRATION PORTABILITY AND CORRECTION.

    (a) Correcting Registration Information at Polling Place.--
Notwithstanding section 302(a) of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 
U.S.C. 21082(a)), if an individual is registered to vote in elections 
for Federal office held in a State, the appropriate election official 
at the polling pace for any such election (including a location used as 
a polling place on a date other than the date of the election) shall 
permit the individual to--
            (1) update the individual's address for purposes of the 
        records of the election official;
            (2) correct any incorrect information relating to the 
        individual, including the individual's name and political party 
        affiliation, in the records of the election official; and
            (3) cast a ballot in the election on the basis of the 
        updated address or corrected information, and to have the 
        ballot treated as a regular ballot and not as a provisional 
        ballot under section 302(a) of such Act.
    (b) Updates to Computerized Statewide Voter Registration Lists.--If 
an election official at the polling place receives an updated address 
or corrected information from an individual under subsection (a), the 
official shall ensure that the address or information is promptly 
entered into the computerized statewide voter registration list in 
accordance with section 303(a)(1)(A)(vi) of the Help America Vote Act 
of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21083(a)(1)(A)(vi)).

SEC. 117. PAYMENTS AND GRANTS.

    (a) In General.--The Election Assistance Commission shall make 
grants to each eligible State to assist the State in implementing the 
requirements of this subtitle (or, in the case of an exempt State, in 
implementing its existing automatic voter registration program).
    (b) Eligibility; Application.--A State is eligible to receive a 
grant under this section if the State submits to the Commission, at 
such time and in such form as the Commission may require, an 
application containing--
            (1) a description of the activities the State will carry 
        out with the grant;
            (2) an assurance that the State shall carry out such 
        activities without partisan bias and without promoting any 
        particular point of view regarding any issue; and
            (3) such other information and assurances as the Commission 
        may require.
    (c) Amount of Grant; Priorities.--The Commission shall determine 
the amount of a grant made to an eligible State under this section. In 
determining the amounts of the grants, the Commission shall give 
priority to providing funds for those activities which are most likely 
to accelerate compliance with the requirements of this subtitle (or, in 
the case of an exempt State, which are most likely to enhance the 
ability of the State to automatically register individuals to vote 
through its existing automatic voter registration program), including--
            (1) investments supporting electronic information transfer, 
        including electronic collection and transfer of signatures, 
        between contributing agencies and the appropriate State 
        election officials;
            (2) updates to online or electronic voter registration 
        systems already operating as of the date of the enactment of 
        this Act;
            (3) introduction of online voter registration systems in 
        jurisdictions in which those systems did not previously exist; 
        and
            (4) public education on the availability of new methods of 
        registering to vote, updating registration, and correcting 
        registration.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            (1) Authorization.--There are authorized to be appropriated 
        to carry out this section--
                    (A) $500,000,000 for fiscal year 2020; and
                    (B) such sums as may be necessary for each 
                succeeding fiscal year.
            (2) Continuing availability of funds.--Any amounts 
        appropriated pursuant to the authority of this subsection shall 
        remain available without fiscal year limitation until expended.

SEC. 118. TREATMENT OF EXEMPT STATES.

    (a) Waiver of Requirements.--Except as provided in subsection (b), 
this subtitle does not apply with respect to an exempt State.
    (b) Exceptions.--The following provisions of this subtitle apply 
with respect to an exempt State:
            (1) Section 116 (relating to registration portability and 
        correction).
            (2) Section 117 (relating to payments and grants).
            (3) Section 119(e) (relating to enforcement).
            (4) Section 119(f) (relating to relation to other laws).

SEC. 119. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS.

    (a) Accessibility of Registration Services.--Each contributing 
agency shall ensure that the services it provides under this subtitle 
are made available to individuals with disabilities to the same extent 
as services are made available to all other individuals.
    (b) Transmission Through Secure Third Party Permitted.--Nothing in 
this subtitle shall be construed to prevent a contributing agency from 
contracting with a third party to assist the agency in meeting the 
information transmittal requirements of this subtitle, so long as the 
data transmittal complies with the applicable requirements of this 
subtitle, including the privacy and security provisions of section 115.
    (c) Nonpartisan, Nondiscriminatory Provision of Services.--The 
services made available by contributing agencies under this subtitle 
and by the State under sections 1006 and 1007 shall be made in a manner 
consistent with paragraphs (4), (5), and (6)(C) of section 7(a) of the 
National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 20506(a)).
    (d) Notices.--Each State may send notices under this subtitle via 
electronic mail if the individual has provided an electronic mail 
address and consented to electronic mail communications for election-
related materials. All notices sent pursuant to this subtitle that 
require a response must offer the individual notified the opportunity 
to respond at no cost to the individual.
    (e) Enforcement.--Section 11 of the National Voter Registration Act 
of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 20510), relating to civil enforcement and the 
availability of private rights of action, shall apply with respect to 
this subtitle in the same manner as such section applies to such Act.
    (f) Relation to Other Laws.--Except as provided, nothing in this 
subtitle may be construed to authorize or require conduct prohibited 
under, or to supersede, restrict, or limit the application of any of 
the following:
            (1) The Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. 10301 et 
        seq.).
            (2) The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act 
        (52 U.S.C. 20301 et seq.).
            (3) The National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 
        20501 et seq.).
            (4) The Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 20901 et 
        seq.).

SEC. 120. DEFINITIONS.

    In this subtitle, the following definitions apply:
            (1) The term ``chief State election official'' means, with 
        respect to a State, the individual designated by the State 
        under section 10 of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 
        (52 U.S.C. 20509) to be responsible for coordination of the 
        State's responsibilities under such Act.
            (2) The term ``Commission'' means the Election Assistance 
        Commission.
            (3) The term ``exempt State'' means a State which, under 
        law which is in effect continuously on and after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, operates an automatic voter 
        registration program under which an individual is automatically 
        registered to vote in elections for Federal office in the State 
        if the individual provides the motor vehicle authority of the 
        State with such identifying information as the State may 
        require.
            (4) The term ``State'' means each of the several States and 
        the District of Columbia.

SEC. 121. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    (a) In General.--Except as provided in subsection (b), this 
subtitle and the amendments made by this subtitle shall apply with 
respect to a State beginning January 1, 2021.
    (b) Waiver.--Subject to the approval of the Commission, if a State 
certifies to the Commission that the State will not meet the deadline 
referred to in subsection (a) because of extraordinary circumstances 
and includes in the certification the reasons for the failure to meet 
the deadline, subsection (a) shall apply to the State as if the 
reference in such subsection to ``January 1, 2021'' were a reference to 
``January 1, 2023''.

                Subtitle C--Same Day Voter Registration

SEC. 131. SAME DAY REGISTRATION.

    (a) In General.--Title III of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 
U.S.C. 21081 et seq.) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating sections 304 and 305 as sections 305 
        and 306; and
            (2) by inserting after section 303 the following new 
        section:

``SEC. 304. SAME DAY REGISTRATION.

    ``(a) In General.--
            ``(1) Registration.--Notwithstanding section 8(a)(1)(D) of 
        the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 
        20507(a)(1)(D)), each State shall permit any eligible 
        individual on the day of a Federal election and on any day when 
        voting, including early voting, is permitted for a Federal 
        election--
                    ``(A) to register to vote in such election at the 
                polling place using a form that meets the requirements 
                under section 9(b) of the National Voter Registration 
                Act of 1993 (or, if the individual is already 
                registered to vote, to revise any of the individual's 
                voter registration information); and
                    ``(B) to cast a vote in such election.
            ``(2) Exception.--The requirements under paragraph (1) 
        shall not apply to a State in which, under a State law in 
        effect continuously on and after the date of the enactment of 
        this section, there is no voter registration requirement for 
        individuals in the State with respect to elections for Federal 
        office.
    ``(b) Eligible Individual.--For purposes of this section, the term 
`eligible individual' means, with respect to any election for Federal 
office, an individual who is otherwise qualified to vote in that 
election.
    ``(c) Effective Date.--Each State shall be required to comply with 
the requirements of subsection (a) for the regularly scheduled general 
election for Federal office occurring in November 2020 and for any 
subsequent election for Federal office.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment Relating to Enforcement.--Section 401 of 
such Act (52 U.S.C. 21111) is amended by striking ``sections 301, 302, 
and 303'' and inserting ``subtitle A of title III''.
    (c) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents of such Act is 
amended--
            (1) by redesignating the items relating to sections 304 and 
        305 as relating to sections 305 and 306; and
            (2) by inserting after the item relating to section 303 the 
        following new item:

``Sec. 304. Same day registration.''.

 Subtitle D--Conditions on Removal on Basis of Interstate Cross-Checks

SEC. 141. CONDITIONS ON REMOVAL OF REGISTRANTS FROM OFFICIAL LIST OF 
              ELIGIBLE VOTERS ON BASIS OF INTERSTATE CROSS-CHECKS.

    (a) Minimum Information Required for Removal Under Cross-Check.--
Section 8(c)(2) of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (52 
U.S.C. 20507(c)(2)) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as subparagraph (D); 
        and
            (2) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following new 
        subparagraphs:
    ``(B) To the extent that the program carried out by a State under 
subparagraph (A) to systematically remove the names of ineligible 
voters from the official lists of eligible voters uses information 
obtained in an interstate cross-check, the State may not remove the 
name of the voter from such a list unless--
            ``(i) the State obtained the voter's full name (including 
        the voter's middle name, if any) and date of birth, and the 
        last 4 digits of the voter's social security number, in the 
        interstate cross-check; or
            ``(ii) the State obtained documentation from the ERIC 
        system that the voter is no longer a resident of the State.
    ``(C) In this paragraph--
            ``(i) the term `interstate cross-check' means the 
        transmission of information from an election official in one 
        State to an election official of another State; and
            ``(ii) the term `ERIC system' means the system operated by 
        the Electronic Registration Information Center to share voter 
        registration information and voter identification information 
        among participating States.''.
    (b) Requiring Completion of Cross-Checks Not Later Than 6 Months 
Prior to Election.--Subparagraph (A) of section 8(c)(2) of such Act (52 
U.S.C. 20507(c)(2)) is amended by striking ``not later than 90 days'' 
and inserting the following: ``not later than 90 days (or, in the case 
of a program in which the State uses interstate cross-checks, not later 
than 6 months)''.
    (c) Conforming Amendment.--Subparagraph (F) of section 8(c)(2) of 
such Act (52 U.S.C. 20507(c)(2)) is amended by striking ``Subparagraph 
(A)'' and inserting ``This paragraph''.
    (d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this Act shall apply 
with respect to elections held on or after the expiration of the 6-
month period which begins on the date of the enactment of this Act.

      Subtitle E--Other Initiatives To Promote Voter Registration

SEC. 151. ACCEPTANCE OF VOTER REGISTRATION APPLICATIONS FROM 
              INDIVIDUALS UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE.

    (a) Acceptance of Applications.--Section 8 of the National Voter 
Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 20507), as amended by section 104, 
is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsection (k) as subsection (l); and
            (2) by inserting after subsection (j) the following new 
        subsection:
    ``(k) Acceptance of Applications From Individuals Under 18 Years of 
Age.--
            ``(1) In general.--A State may not refuse to accept or 
        process an individual's application to register to vote in 
        elections for Federal office on the grounds that the individual 
        is under 18 years of age at the time the individual submits the 
        application, so long as the individual is at least 16 years of 
        age at such time.
            ``(2) No effect on state voting age requirements.--Nothing 
        in paragraph (1) may be construed to require a State to permit 
        an individual who is under 18 years of age at the time of an 
        election for Federal office to vote in the election.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall 
apply with respect to elections occurring on or after January 1, 2020.

SEC. 152. ANNUAL REPORTS ON VOTER REGISTRATION STATISTICS.

    (a) Annual Report.--Not later than 90 days after the end of each 
year, each State shall submit to the Election Assistance Commission and 
Congress a report containing the following categories of information 
for the year:
            (1) The number of individuals who were registered under 
        subtitle B.
            (2) The number of voter registration application forms 
        completed by individuals that were transmitted by motor vehicle 
        authorities in the State (pursuant to section 5(d) of the 
        National Voter Registration Act of 1993) and voter registration 
        agencies in the State (as designated under section 7 of such 
        Act) to the chief State election official of the State, broken 
        down by each such authority and agency.
            (3) The number of such individuals whose voter registration 
        application forms were accepted and who were registered to vote 
        in the State and the number of such individuals whose forms 
        were rejected and who were not registered to vote in the State, 
        broken down by each such authority and agency.
            (4) The number of change of address forms and other forms 
        of information indicating that an individual's identifying 
        information has been changed that were transmitted by such 
        motor vehicle authorities and voter registration agencies to 
        the chief State election official of the State, broken down by 
        each such authority and agency and the type of form 
        transmitted.
            (5) The number of individuals on the statewide computerized 
        voter registration list (as established and maintained under 
        section 303 of the Help America Vote Act of 2002) whose voter 
        registration information was revised by the chief State 
        election official as a result of the forms transmitted to the 
        official by such motor vehicle authorities and voter 
        registration agencies (as described in paragraph (3)), broken 
        down by each such authority and agency and the type of form 
        transmitted.
            (6) The number of individuals who requested the chief State 
        election official to revise voter registration information on 
        such list, and the number of individuals whose information was 
        revised as a result of such a request.
    (b) Breakdown of Information by Race and Ethnicity of 
Individuals.--In preparing the report under this section, the State 
shall, for each category of information described in subsection (a), 
include a breakdown by race and ethnicity of the individuals whose 
information is included in the category, to the extent that information 
on the race and ethnicity of such individuals is available to the 
State.
    (c) Confidentiality of Information.--In preparing and submitting a 
report under this section, the chief State election official shall 
ensure that no information regarding the identification of any 
individual is revealed.
    (d) State Defined.--In this section, a ``State'' includes the 
District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United 
States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of 
the Northern Mariana Islands, but does not include any State in which, 
under a State law in effect continuously on and after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, there is no voter registration requirement for 
individuals in the State with respect to elections for Federal office.

         Subtitle F--Availability of HAVA Requirements Payments

SEC. 161. AVAILABILITY OF REQUIREMENTS PAYMENTS UNDER HAVA TO COVER 
              COSTS OF COMPLIANCE WITH NEW REQUIREMENTS.

    (a) In General.--Section 251(b) of the Help America Vote Act of 
2002 (52 U.S.C. 21001(b)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``(2) and (3)'' and 
        inserting ``(2), (3), and (4)''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(4) Certain voter registration activities.--A State may 
        use a requirements payment to carry out any of the requirements 
        of the Voter Registration Modernization Act of 2019, including 
        the requirements of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 
        which are imposed pursuant to the amendments made to such Act 
        by the Voter Registration Modernization Act of 2019.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 254(a)(1) of such Act (52 U.S.C. 
21004(a)(1)) is amended by striking ``section 251(a)(2)'' and inserting 
``section 251(b)(2)''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply with respect to fiscal year 2020 and each succeeding fiscal year.

      Subtitle G--Prohibiting Interference With Voter Registration

SEC. 171. PROHIBITING HINDERING, INTERFERING WITH, OR PREVENTING VOTER 
              REGISTRATION.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 29 of title 18, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 612. Hindering, interfering with, or preventing registering to 
              vote
    ``(a) Prohibition.--It shall be unlawful for any person, whether 
acting under color of law or otherwise, to corruptly hinder, interfere 
with, or prevent another person from registering to vote or to 
corruptly hinder, interfere with, or prevent another person from aiding 
another person in registering to vote.
    ``(b) Attempt.--Any person who attempts to commit any offense 
described in subsection (a) shall be subject to the same penalties as 
those prescribed for the offense that the person attempted to commit.
    ``(c) Penalty.--Any person who violates subsection (a) shall be 
fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for chapter 29 of 
title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following new item:

``612. Hindering, interfering with, or preventing registering to 
                            vote.''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply with respect to elections held on or after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, except that no person may be found to have 
violated section 612 of title 18, United States Code (as added by 
subsection (a)), on the basis of any act occurring prior to the date of 
the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 172. ESTABLISHMENT OF BEST PRACTICES.

    (a) Best Practices.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Election Assistance Commission shall develop 
and publish recommendations for best practices for States to use to 
deter and prevent violations of section 612 of title 18, United States 
Code (as added by section 171), and section 12 of the National Voter 
Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 20511) (relating to the unlawful 
interference with registering to vote, or voting, or attempting to 
register to vote or vote), including practices to provide for the 
posting of relevant information at polling places and voter 
registration agencies under such Act, the training of poll workers and 
election officials, and relevant educational materials. For purposes of 
this subsection, the term ``State'' includes the District of Columbia, 
the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the United 
States Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
Islands.
    (b) Inclusion in Voter Information Requirements.--Section 302(b)(2) 
of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21082(b)(2)) is 
amended--
            (1) by striking ``and'' at the end of subparagraph (E);
            (2) by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (F) 
        and inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
                    ``(G) information relating to the prohibitions of 
                section 612 of title 18, United States Code, and 
                section 12 of the National Voter Registration Act of 
                1993 (52 U.S.C. 20511) (relating to the unlawful 
                interference with registering to vote, or voting, or 
                attempting to register to vote or vote), including 
                information on how individuals may report allegations 
                of violations of such prohibitions.''.

              Subtitle H--Saving Voters From Voter Purging

SEC. 181. 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. 182. 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.--Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, a 
State may not remove any registrant from the official list of voters 
eligible to vote in elections for Federal office in the State unless 
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).
    ``(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 evidence 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 registrant.''.
    (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 ``provide'' and 
                inserting ``subject to section 8A, provide''; and
                    (B) in paragraph (4), by striking ``conduct'' and 
                inserting ``subject to section 8A, conduct''.
            (2) Help america vote act of 2002.--Section 303(a)(4)(A) of 
        the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21083(a)(4)(A)) is 
        amended by striking ``, registrants'' and inserting ``, and 
        subject to section 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.

      TITLE II--ACCESS TO VOTING FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES

SEC. 201. REQUIREMENTS FOR STATES TO PROMOTE ACCESS TO VOTER 
              REGISTRATION AND VOTING FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH 
              DISABILITIES.

    (a) Requirements.--Subtitle A of title III of the Help America Vote 
Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21081 et seq.), as amended by section 131(a), is 
amended--
            (1) by redesignating sections 305 and 306 as sections 306 
        and 307; and
            (2) by inserting after section 304 the following new 
        section:

``SEC. 305. ACCESS TO VOTER REGISTRATION AND VOTING FOR INDIVIDUALS 
              WITH DISABILITIES.

    ``(a) Treatment of Applications and Ballots.--Each State shall--
            ``(1) permit individuals with disabilities to use absentee 
        registration procedures and to vote by absentee ballot in 
        elections for Federal office;
            ``(2) accept and process, with respect to any election for 
        Federal office, any otherwise valid voter registration 
        application and absentee ballot application from an individual 
        with a disability if the application is received by the 
        appropriate State election official not less than 30 days 
        before the election;
            ``(3) in addition to any other method of registering to 
        vote or applying for an absentee ballot in the State, establish 
        procedures--
                    ``(A) for individuals with disabilities to request 
                by mail and electronically voter registration 
                applications and absentee ballot applications with 
                respect to elections for Federal office in accordance 
                with subsection (c);
                    ``(B) for States to send by mail and electronically 
                (in accordance with the preferred method of 
                transmission designated by the individual under 
                subparagraph (C)) voter registration applications and 
                absentee ballot applications requested under 
                subparagraph (A) in accordance with subsection (c); and
                    ``(C) by which such an individual can designate 
                whether the individual prefers that such voter 
                registration application or absentee ballot application 
                be transmitted by mail or electronically;
            ``(4) in addition to any other method of transmitting blank 
        absentee ballots in the State, establish procedures for 
        transmitting by mail and electronically blank absentee ballots 
        to individuals with disabilities with respect to elections for 
        Federal office in accordance with subsection (d);
            ``(5) transmit a validly requested absentee ballot to an 
        individual with a disability--
                    ``(A) except as provided in subsection (e), in the 
                case in which the request is received at least 45 days 
                before an election for Federal office, not later than 
                45 days before the election; and
                    ``(B) in the case in which the request is received 
                less than 45 days before an election for Federal 
                office--
                            ``(i) in accordance with State law; and
                            ``(ii) if practicable and as determined 
                        appropriate by the State, in a manner that 
                        expedites the transmission of such absentee 
                        ballot; and
            ``(6) if the State declares or otherwise holds a runoff 
        election for Federal office, establish a written plan that 
        provides absentee ballots are made available to individuals 
        with disabilities in a manner that gives them sufficient time 
        to vote in the runoff election.
    ``(b) Designation of Single State Office To Provide Information on 
Registration and Absentee Ballot Procedures for All Disabled Voters in 
State.--Each State shall designate a single office which shall be 
responsible for providing information regarding voter registration 
procedures and absentee ballot procedures to be used by individuals 
with disabilities with respect to elections for Federal office to all 
individuals with disabilities who wish to register to vote or vote in 
any jurisdiction in the State.
    ``(c) Designation of Means of Electronic Communication for 
Individuals With Disabilities To Request and for States To Send Voter 
Registration Applications and Absentee Ballot Applications, and for 
Other Purposes Related to Voting Information.--
            ``(1) In general.--Each State shall, in addition to the 
        designation of a single State office under subsection (b), 
        designate not less than 1 means of electronic communication--
                    ``(A) for use by individuals with disabilities who 
                wish to register to vote or vote in any jurisdiction in 
                the State to request voter registration applications 
                and absentee ballot applications under subsection 
                (a)(3);
                    ``(B) for use by States to send voter registration 
                applications and absentee ballot applications requested 
                under such subsection; and
                    ``(C) for the purpose of providing related voting, 
                balloting, and election information to individuals with 
                disabilities.
            ``(2) Clarification regarding provision of multiple means 
        of electronic communication.--A State may, in addition to the 
        means of electronic communication so designated, provide 
        multiple means of electronic communication to individuals with 
        disabilities, including a means of electronic communication for 
        the appropriate jurisdiction of the State.
            ``(3) Inclusion of designated means of electronic 
        communication with informational and instructional materials 
        that accompany balloting materials.--Each State shall include a 
        means of electronic communication so designated with all 
        informational and instructional materials that accompany 
        balloting materials sent by the State to individuals with 
        disabilities.
            ``(4) Transmission if no preference indicated.--In the case 
        where an individual with a disability does not designate a 
        preference under subsection (a)(3)(C), the State shall transmit 
        the voter registration application or absentee ballot 
        application by any delivery method allowable in accordance with 
        applicable State law, or if there is no applicable State law, 
        by mail.
    ``(d) Transmission of Blank Absentee Ballots by Mail and 
Electronically.--
            ``(1) In general.--Each State shall establish procedures--
                    ``(A) to securely transmit blank absentee ballots 
                by mail and electronically (in accordance with the 
                preferred method of transmission designated by the 
                individual with a disability under subparagraph (B)) to 
                individuals with disabilities for an election for 
                Federal office; and
                    ``(B) by which the individual with a disability can 
                designate whether the individual prefers that such 
                blank absentee ballot be transmitted by mail or 
                electronically.
            ``(2) Transmission if no preference indicated.--In the case 
        where an individual with a disability does not designate a 
        preference under paragraph (1)(B), the State shall transmit the 
        ballot by any delivery method allowable in accordance with 
        applicable State law, or if there is no applicable State law, 
        by mail.
            ``(3) Application of methods to track delivery to and 
        return of ballot by individual requesting ballot.--Under the 
        procedures established under paragraph (1), the State shall 
        apply such methods as the State considers appropriate, such as 
        assigning a unique identifier to the ballot, to ensure that if 
        an individual with a disability requests the State to transmit 
        a blank absentee ballot to the individual in accordance with 
        this subsection, the voted absentee ballot which is returned by 
        the individual is the same blank absentee ballot which the 
        State transmitted to the individual.
    ``(e) Hardship Exemption.--
            ``(1) In general.--If the chief State election official 
        determines that the State is unable to meet the requirement 
        under subsection (a)(5)(A) with respect to an election for 
        Federal office due to an undue hardship described in paragraph 
        (2)(B), the chief State election official shall request that 
        the Attorney General grant a waiver to the State of the 
        application of such subsection. Such request shall include--
                    ``(A) a recognition that the purpose of such 
                subsection is to individuals with disabilities enough 
                time to vote in an election for Federal office;
                    ``(B) an explanation of the hardship that indicates 
                why the State is unable to transmit such individuals an 
                absentee ballot in accordance with such subsection;
                    ``(C) the number of days prior to the election for 
                Federal office that the State requires absentee ballots 
                be transmitted to such individuals; and
                    ``(D) a comprehensive plan to ensure that such 
                individuals are able to receive absentee ballots which 
                they have requested and submit marked absentee ballots 
                to the appropriate State election official in time to 
                have that ballot counted in the election for Federal 
                office, which includes--
                            ``(i) the steps the State will undertake to 
                        ensure that such individuals have time to 
                        receive, mark, and submit their ballots in time 
                        to have those ballots counted in the election;
                            ``(ii) why the plan provides such 
                        individuals sufficient time to vote as a 
                        substitute for the requirements under such 
                        subsection; and
                            ``(iii) the underlying factual information 
                        which explains how the plan provides such 
                        sufficient time to vote as a substitute for 
                        such requirements.
            ``(2) Approval of waiver request.--The Attorney General 
        shall approve a waiver request under paragraph (1) if the 
        Attorney General determines each of the following requirements 
        are met:
                    ``(A) The comprehensive plan under subparagraph (D) 
                of such paragraph provides individuals with 
                disabilities sufficient time to receive absentee 
                ballots they have requested and submit marked absentee 
                ballots to the appropriate State election official in 
                time to have that ballot counted in the election for 
                Federal office.
                    ``(B) One or more of the following issues creates 
                an undue hardship for the State:
                            ``(i) The State's primary election date 
                        prohibits the State from complying with 
                        subsection (a)(5)(A).
                            ``(ii) The State has suffered a delay in 
                        generating ballots due to a legal contest.
                            ``(iii) The State Constitution prohibits 
                        the State from complying with such subsection.
            ``(3) Timing of waiver.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Except as provided under 
                subparagraph (B), a State that requests a waiver under 
                paragraph (1) shall submit to the Attorney General the 
                written waiver request not later than 90 days before 
                the election for Federal office with respect to which 
                the request is submitted. The Attorney General shall 
                approve or deny the waiver request not later than 65 
                days before such election.
                    ``(B) Exception.--If a State requests a waiver 
                under paragraph (1) as the result of an undue hardship 
                described in paragraph (2)(B)(ii), the State shall 
                submit to the Attorney General the written waiver 
                request as soon as practicable. The Attorney General 
                shall approve or deny the waiver request not later than 
                5 business days after the date on which the request is 
                received.
            ``(4) Application of waiver.--A waiver approved under 
        paragraph (2) shall only apply with respect to the election for 
        Federal office for which the request was submitted. For each 
        subsequent election for Federal office, the Attorney General 
        shall only approve a waiver if the State has submitted a 
        request under paragraph (1) with respect to such election.
    ``(f) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section may be 
construed to allow the marking or casting of ballots over the Internet.
    ``(g) Individual With a Disability Defined.--In this section, an 
`individual with a disability' means an individual with an impairment 
that substantially limits any major life activities and who is 
otherwise qualified to vote in elections for Federal office.
    ``(h) Effective Date.--This section shall apply with respect to 
elections for Federal office held on or after January 1, 2020.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment Relating to Issuance of Voluntary Guidance 
by Election Assistance Commission.--Section 311(b) of such Act (52 
U.S.C. 21101(b)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (2);
            (2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (3) and 
        inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(4) in the case of the recommendations with respect to 
        section 305, January 1, 2020.''.
    (c) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents of such Act, as 
amended by section 131(c), is amended--
            (1) by redesignating the items relating to sections 305 and 
        306 as relating to sections 306 and 307; and
            (2) by inserting after the item relating to section 304 the 
        following new item:

``Sec. 305. Access to voter registration and voting for individuals 
                            with disabilities.''.

SEC. 202. PILOT PROGRAMS FOR ENABLING INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES TO 
              REGISTER TO VOTE AND VOTE PRIVATELY AND INDEPENDENTLY AT 
              RESIDENCES.

    (a) Establishment of Pilot Programs.--The Election Assistance 
Commission (hereafter referred to as the ``Commission'') shall make 
grants to eligible States to conduct pilot programs under which--
            (1) individuals with disabilities may use electronic means 
        (including the Internet and telephones utilizing assistive 
        devices) to register to vote and to request and receive 
        absentee ballots, in a manner which permits such individuals to 
        do so privately and independently at their own residences; and
            (2) individuals with disabilities may use the telephone to 
        cast ballots electronically from their own residences, but only 
        if the telephone used is not connected to the Internet.
    (b) Reports.--
            (1) In general.--A State receiving a grant for a year under 
        this section shall submit a report to the Commission on the 
        pilot programs the State carried out with the grant with 
        respect to elections for public office held in the State during 
        the year.
            (2) Deadline.--A State shall submit a report under 
        paragraph (1) not later than 90 days after the last election 
        for public office held in the State during the year.
    (c) Eligibility.--A State is eligible to receive a grant under this 
section if the State submits to the Commission, at such time and in 
such form as the Commission may require, an application containing such 
information and assurances as the Commission may require.
    (d) Timing.--The Commission shall make the first grants under this 
section for pilot programs which will be in effect with respect to 
elections for Federal office held in 2020, or, at the option of a 
State, with respect to other elections for public office held in the 
State in 2020.
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated for grants for pilot programs under this section 
$30,000,000 for fiscal year 2020 and each succeeding fiscal year.
    (f) State Defined.--In this section, the term ``State'' includes 
the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, 
American Samoa, the United States Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth 
of the Northern Mariana Islands.

SEC. 203. EXPANSION AND REAUTHORIZATION OF GRANT PROGRAM TO ASSURE 
              VOTING ACCESS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES.

    (a) Purposes of Payments.--Section 261(b) of the Help America Vote 
Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21021(b)) is amended by striking paragraphs (1) 
and (2) and inserting the following:
            ``(1) making absentee voting and voting at home accessible 
        to individuals with the full range of disabilities (including 
        impairments involving vision, hearing, mobility, or dexterity) 
        through the implementation of accessible absentee voting 
        systems that work in conjunction with assistive technologies 
        for which individuals have access at their homes, independent 
        living centers, or other facilities;
            ``(2) making polling places, including the path of travel, 
        entrances, exits, and voting areas of each polling facility, 
        accessible to individuals with disabilities, including the 
        blind and visually impaired, in a manner that provides the same 
        opportunity for access and participation (including privacy and 
        independence) as for other voters; and
            ``(3) providing solutions to problems of access to voting 
        and elections for individuals with disabilities that are 
        universally designed and provide the same opportunities for 
        individuals with and without disabilities.''.
    (b) Reauthorization.--Section 264(a) of such Act (52 U.S.C. 
21024(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(4) For fiscal year 2020 and each succeeding fiscal year, 
        such sums as may be necessary to carry out this part.''.
    (c) Period of Availability of Funds.--Section 264 of such Act (52 
U.S.C. 21024) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (b), by striking ``Any amounts'' and 
        inserting ``Except as provided in subsection (b), any 
        amounts''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(c) Return and Transfer of Certain Funds.--
            ``(1) Deadline for obligation and expenditure.--In the case 
        of any amounts appropriated pursuant to the authority of 
        subsection (a) for a payment to a State or unit of local 
        government for fiscal year 2020 or any succeeding fiscal year, 
        any portion of such amounts which have not been obligated or 
        expended by the State or unit of local government prior to the 
        expiration of the 4-year period which begins on the date the 
        State or unit of local government first received the amounts 
        shall be transferred to the Commission.
            ``(2) Reallocation of transferred amounts.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Commission shall use the 
                amounts transferred under paragraph (1) to make 
                payments on a pro rata basis to each covered payment 
                recipient described in subparagraph (B), which may 
                obligate and expend such payment for the purposes 
                described in section 261(b) during the 1-year period 
                which begins on the date of receipt.
                    ``(B) Covered payment recipients described.--In 
                subparagraph (A), a `covered payment recipient' is a 
                State or unit of local government with respect to 
                which--
                            ``(i) amounts were appropriated pursuant to 
                        the authority of subsection (a); and
                            ``(ii) no amounts were transferred to the 
                        Commission under paragraph (1).''.

                  TITLE III--PROHIBITING VOTER CAGING

SEC. 301. VOTER CAGING AND OTHER QUESTIONABLE CHALLENGES PROHIBITED.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 29 of title 18, United States Code, as 
amended by section 171(a), is amended by adding at the end the 
following:
``Sec. 613. Voter caging and other questionable challenges
    ``(a) Definitions.--In this section--
            ``(1) the term `voter caging document' means--
                    ``(A) a nonforwardable document that is returned to 
                the sender or a third party as undelivered or 
                undeliverable despite an attempt to deliver such 
                document to the address of a registered voter or 
                applicant; or
                    ``(B) any document with instructions to an 
                addressee that the document be returned to the sender 
                or a third party but is not so returned, despite an 
                attempt to deliver such document to the address of a 
                registered voter or applicant, unless at least two 
                Federal election cycles have passed since the date of 
                the attempted delivery;
            ``(2) the term `voter caging list' means a list of 
        individuals compiled from voter caging documents; and
            ``(3) the term `unverified match list' means a list 
        produced by matching the information of registered voters or 
        applicants for voter registration to a list of individuals who 
        are ineligible to vote in the registrar's jurisdiction, by 
        virtue of death, conviction, change of address, or otherwise; 
        unless one of the pieces of information matched includes a 
        signature, photograph, or unique identifying number ensuring 
        that the information from each source refers to the same 
        individual.
    ``(b) Prohibition Against Voter Caging.--No State or local election 
official shall prevent an individual from registering or voting in any 
election for Federal office, or permit in connection with any election 
for Federal office a formal challenge under State law to an 
individual's registration status or eligibility to vote, if the basis 
for such decision is evidence consisting of--
            ``(1) a voter caging document or voter caging list;
            ``(2) an unverified match list;
            ``(3) an error or omission on any record or paper relating 
        to any application, registration, or other act requisite to 
        voting, if such error or omission is not material to an 
        individual's eligibility to vote under section 2004 of the 
        Revised Statutes, as amended (52 U.S.C. 10101(a)(2)(B)); or
            ``(4) any other evidence so designated for purposes of this 
        section by the Election Assistance Commission,
except that the election official may use such evidence if it is 
corroborated by independent evidence of the individual's ineligibility 
to register or vote.
    ``(c) Requirements for Challenges by Persons Other Than Election 
Officials.--No person, other than a State or local election official, 
shall submit a formal challenge to an individual's eligibility to 
register to vote in an election for Federal office or to vote in an 
election for Federal office unless that challenge is supported by 
personal knowledge regarding the grounds for ineligibility which is--
            ``(1) documented in writing; and
            ``(2) subject to an oath or attestation under penalty of 
        perjury that the challenger has a good faith factual basis to 
        believe that the individual who is the subject of the challenge 
        is ineligible to register to vote or vote in that election, 
        except a challenge which is based on the race, ethnicity, or 
        national origin of the individual who is the subject of the 
        challenge may not be considered to have a good faith factual 
        basis for purposes of this paragraph.
    ``(d) Penalties for Knowing Misconduct.--Whoever knowingly 
challenges the eligibility of one or more individuals to register or 
vote or knowingly causes the eligibility of such individuals to be 
challenged in violation of this section with the intent that one or 
more eligible voters be disqualified, shall be fined under this title 
or imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both, for each such violation. 
Each violation shall be a separate offense.
    ``(e) No Effect on Related Laws.--Nothing in this section is 
intended to override the protections of the National Voter Registration 
Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 20501 et seq.) or to affect the Voting Rights 
Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. 10301 et seq.).''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for chapter 29 of 
title 18, United States Code, as amended by section 171(b), is amended 
by adding at the end the following:

``613. Voter caging and other questionable challenges.''.

SEC. 302. DEVELOPMENT AND ADOPTION OF BEST PRACTICES FOR PREVENTING 
              VOTER CAGING.

    (a) Best Practices.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Election Assistance Commission shall develop 
and publish for the use of States recommendations for best practices to 
deter and prevent violations of section 613 of title 18, United States 
Code, as added by section 1201(a), including practices to provide for 
the posting of relevant information at polling places and voter 
registration agencies, the training of poll workers and election 
officials, and relevant educational measures. For purposes of this 
subsection, the term ``State'' includes the District of Columbia, the 
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the United States 
Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
    (b) Inclusion in Voting Information Requirements.--Section 
302(b)(2) of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21082(b)(2)), 
as amended by section 172(b), is amended--
            (1) by striking ``and'' at the end of subparagraph (F);
            (2) by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (G) 
        and inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
                    ``(H) information relating to the prohibition 
                against voter caging and other questionable challenges 
                (as set forth in section 613 of title 18, United States 
                Code), including information on how individuals may 
                report allegations of violations of such 
                prohibition.''.

    TITLE IV--PROHIBITING DECEPTIVE PRACTICES AND PREVENTING VOTER 
                              INTIMIDATION

SEC. 401. SHORT TITLE.

    This title may be cited as the ``Deceptive Practices and Voter 
Intimidation Prevention Act of 2019''.

SEC. 402. PROHIBITION ON DECEPTIVE PRACTICES IN FEDERAL ELECTIONS.

    (a) Prohibition.--Subsection (b) of section 2004 of the Revised 
Statutes (52 U.S.C. 10101(b)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``No person'' and inserting the following:
            ``(1) In general.--No person''; and
            (2) by inserting at the end the following new paragraphs:
            ``(2) False statements regarding federal elections.--
                    ``(A) Prohibition.--No person, whether acting under 
                color of law or otherwise, shall, within 60 days before 
                an election described in paragraph (5), by any means, 
                including by means of written, electronic, or 
                telephonic communications, communicate or cause to be 
                communicated information described in subparagraph (B), 
                or produce information described in subparagraph (B) 
                with the intent that such information be communicated, 
                if such person--
                            ``(i) knows such information to be 
                        materially false; and
                            ``(ii) has the intent to impede or prevent 
                        another person from exercising the right to 
                        vote in an election described in paragraph (5).
                    ``(B) Information described.--Information is 
                described in this subparagraph if such information is 
                regarding--
                            ``(i) the time, place, or manner of holding 
                        any election described in paragraph (5); or
                            ``(ii) the qualifications for or 
                        restrictions on voter eligibility for any such 
                        election, including--
                                    ``(I) any criminal penalties 
                                associated with voting in any such 
                                election; or
                                    ``(II) information regarding a 
                                voter's registration status or 
                                eligibility.
            ``(3) False statements regarding public endorsements.--
                    ``(A) Prohibition.--No person, whether acting under 
                color of law or otherwise, shall, within 60 days before 
                an election described in paragraph (5), by any means, 
                including by means of written, electronic, or 
                telephonic communications, communicate, or cause to be 
                communicated, a materially false statement about an 
                endorsement, if such person--
                            ``(i) knows such statement to be false; and
                            ``(ii) has the intent to impede or prevent 
                        another person from exercising the right to 
                        vote in an election described in paragraph (5).
                    ``(B) Definition of `materially false'.--For 
                purposes of subparagraph (A), a statement about an 
                endorsement is `materially false' if, with respect to 
                an upcoming election described in paragraph (5)--
                            ``(i) the statement states that a 
                        specifically named person, political party, or 
                        organization has endorsed the election of a 
                        specific candidate for a Federal office 
                        described in such paragraph; and
                            ``(ii) such person, political party, or 
                        organization has not endorsed the election of 
                        such candidate.
            ``(4) Hindering, interfering with, or preventing voting or 
        registering to vote.--No person, whether acting under color of 
        law or otherwise, shall intentionally hinder, interfere with, 
        or prevent another person from voting, registering to vote, or 
        aiding another person to vote or register to vote in an 
        election described in paragraph (5).
            ``(5) Election described.--An election described in this 
        paragraph is any general, primary, run-off, or special election 
        held solely or in part for the purpose of nominating or 
        electing a candidate for the office of President, Vice 
        President, presidential elector, Member of the Senate, Member 
        of the House of Representatives, or Delegate or Commissioner 
        from a Territory or possession.''.
    (b) Private Right of Action.--
            (1) In general.--Subsection (c) of section 2004 of the 
        Revised Statutes (52 U.S.C. 10101(c)) is amended--
                    (A) by striking ``Whenever any person'' and 
                inserting the following:
            ``(1) Whenever any person''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following new 
                paragraph:
            ``(2) Any person aggrieved by a violation of subsection 
        (b)(2), (b)(3), or (b)(4) may institute a civil action for 
        preventive relief, including an application in a United States 
        district court for a permanent or temporary injunction, 
        restraining order, or other order. In any such action, the 
        court, in its discretion, may allow the prevailing party a 
        reasonable attorney's fee as part of the costs.''.
            (2) Conforming amendments.--
                    (A) Subsection (e) of section 2004 of the Revised 
                Statutes (52 U.S.C. 10101(e)) is amended by striking 
                ``subsection (c)'' and inserting ``subsection (c)(1)''.
                    (B) Subsection (g) of section 2004 of the Revised 
                Statutes (52 U.S.C. 10101(g)) is amended by striking 
                ``subsection (c)'' and inserting ``subsection (c)(1)''.
    (c) Criminal Penalties.--
            (1) Deceptive acts.--Section 594 of title 18, United States 
        Code, is amended--
                    (A) by striking ``Whoever'' and inserting the 
                following:
    ``(a) Intimidation.--Whoever'';
                    (B) in subsection (a), as inserted by subparagraph 
                (A), by striking ``at any election'' and inserting ``at 
                any general, primary, run-off, or special election''; 
                and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following new 
                subsections:
    ``(b) Deceptive Acts.--
            ``(1) False statements regarding federal elections.--
                    ``(A) Prohibition.--It shall be unlawful for any 
                person, whether acting under color of law or otherwise, 
                within 60 days before an election described in 
                subsection (e), by any means, including by means of 
                written, electronic, or telephonic communications, to 
                communicate or cause to be communicated information 
                described in subparagraph (B), or produce information 
                described in subparagraph (B) with the intent that such 
                information be communicated, if such person--
                            ``(i) knows such information to be 
                        materially false; and
                            ``(ii) has the intent to mislead voters, or 
                        the intent to impede or prevent another person 
                        from exercising the right to vote in an 
                        election described in subsection (e).
                    ``(B) Information described.--Information is 
                described in this subparagraph if such information is 
                regarding--
                            ``(i) the time or place of holding any 
                        election described in subsection (e); or
                            ``(ii) the qualifications for or 
                        restrictions on voter eligibility for any such 
                        election, including--
                                    ``(I) any criminal penalties 
                                associated with voting in any such 
                                election; or
                                    ``(II) information regarding a 
                                voter's registration status or 
                                eligibility.
            ``(2) Penalty.--Any person who violates paragraph (1) shall 
        be fined not more than $100,000, imprisoned for not more than 5 
        years, or both.
    ``(c) Hindering, Interfering With, or Preventing Voting or 
Registering To Vote.--
            ``(1) Prohibition.--It shall be unlawful for any person, 
        whether acting under color of law or otherwise, to corruptly 
        hinder, interfere with, or prevent another person from voting, 
        registering to vote, or aiding another person to vote or 
        register to vote in an election described in subsection (e).
            ``(2) Penalty.--Any person who violates paragraph (1) shall 
        be fined not more than $100,000, imprisoned for not more than 5 
        years, or both.
    ``(d) Attempt.--Any person who attempts to commit any offense 
described in subsection (a), (b)(1), or (c)(1) shall be subject to the 
same penalties as those prescribed for the offense that the person 
attempted to commit.
    ``(e) Election Described.--An election described in this subsection 
is any general, primary, run-off, or special election held solely or in 
part for the purpose of nominating or electing a candidate for the 
office of President, Vice President, presidential elector, Member of 
the Senate, Member of the House of Representatives, or Delegate or 
Commissioner from a Territory or possession.''.
            (2) Modification of penalty for voter intimidation.--
        Section 594(a) of title 18, United States Code, as amended by 
        paragraph (1), is amended by striking ``fined under this title 
        or imprisoned not more than one year'' and inserting ``fined 
        not more than $100,000, imprisoned for not more than 5 years''.
            (3) Sentencing guidelines.--
                    (A) Review and amendment.--Not later than 180 days 
                after the date of enactment of this Act, the United 
                States Sentencing Commission, pursuant to its authority 
                under section 994 of title 28, United States Code, and 
                in accordance with this section, shall review and, if 
                appropriate, amend the Federal sentencing guidelines 
                and policy statements applicable to persons convicted 
                of any offense under section 594 of title 18, United 
                States Code, as amended by this section.
                    (B) Authorization.--The United States Sentencing 
                Commission may amend the Federal Sentencing Guidelines 
                in accordance with the procedures set forth in section 
                21(a) of the Sentencing Act of 1987 (28 U.S.C. 994 
                note) as though the authority under that section had 
                not expired.
            (4) Payments for refraining from voting.--Subsection (c) of 
        section 11 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. 10307) 
        is amended by striking ``either for registration to vote or for 
        voting'' and inserting ``for registration to vote, for voting, 
        or for not voting''.

SEC. 403. CORRECTIVE ACTION.

    (a) Corrective Action.--
            (1) In general.--If the Attorney General receives a 
        credible report that materially false information has been or 
        is being communicated in violation of paragraphs (2) and (3) of 
        section 2004(b) of the Revised Statutes (52 U.S.C. 10101(b)), 
        as added by section 1302(a), and if the Attorney General 
        determines that State and local election officials have not 
        taken adequate steps to promptly communicate accurate 
        information to correct the materially false information, the 
        Attorney General shall, pursuant to the written procedures and 
        standards under subsection (b), communicate to the public, by 
        any means, including by means of written, electronic, or 
        telephonic communications, accurate information designed to 
        correct the materially false information.
            (2) Communication of corrective information.--Any 
        information communicated by the Attorney General under 
        paragraph (1)--
                    (A) shall--
                            (i) be accurate and objective;
                            (ii) consist of only the information 
                        necessary to correct the materially false 
                        information that has been or is being 
                        communicated; and
                            (iii) to the extent practicable, be by a 
                        means that the Attorney General determines will 
                        reach the persons to whom the materially false 
                        information has been or is being communicated; 
                        and
                    (B) shall not be designed to favor or disfavor any 
                particular candidate, organization, or political party.
    (b) Written Procedures and Standards for Taking Corrective 
Action.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Attorney General shall publish 
        written procedures and standards for determining when and how 
        corrective action will be taken under this section.
            (2) Inclusion of appropriate deadlines.--The procedures and 
        standards under paragraph (1) shall include appropriate 
        deadlines, based in part on the number of days remaining before 
        the upcoming election.
            (3) Consultation.--In developing the procedures and 
        standards under paragraph (1), the Attorney General shall 
        consult with the Election Assistance Commission, State and 
        local election officials, civil rights organizations, voting 
        rights groups, voter protection groups, and other interested 
        community organizations.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Attorney General such sums as may be necessary to 
carry out this title.

SEC. 404. REPORTS TO CONGRESS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after each general 
election for Federal office, the Attorney General shall submit to 
Congress a report compiling all allegations received by the Attorney 
General of deceptive practices described in paragraphs (2), (3), and 
(4) of section 2004(b) of the Revised Statutes (52 U.S.C. 10101(b)), as 
added by section 1302(a), relating to the general election for Federal 
office and any primary, run-off, or a special election for Federal 
office held in the 2 years preceding the general election.
    (b) Contents.--
            (1) In general.--Each report submitted under subsection (a) 
        shall include--
                    (A) a description of each allegation of a deceptive 
                practice described in subsection (a), including the 
                geographic location, racial and ethnic composition, and 
                language minority-group membership of the persons 
                toward whom the alleged deceptive practice was 
                directed;
                    (B) the status of the investigation of each 
                allegation described in subparagraph (A);
                    (C) a description of each corrective action taken 
                by the Attorney General under section 4(a) in response 
                to an allegation described in subparagraph (A);
                    (D) a description of each referral of an allegation 
                described in subparagraph (A) to other Federal, State, 
                or local agencies;
                    (E) to the extent information is available, a 
                description of any civil action instituted under 
                section 2004(c)(2) of the Revised Statutes (52 U.S.C. 
                10101(c)(2)), as added by section 1302(b), in 
                connection with an allegation described in subparagraph 
                (A); and
                    (F) a description of any criminal prosecution 
                instituted under section 594 of title 18, United States 
                Code, as amended by section 402(c), in connection with 
                the receipt of an allegation described in subparagraph 
                (A) by the Attorney General.
            (2) Exclusion of certain information.--
                    (A) In general.--The Attorney General shall not 
                include in a report submitted under subsection (a) any 
                information protected from disclosure by rule 6(e) of 
                the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure or any Federal 
                criminal statute.
                    (B) Exclusion of certain other information.--The 
                Attorney General may determine that the following 
                information shall not be included in a report submitted 
                under subsection (a):
                            (i) Any information that is privileged.
                            (ii) Any information concerning an ongoing 
                        investigation.
                            (iii) Any information concerning a criminal 
                        or civil proceeding conducted under seal.
                            (iv) Any other nonpublic information that 
                        the Attorney General determines the disclosure 
                        of which could reasonably be expected to 
                        infringe on the rights of any individual or 
                        adversely affect the integrity of a pending or 
                        future criminal investigation.
    (c) Report Made Public.--On the date that the Attorney General 
submits the report under subsection (a), the Attorney General shall 
also make the report publicly available through the Internet and other 
appropriate means.

                     TITLE V--DEMOCRACY RESTORATION

SEC. 501. SHORT TITLE.

    This title may be cited as the ``Democracy Restoration Act of 
2019''.

SEC. 502. RIGHTS OF CITIZENS.

    The right of an individual who is a citizen of the United States to 
vote in any election for Federal office shall not be denied or abridged 
because that individual has been convicted of a criminal offense unless 
such individual is serving a felony sentence in a correctional 
institution or facility at the time of the election.

SEC. 503. ENFORCEMENT.

    (a) Attorney General.--The Attorney General may, in a civil action, 
obtain such declaratory or injunctive relief as is necessary to remedy 
a violation of this title.
    (b) Private Right of Action.--
            (1) In general.--A person who is aggrieved by a violation 
        of this title may provide written notice of the violation to 
        the chief election official of the State involved.
            (2) Relief.--Except as provided in paragraph (3), if the 
        violation is not corrected within 90 days after receipt of a 
        notice under paragraph (1), or within 20 days after receipt of 
        the notice if the violation occurred within 120 days before the 
        date of an election for Federal office, the aggrieved person 
        may, in a civil action, obtain declaratory or injunctive relief 
        with respect to the violation.
            (3) Exception.--If the violation occurred within 30 days 
        before the date of an election for Federal office, the 
        aggrieved person need not provide notice to the chief election 
        official of the State under paragraph (1) before bringing a 
        civil action to obtain declaratory or injunctive relief with 
        respect to the violation.

SEC. 504. NOTIFICATION OF RESTORATION OF VOTING RIGHTS.

    (a) State Notification.--
            (1) Notification.--On the date determined under paragraph 
        (2), each State shall notify in writing any individual who has 
        been convicted of a criminal offense under the law of that 
        State that such individual has the right to vote in an election 
        for Federal office pursuant to the Democracy Restoration Act of 
        2019 and may register to vote in any such election.
            (2) Date of notification.--
                    (A) Felony conviction.--In the case of such an 
                individual who has been convicted of a felony, the 
                notification required under paragraph (1) shall be 
                given on the date on which the individual--
                            (i) is sentenced to serve only a term of 
                        probation; or
                            (ii) is released from the custody of that 
                        State (other than to the custody of another 
                        State or the Federal Government to serve a term 
                        of imprisonment for a felony conviction).
                    (B) Misdemeanor conviction.--In the case of such an 
                individual who has been convicted of a misdemeanor, the 
                notification required under paragraph (1) shall be 
                given on the date on which such individual is sentenced 
                by a State court.
    (b) Federal Notification.--
            (1) Notification.--Any individual who has been convicted of 
        a criminal offense under Federal law shall be notified in 
        accordance with paragraph (2) that such individual has the 
        right to vote in an election for Federal office pursuant to the 
        Democracy Restoration Act of 2019 and may register to vote in 
        any such election.
            (2) Date of notification.--
                    (A) Felony conviction.--In the case of such an 
                individual who has been convicted of a felony, the 
                notification required under paragraph (1) shall be 
                given--
                            (i) in the case of an individual who is 
                        sentenced to serve only a term of probation, by 
                        the Assistant Director for the Office of 
                        Probation and Pretrial Services of the 
                        Administrative Office of the United States 
                        Courts on the date on which the individual is 
                        sentenced; or
                            (ii) in the case of any individual 
                        committed to the custody of the Bureau of 
                        Prisons, by the Director of the Bureau of 
                        Prisons, during the period beginning on the 
                        date that is 6 months before such individual is 
                        released and ending on the date such individual 
                        is released from the custody of the Bureau of 
                        Prisons.
                    (B) Misdemeanor conviction.--In the case of such an 
                individual who has been convicted of a misdemeanor, the 
                notification required under paragraph (1) shall be 
                given on the date on which such individual is sentenced 
                by a court established by an Act of Congress.

SEC. 505. DEFINITIONS.

    For purposes of this title:
            (1) Correctional institution or facility.--The term 
        ``correctional institution or facility'' means any prison, 
        penitentiary, jail, or other institution or facility for the 
        confinement of individuals convicted of criminal offenses, 
        whether publicly or privately operated, except that such term 
        does not include any residential community treatment center (or 
        similar public or private facility).
            (2) Election.--The term ``election'' means--
                    (A) a general, special, primary, or runoff 
                election;
                    (B) a convention or caucus of a political party 
                held to nominate a candidate;
                    (C) a primary election held for the selection of 
                delegates to a national nominating convention of a 
                political party; or
                    (D) a primary election held for the expression of a 
                preference for the nomination of persons for election 
                to the office of President.
            (3) Federal office.--The term ``Federal office'' means the 
        office of President or Vice President of the United States, or 
        of Senator or Representative in, or Delegate or Resident 
        Commissioner to, the Congress of the United States.
            (4) Probation.--The term ``probation'' means probation, 
        imposed by a Federal, State, or local court, with or without a 
        condition on the individual involved concerning--
                    (A) the individual's freedom of movement;
                    (B) the payment of damages by the individual;
                    (C) periodic reporting by the individual to an 
                officer of the court; or
                    (D) supervision of the individual by an officer of 
                the court.

SEC. 506. RELATION TO OTHER LAWS.

    (a) State Laws Relating to Voting Rights.--Nothing in this title be 
construed to prohibit the States from enacting any State law which 
affords the right to vote in any election for Federal office on terms 
less restrictive than those established by this title.
    (b) Certain Federal Acts.--The rights and remedies established by 
this title are in addition to all other rights and remedies provided by 
law, and neither rights and remedies established by this Act shall 
supersede, restrict, or limit the application of the Voting Rights Act 
of 1965 (52 U.S.C. 10301 et seq.) or the National Voter Registration 
Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 20501 et seq.).

SEC. 507. FEDERAL PRISON FUNDS.

    No State, unit of local government, or other person may receive or 
use, to construct or otherwise improve a prison, jail, or other place 
of incarceration, any Federal funds unless that person has in effect a 
program under which each individual incarcerated in that person's 
jurisdiction who is a citizen of the United States is notified, upon 
release from such incarceration, of that individual's rights under 
section 502.

SEC. 508. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    This title shall apply to citizens of the United States voting in 
any election for Federal office held after the date of the enactment of 
this Act.

  TITLE VI--PROMOTING ACCURACY, INTEGRITY, AND SECURITY THROUGH VOTER-
                    VERIFIED PERMANENT PAPER BALLOT

SEC. 601. SHORT TITLE.

    This title may be cited as the ``Voter Confidence and Increased 
Accessibility Act of 2019''.

SEC. 602. PAPER BALLOT AND MANUAL COUNTING REQUIREMENTS.

    (a) In General.--Section 301(a)(2) of the Help America Vote Act of 
2002 (52 U.S.C. 21081(a)(2)) is amended to read as follows:
            ``(2) Paper ballot requirement.--
                    ``(A) Voter-verified paper ballots.--
                            ``(i) Paper ballot requirement.--(I) The 
                        voting system shall require the use of an 
                        individual, durable, voter-verified, paper 
                        ballot of the voter's vote that shall be marked 
                        and made available for inspection and 
                        verification by the voter before the voter's 
                        vote is cast and counted, and which shall be 
                        counted by hand or read by an optical character 
                        recognition device or other counting device. 
                        For purposes of this subclause, the term 
                        `individual, durable, voter-verified, paper 
                        ballot' means a paper ballot marked by the 
                        voter by hand or a paper ballot marked through 
                        the use of a nontabulating ballot marking 
                        device or system, so long as the voter shall 
                        have the option to mark his or her ballot by 
                        hand.
                            ``(II) The voting system shall provide the 
                        voter with an opportunity to correct any error 
                        on the paper ballot before the permanent voter-
                        verified paper ballot is preserved in 
                        accordance with clause (ii).
                            ``(III) The voting system shall not 
                        preserve the voter-verified paper ballots in 
                        any manner that makes it possible, at any time 
                        after the ballot has been cast, to associate a 
                        voter with the record of the voter's vote 
                        without the voter's consent.
                            ``(ii) Preservation as official record.--
                        The individual, durable, voter-verified, paper 
                        ballot used in accordance with clause (i) shall 
                        constitute the official ballot and shall be 
                        preserved and used as the official ballot for 
                        purposes of any recount or audit conducted with 
                        respect to any election for Federal office in 
                        which the voting system is used.
                            ``(iii) Manual counting requirements for 
                        recounts and audits.--(I) Each paper ballot 
                        used pursuant to clause (i) shall be suitable 
                        for a manual audit, and shall be counted by 
                        hand in any recount or audit conducted with 
                        respect to any election for Federal office.
                            ``(II) In the event of any inconsistencies 
                        or irregularities between any electronic vote 
                        tallies and the vote tallies determined by 
                        counting by hand the individual, durable, 
                        voter-verified, paper ballots used pursuant to 
                        clause (i), and subject to subparagraph (B), 
                        the individual, durable, voter-verified, paper 
                        ballots shall be the true and correct record of 
                        the votes cast.
                            ``(iv) Application to all ballots.--The 
                        requirements of this subparagraph shall apply 
                        to all ballots cast in elections for Federal 
                        office, including ballots cast by absent 
                        uniformed services voters and overseas voters 
                        under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens 
                        Absentee Voting Act and other absentee voters.
                    ``(B) Special rule for treatment of disputes when 
                paper ballots have been shown to be compromised.--
                            ``(i) In general.--In the event that--
                                    ``(I) there is any inconsistency 
                                between any electronic vote tallies and 
                                the vote tallies determined by counting 
                                by hand the individual, durable, voter-
                                verified, paper ballots used pursuant 
                                to subparagraph (A)(i) with respect to 
                                any election for Federal office; and
                                    ``(II) it is demonstrated by clear 
                                and convincing evidence (as determined 
                                in accordance with the applicable 
                                standards in the jurisdiction involved) 
                                in any recount, audit, or contest of 
                                the result of the election that the 
                                paper ballots have been compromised (by 
                                damage or mischief or otherwise) and 
                                that a sufficient number of the ballots 
                                have been so compromised that the 
                                result of the election could be 
                                changed,
                        the determination of the appropriate remedy 
                        with respect to the election shall be made in 
                        accordance with applicable State law, except 
                        that the electronic tally shall not be used as 
                        the exclusive basis for determining the 
                        official certified result.
                            ``(ii) Rule for consideration of ballots 
                        associated with each voting machine.--For 
                        purposes of clause (i), only the paper ballots 
                        deemed compromised, if any, shall be considered 
                        in the calculation of whether or not the result 
                        of the election could be changed due to the 
                        compromised paper ballots.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment Clarifying Applicability of Alternative 
Language Accessibility.--Section 301(a)(4) of such Act (52 U.S.C. 
21081(a)(4)) is amended by inserting ``(including the paper ballots 
required to be used under paragraph (2))'' after ``voting system''.
    (c) Other Conforming Amendments.--Section 301(a)(1) of such Act (52 
U.S.C. 21081(a)(1)) is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (A)(i), by striking ``counted'' and 
        inserting ``counted, in accordance with paragraphs (2) and 
        (3)'';
            (2) in subparagraph (A)(ii), by striking ``counted'' and 
        inserting ``counted, in accordance with paragraphs (2) and 
        (3)'';
            (3) in subparagraph (A)(iii), by striking ``counted'' each 
        place it appears and inserting ``counted, in accordance with 
        paragraphs (2) and (3)''; and
            (4) in subparagraph (B)(ii), by striking ``counted'' and 
        inserting ``counted, in accordance with paragraphs (2) and 
        (3)''.

SEC. 603. ACCESSIBILITY AND BALLOT VERIFICATION FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH 
              DISABILITIES.

    (a) In General.--Section 301(a)(3)(B) of the Help America Vote Act 
of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21081(a)(3)(B)) is amended to read as follows:
                    ``(B)(i) ensure that individuals with disabilities 
                and others are given an equivalent opportunity to vote, 
                including with privacy and independence, in a manner 
                that produces a voter-verified paper ballot as for 
                other voters;
                    ``(ii) satisfy the requirement of subparagraph (A) 
                through the use of at least one voting system equipped 
                for individuals with disabilities, including nonvisual 
                and enhanced visual accessibility for the blind and 
                visually impaired, and nonmanual and enhanced manual 
                accessibility for the mobility and dexterity impaired, 
                at each polling place; and
                    ``(iii) meet the requirements of subparagraph (A) 
                and paragraph (2)(A) by using a system that--
                            ``(I) allows the voter to privately and 
                        independently verify the permanent paper ballot 
                        through the presentation, in accessible form, 
                        of the printed or marked vote selections from 
                        the same printed or marked information that 
                        would be used for any vote counting or 
                        auditing; and
                            ``(II) allows the voter to privately and 
                        independently verify and cast the permanent 
                        paper ballot without requiring the voter to 
                        manually handle the paper ballot.''.
    (b) Specific Requirement of Study, Testing, and Development of 
Accessible Paper Ballot Verification Mechanisms.--
            (1) Study and reporting.--Subtitle C of title II of such 
        Act (52 U.S.C. 21081 et seq.) is amended--
                    (A) by redesignating section 247 as section 248; 
                and
                    (B) by inserting after section 246 the following 
                new section:

``SEC. 247. STUDY AND REPORT ON ACCESSIBLE PAPER BALLOT VERIFICATION 
              MECHANISMS.

    ``(a) Study and Report.--The Director of the National Science 
Foundation shall make grants to not fewer than 3 eligible entities to 
study, test, and develop accessible paper ballot voting, verification, 
and casting mechanisms and devices and best practices to enhance the 
accessibility of paper ballot voting and verification mechanisms for 
individuals with disabilities, for voters whose primary language is not 
English, and for voters with difficulties in literacy, including best 
practices for the mechanisms themselves and the processes through which 
the mechanisms are used.
    ``(b) Eligibility.--An entity is eligible to receive a grant under 
this part if it submits to the Director (at such time and in such form 
as the Director may require) an application containing--
            ``(1) certifications that the entity shall specifically 
        investigate enhanced methods or devices, including non-
        electronic devices, that will assist such individuals and 
        voters in marking voter-verified paper ballots and presenting 
        or transmitting the information printed or marked on such 
        ballots back to such individuals and voters, and casting such 
        ballots;
            ``(2) a certification that the entity shall complete the 
        activities carried out with the grant not later than December 
        31, 2020; and
            ``(3) such other information and certifications as the 
        Director may require.
    ``(c) Availability of Technology.--Any technology developed with 
the grants made under this section shall be treated as non-proprietary 
and shall be made available to the public, including to manufacturers 
of voting systems.
    ``(d) Coordination With Grants for Technology Improvements.--The 
Director shall carry out this section so that the activities carried 
out with the grants made under subsection (a) are coordinated with the 
research conducted under the grant program carried out by the 
Commission under section 271, to the extent that the Director and 
Commission determine necessary to provide for the advancement of 
accessible voting technology.
    ``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out subsection (a) $5,000,000, to remain 
available until expended.''.
            (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of contents of such Act 
        is amended--
                    (A) by redesignating the item relating to section 
                247 as relating to section 248; and
                    (B) by inserting after the item relating to section 
                246 the following new item:

``Sec. 247. Study and report on accessible paper ballot verification 
                            mechanisms.''.
    (c) Clarification of Accessibility Standards Under Voluntary Voting 
System Guidance.--In adopting any voluntary guidance under subtitle B 
of title III of the Help America Vote Act with respect to the 
accessibility of the paper ballot verification requirements for 
individuals with disabilities, the Election Assistance Commission shall 
include and apply the same accessibility standards applicable under the 
voluntary guidance adopted for accessible voting systems under such 
subtitle.
    (d) Permitting Use of Funds for Protection and Advocacy Systems To 
Support Actions To Enforce Election-Related Disability Access.--Section 
292(a) of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21062(a)) is 
amended by striking ``; except that'' and all that follows and 
inserting a period.

SEC. 604. DURABILITY AND READABILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR BALLOTS.

    Section 301(a) of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 
21081(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(7) Durability and readability requirements for 
        ballots.--
                    ``(A) Durability requirements for paper ballots.--
                            ``(i) In general.--All voter-verified paper 
                        ballots required to be used under this Act 
                        shall be marked or printed on durable paper.
                            ``(ii) Definition.--For purposes of this 
                        Act, paper is `durable' if it is capable of 
                        withstanding multiple counts and recounts by 
                        hand without compromising the fundamental 
                        integrity of the ballots, and capable of 
                        retaining the information marked or printed on 
                        them for the full duration of a retention and 
                        preservation period of 22 months.
                    ``(B) Readability requirements for paper ballots 
                marked by ballot marking device.--All voter-verified 
                paper ballots completed by the voter through the use of 
                a ballot marking device shall be clearly readable by 
                the voter without assistance (other than eyeglasses or 
                other personal vision enhancing devices) and by an 
                optical character recognition device or other device 
                equipped for individuals with disabilities.''.

SEC. 605. EFFECTIVE DATE FOR NEW REQUIREMENTS.

    Section 301(d) of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 
21081(d)) is amended to read as follows:
    ``(d) Effective Date.--
            ``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), 
        each State and jurisdiction shall be required to comply with 
        the requirements of this section on and after January 1, 2006.
            ``(2) Special rule for certain requirements.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Except as provided in 
                subparagraphs (B) and (C), the requirements of this 
                section which are first imposed on a State and 
                jurisdiction pursuant to the amendments made by the 
                Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act of 
                2019 shall apply with respect to voting systems used 
                for any election for Federal office held in 2024 or any 
                succeeding year.
                    ``(B) Delay for jurisdictions using certain paper 
                record printers or certain systems using or producing 
                voter-verifiable paper records in 2022.--
                            ``(i) Delay.--In the case of a jurisdiction 
                        described in clause (ii), subparagraph (A) 
                        shall apply to a voting system in the 
                        jurisdiction as if the reference in such 
                        subparagraph to `2024' were a reference to 
                        `2026', but only with respect to the following 
                        requirements of this section:
                                    ``(I) Paragraph (2)(A)(i)(I) of 
                                subsection (a) (relating to the use of 
                                voter-marked paper ballots).
                                    ``(II) Paragraph (3)(B)(ii)(I) and 
                                (II) of subsection (a) (relating to 
                                access to verification from and casting 
                                of the durable paper ballot).
                                    ``(III) Paragraph (7) of subsection 
                                (a) (relating to durability and 
                                readability requirements for ballots).
                            ``(ii) Jurisdictions described.--A 
                        jurisdiction described in this clause is a 
                        jurisdiction--
                                    ``(I) which used voter verifiable 
                                paper record printers attached to 
                                direct recording electronic voting 
                                machines, or which used other voting 
                                systems that used or produced paper 
                                records of the vote verifiable by 
                                voters but that are not in compliance 
                                with paragraphs (2)(A)(i)(I), 
                                (3)(B)(iii)(I) and (II), and (7) of 
                                subsection (a) (as amended or added by 
                                the Voter Confidence and Increased 
                                Accessibility Act of 2019), for the 
                                administration of the regularly 
                                scheduled general election for Federal 
                                office held in November 2022; and
                                    ``(II) which will continue to use 
                                such printers or systems for the 
                                administration of elections for Federal 
                                office held in years before 2024.
                            ``(iii) Mandatory availability of paper 
                        ballots at polling places using grandfathered 
                        printers and systems.--
                                    ``(I) Requiring ballots to be 
                                offered and provided.--The appropriate 
                                election official at each polling place 
                                that uses a printer or system described 
                                in clause (ii)(I) for the 
                                administration of elections for Federal 
                                office shall offer each individual who 
                                is eligible to cast a vote in the 
                                election at the polling place the 
                                opportunity to cast the vote using a 
                                blank pre-printed paper ballot which 
                                the individual may mark by hand and 
                                which is not produced by the direct 
                                recording electronic voting machine or 
                                other such system. The official shall 
                                provide the individual with the ballot 
                                and the supplies necessary to mark the 
                                ballot, and shall ensure (to the 
                                greatest extent practicable) that the 
                                waiting period for the individual to 
                                cast a vote is the lesser of 30 minutes 
                                or the average waiting period for an 
                                individual who does not agree to cast 
                                the vote using such a paper ballot 
                                under this clause.
                                    ``(II) Treatment of ballot.--Any 
                                paper ballot which is cast by an 
                                individual under this clause shall be 
                                counted and otherwise treated as a 
                                regular ballot for all purposes 
                                (including by incorporating it into the 
                                final unofficial vote count (as defined 
                                by the State) for the precinct) and not 
                                as a provisional ballot, unless the 
                                individual casting the ballot would 
                                have otherwise been required to cast a 
                                provisional ballot.
                                    ``(III) Posting of notice.--The 
                                appropriate election official shall 
                                ensure there is prominently displayed 
                                at each polling place a notice that 
                                describes the obligation of the 
                                official to offer individuals the 
                                opportunity to cast votes using a pre-
                                printed blank paper ballot.
                                    ``(IV) Training of election 
                                officials.--The chief State election 
                                official shall ensure that election 
                                officials at polling places in the 
                                State are aware of the requirements of 
                                this clause, including the requirement 
                                to display a notice under subclause 
                                (III), and are aware that it is a 
                                violation of the requirements of this 
                                title for an election official to fail 
                                to offer an individual the opportunity 
                                to cast a vote using a blank pre-
                                printed paper ballot.
                                    ``(V) Period of applicability.--The 
                                requirements of this clause apply only 
                                during the period in which the delay is 
                                in effect under clause (i).
                    ``(C) Special rule for jurisdictions using certain 
                nontabulating ballot marking devices.--In the case of a 
                jurisdiction which uses a nontabulating ballot marking 
                device which automatically deposits the ballot into a 
                privacy sleeve, subparagraph (A) shall apply to a 
                voting system in the jurisdiction as if the reference 
                in such subparagraph to `any election for Federal 
                office held in 2024 or any succeeding year' were a 
                reference to `elections for Federal office occurring 
                held in 2026 or each succeeding year', but only with 
                respect to paragraph (3)(B)(iii)(II) of subsection (a) 
                (relating to nonmanual casting of the durable paper 
                ballot).''.

SEC. 606. CLARIFICATION OF ABILITY OF STATES TO USE ELECTION 
              ADMINISTRATION PAYMENTS TO MEET REQUIREMENTS.

    Nothing in the amendments made by this title or in any provision of 
the Help America Vote Act of 2002 may be construed to prohibit a State 
from using any payment made under title I of such Act (52 U.S.C. 20901 
et seq.) or part 1 of subtitle D of title II of such Act (52 U.S.C. 
21001 et seq.) to comply with the requirements of the amendments made 
by this title.

                     TITLE VII--PROVISIONAL BALLOTS

SEC. 701. REQUIREMENTS FOR COUNTING PROVISIONAL BALLOTS; ESTABLISHMENT 
              OF UNIFORM AND NONDISCRIMINATORY STANDARDS.

    (a) In General.--Section 302 of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 
(52 U.S.C. 21082) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (f); and
            (2) by inserting after subsection (c) the following new 
        subsections:
    ``(d) Statewide Counting of Provisional Ballots.--
            ``(1) In general.--For purposes of subsection (a)(4), 
        notwithstanding the precinct or polling place at which a 
        provisional ballot is cast within the State, the appropriate 
        election official shall count each vote on such ballot for each 
        election in which the individual who cast such ballot is 
        eligible to vote.
            ``(2) Effective date.--This subsection shall apply with 
        respect to elections held on or after January 1, 2020.
    ``(e) Uniform and Nondiscriminatory Standards.--
            ``(1) In general.--Consistent with the requirements of this 
        section, each State shall establish uniform and 
        nondiscriminatory standards for the issuance, handling, and 
        counting of provisional ballots.
            ``(2) Effective date.--This subsection shall apply with 
        respect to elections held on or after January 1, 2020.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 302(f) of such Act (52 U.S.C. 
21082(f)), as redesignated by subsection (a), is amended by striking 
``Each State'' and inserting ``Except as provided in subsections (d)(2) 
and (e)(2), each State''.

                        TITLE VIII--EARLY VOTING

SEC. 801. EARLY VOTING.

    (a) Requirements.--Subtitle A of title III of the Help America Vote 
Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21081 et seq.), as amended by section 131(a) and 
section 201(a), is amended--
            (1) by redesignating sections 306 and 307 as sections 307 
        and 308; and
            (2) by inserting after section 305 the following new 
        section:

``SEC. 306. EARLY VOTING.

    ``(a) Requiring Voting Prior to Date of Election.--
            ``(1) In general.--Each State shall allow individuals to 
        vote in an election for Federal office during an early voting 
        period which occurs prior to the date of the election, in the 
        same manner as voting is allowed on such date.
            ``(2) Length of period.--The early voting period required 
        under this subsection with respect to an election shall consist 
        of a period of consecutive days (including weekends) which 
        begins on the 15th day before the date of the election (or, at 
        the option of the State, on a day prior to the 15th day before 
        the date of the election) and ends on the date of the election.
    ``(b) Minimum Early Voting Requirements.--Each polling place which 
allows voting during an early voting period under subsection (a) 
shall--
            ``(1) allow such voting for no less than 4 hours on each 
        day, except that the polling place may allow such voting for 
        fewer than 4 hours on Sundays; and
            ``(2) have uniform hours each day for which such voting 
        occurs.
    ``(c) Location of Polling Places Near Public Transportation.--To 
the greatest extent practicable, a State shall ensure that each polling 
place which allows voting during an early voting period under 
subsection (a) is located within walking distance of a stop on a public 
transportation route.
    ``(d) Standards.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Commission shall issue standards for 
        the administration of voting prior to the day scheduled for a 
        Federal election. Such standards shall include the 
        nondiscriminatory geographic placement of polling places at 
        which such voting occurs.
            ``(2) Deviation.--The standards described in paragraph (1) 
        shall permit States, upon providing adequate public notice, to 
        deviate from any requirement in the case of unforeseen 
        circumstances such as a natural disaster, terrorist attack, or 
        a change in voter turnout.
    ``(e) Effective Date.--This section shall apply with respect to 
elections held on or after January 1, 2020.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment Relating to Issuance of Voluntary Guidance 
by Election Assistance Commission.--Section 311(b) of such Act (52 
U.S.C. 21101(b)), as amended by section 201(b), is amended--
            (1) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (3);
            (2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (4) and 
        inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(5) in the case of the recommendations with respect to 
        section 306, June 30, 2020.''.
    (c) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents of such Act, as 
amended by section 131(c) and section 201(c), is amended--
            (1) by redesignating the items relating to sections 306 and 
        307 as relating to sections 307 and 308; and
            (2) by inserting after the item relating to section 305 the 
        following new item:

``Sec. 306. Early voting.''.

                        TITLE IX--VOTING BY MAIL

SEC. 901. VOTING BY MAIL.

    (a) Requirements.--Subtitle A of title III of the Help America Vote 
Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21081 et seq.), as amended by section 131(a), 
section 201(a), and section 801(a), is amended--
            (1) by redesignating sections 307 and 308 as sections 308 
        and 309; and
            (2) by inserting after section 306 the following new 
        section:

``SEC. 307. PROMOTING ABILITY OF VOTERS TO VOTE BY MAIL.

    ``(a) In General.--If an individual in a State is eligible to cast 
a vote in an election for Federal office, the State may not impose any 
additional conditions or requirements on the eligibility of the 
individual to cast the vote in such election by absentee ballot by 
mail, except as required under subsection (b) and except to the extent 
that the State imposes a deadline for requesting the ballot and related 
voting materials from the appropriate State or local election official 
and for returning the ballot to the appropriate State or local election 
official.
    ``(b) Requiring Signature Verification.--A State may not accept and 
process an absentee ballot submitted by any individual with respect to 
an election for Federal office unless the State verifies the 
identification of the individual by comparing the individual's 
signature on the absentee ballot with the individual's signature on the 
official list of registered voters in the State, in accordance with 
such procedures as the State may adopt.
    ``(c) Deadline for Providing Balloting Materials.--If an individual 
requests to vote by absentee ballot in an election for Federal office, 
the appropriate State or local election official shall ensure that the 
ballot and relating voting materials are transmitted to the 
individual--
            ``(1) not later than 2 weeks before the date of the 
        election; or
            ``(2) in the case of a State which imposes a deadline for 
        requesting an absentee ballot and related voting materials 
        which is less than 2 weeks before the date of the election, as 
        expeditiously as possible.
    ``(d) Accessibility for Individuals With Disabilities.--Consistent 
with section 305, the State shall ensure that all absentee ballots and 
related voting materials in elections for Federal office are accessible 
to individuals with disabilities in a manner that provides the same 
opportunity for access and participation (including with privacy and 
independence) as for other voters.
    ``(e) Uniform Deadline for Acceptance of Mailed Ballots.--If a 
ballot submitted by an individual by mail with respect to an election 
for Federal office in a State is postmarked on or before the date of 
the election, the State may not refuse to accept or process the ballot 
on the grounds that the individual did not meet a deadline for 
returning the ballot to the appropriate State or local election 
official.
    ``(f) No Effect on Ballots Submitted by Absent Military and 
Overseas Voters.--Nothing in this section may be construed to affect 
the treatment of any ballot submitted by an individual who is entitled 
to vote by absentee ballot under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens 
Absentee Voting Act (52 U.S.C. 20301 et seq.).
    ``(g) Effective Date.--This section shall apply with respect to 
elections held on or after January 1, 2020.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment Relating to Issuance of Voluntary Guidance 
by Election Assistance Commission.--Section 311(b) of such Act (52 
U.S.C. 21101(b)), as amended by section 201(b) and section 801(b), is 
amended--
            (1) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (4);
            (2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (5) and 
        inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(6) in the case of the recommendations with respect to 
        section 307, June 30, 2020.''.
    (c) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents of such Act, as 
amended by section 131(c), section 201(c), and section 801(c), is 
amended--
            (1) by redesignating the items relating to sections 307 and 
        308 as relating to sections 308 and 309; and
            (2) by inserting after the item relating to section 306 the 
        following new item:

``Sec. 307. Promoting ability of voters to vote by mail.''.

     TITLE X--ABSENT UNIFORMED SERVICES VOTERS AND OVERSEAS VOTERS

SEC. 1001. EXTENDING GUARANTEE OF RESIDENCY FOR VOTING PURPOSES TO 
              FAMILY MEMBERS OF ABSENT MILITARY PERSONNEL.

    Section 705 of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (50 U.S.C. 4025) 
is amended--
            (1) in the heading, by striking ``spouses'' and inserting 
        ``family members''; and
            (2) by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:
    ``(b) Family Members.--For the purposes of voting for in any 
election for any Federal office (as defined in section 301 of the 
Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 30101)) or any State 
or local office, a spouse, domestic partner, or dependent of a person 
who is absent from a State in compliance with military or naval orders 
shall not, solely by reason of that person's absence and without regard 
to whether or not such family member is accompanying that person--
            ``(1) be deemed to have lost a residence or domicile in 
        that State, without regard to whether or not the person intends 
        to return to that State;
            ``(2) be deemed to have acquired a residence or domicile in 
        any other State; or
            ``(3) be deemed to have become a resident in or a resident 
        of any other State.''.

SEC. 1002. PRE-ELECTION REPORTS ON AVAILABILITY AND TRANSMISSION OF 
              ABSENTEE BALLOTS.

    Section 102(c) of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee 
Voting Act (52 U.S.C. 20302(c)) is amended to read as follows:
    ``(c) Reports on Availability, Transmission, and Receipt of 
Absentee Ballots.--
            ``(1) Pre-election report on absentee ballot 
        availability.--Not later than 55 days before any regularly 
        scheduled general election for Federal office, each State shall 
        submit a report to the Attorney General, the Election 
        Assistance Commission (hereafter in this subsection referred to 
        as the `Commission'), and the Presidential Designee, and make 
        that report publicly available that same day, certifying that 
        absentee ballots for the election are or will be available for 
        transmission to absent uniformed services voters and overseas 
        voters by not later than 45 days before the election. The 
        report shall be in a form prescribed jointly by the Attorney 
        General and the Commission and shall require the State to 
        certify specific information about ballot availability from 
        each unit of local government which will administer the 
        election.
            ``(2) Pre-election report on absentee ballot 
        transmission.--Not later than 43 days before any regularly 
        scheduled general election for Federal office, each State shall 
        submit a report to the Attorney General, the Commission, and 
        the Presidential Designee, and make that report publicly 
        available that same day, certifying whether all absentee 
        ballots have been transmitted by not later than 45 days before 
        the election to all qualified absent uniformed services and 
        overseas voters whose requests were received at least 45 days 
        before the election. The report shall be in a form prescribed 
        jointly by the Attorney General and the Commission, and shall 
        require the State to certify specific information about ballot 
        transmission, including the total numbers of ballot requests 
        received and ballots transmitted, from each unit of local 
        government which will administer the election.
            ``(3) Post-election report on number of absentee ballots 
        transmitted and received.--Not later than 90 days after the 
        date of each regularly scheduled general election for Federal 
        office, each State and unit of local government which 
        administered the election shall (through the State, in the case 
        of a unit of local government) submit a report to the Attorney 
        General, the Commission, and the Presidential Designee on the 
        combined number of absentee ballots transmitted to absent 
        uniformed services voters and overseas voters for the election 
        and the combined number of such ballots which were returned by 
        such voters and cast in the election, and shall make such 
        report available to the general public that same day.''.

SEC. 1003. ENFORCEMENT.

    (a) Availability of Civil Penalties and Private Rights of Action.--
Section 105 of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act 
(52 U.S.C. 20307) is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 105. ENFORCEMENT.

    ``(a) Action by Attorney General.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Attorney General may bring civil 
        action in an appropriate district court for such declaratory or 
        injunctive relief as may be necessary to carry out this title.
            ``(2) Penalty.--In a civil action brought under paragraph 
        (1), if the court finds that the State violated any provision 
        of this title, it may, to vindicate the public interest, assess 
        a civil penalty against the State--
                    ``(A) in an amount not to exceed $110,000 for each 
                such violation, in the case of a first violation; or
                    ``(B) in an amount not to exceed $220,000 for each 
                such violation, for any subsequent violation.
            ``(3) Report to congress.--Not later than December 31 of 
        each year, the Attorney General shall submit to Congress an 
        annual report on any civil action brought under paragraph (1) 
        during the preceding year.
    ``(b) Private Right of Action.--A person who is aggrieved by a 
State's violation of this title may bring a civil action in an 
appropriate district court for such declaratory or injunctive relief as 
may be necessary to carry out this title.
    ``(c) State as Only Necessary Defendant.--In any action brought 
under this section, the only necessary party defendant is the State, 
and it shall not be a defense to any such action that a local election 
official or a unit of local government is not named as a defendant, 
notwithstanding that a State has exercised the authority described in 
section 576 of the Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment Act to 
delegate to another jurisdiction in the State any duty or 
responsibility which is the subject of an action brought under this 
section.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply with respect to violations alleged to have occurred on or after 
the date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 1004. REVISIONS TO 45-DAY ABSENTEE BALLOT TRANSMISSION RULE.

    (a) Repeal of Waiver Authority.--
            (1) In general.--Section 102 of the Uniformed and Overseas 
        Citizens Absentee Voting Act (52 U.S.C. 20302) is amended by 
        striking subsection (g).
            (2) Conforming amendment.--Section 102(a)(8)(A) of such Act 
        (52 U.S.C. 20302(a)(8)(A)) is amended by striking ``except as 
        provided in subsection (g),''.
    (b) Requiring Use of Express Delivery in Case of Failure To Meet 
Requirement.--Section 102 of such Act (52 U.S.C. 20302), as amended by 
subsection (a), is amended by inserting after subsection (f) the 
following new subsection:
    ``(g) Requiring Use of Express Delivery in Case of Failure To 
Transmit Ballots Within Deadlines.--
            ``(1) Transmission of ballot by express delivery.--If a 
        State fails to meet the requirement of subsection (a)(8)(A) to 
        transmit a validly requested absentee ballot to an absent 
        uniformed services voter or overseas voter not later than 45 
        days before the election (in the case in which the request is 
        received at least 45 days before the election)--
                    ``(A) the State shall transmit the ballot to the 
                voter by express delivery; or
                    ``(B) in the case of a voter who has designated 
                that absentee ballots be transmitted electronically in 
                accordance with subsection (f)(1), the State shall 
                transmit the ballot to the voter electronically.
            ``(2) Special rule for transmission fewer than 40 days 
        before the election.--If, in carrying out paragraph (1), a 
        State transmits an absentee ballot to an absent uniformed 
        services voter or overseas voter fewer than 40 days before the 
        election, the State shall enable the ballot to be returned by 
        the voter by express delivery, except that in the case of an 
        absentee ballot of an absent uniformed services voter for a 
        regularly scheduled general election for Federal office, the 
        State may satisfy the requirement of this paragraph by 
        notifying the voter of the procedures for the collection and 
        delivery of such ballots under section 103A.''.
    (c) Clarification of Treatment of Weekends.--Section 102(a)(8)(A) 
of such Act (52 U.S.C. 20302(a)(8)(A)) is amended by striking ``the 
election;'' and inserting the following: ``the election (or, if the 
45th day preceding the election is a weekend or legal public holiday, 
not later than the most recent weekday which precedes such 45th day and 
which is not a legal public holiday, but only if the request is 
received by at least such most recent weekday);''.

SEC. 1005. USE OF SINGLE ABSENTEE BALLOT APPLICATION FOR SUBSEQUENT 
              ELECTIONS.

    (a) In General.--Section 104 of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens 
Absentee Voting Act (52 U.S.C. 20306) is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 104. USE OF SINGLE APPLICATION FOR SUBSEQUENT ELECTIONS.

    ``(a) In General.--If a State accepts and processes an official 
post card form (prescribed under section 101) submitted by an absent 
uniformed services voter or overseas voter for simultaneous voter 
registration and absentee ballot application (in accordance with 
section 102(a)(4)) and the voter requests that the application be 
considered an application for an absentee ballot for each subsequent 
election for Federal office held in the State through the next 
regularly scheduled general election for Federal office (including any 
runoff elections which may occur as a result of the outcome of such 
general election), the State shall provide an absentee ballot to the 
voter for each such subsequent election.
    ``(b) Exception for Voters Changing Registration.--Subsection (a) 
shall not apply with respect to a voter registered to vote in a State 
for any election held after the voter notifies the State that the voter 
no longer wishes to be registered to vote in the State or after the 
State determines that the voter has registered to vote in another State 
or is otherwise no longer eligible to vote in the State.
    ``(c) Prohibition of Refusal of Application on Grounds of Early 
Submission.--A State may not refuse to accept or to process, with 
respect to any election for Federal office, any otherwise valid voter 
registration application or absentee ballot application (including the 
postcard form prescribed under section 101) submitted by an absent 
uniformed services voter or overseas voter on the grounds that the 
voter submitted the application before the first date on which the 
State otherwise accepts or processes such applications for that 
election which are submitted by absentee voters who are not members of 
the uniformed services or overseas citizens.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall 
apply with respect to voter registration and absentee ballot 
applications which are submitted to a State or local election official 
on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 1006. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    The amendments made by this title shall apply with respect to 
elections occurring on or after January 1, 2020.

             TITLE XI--POLL WORKER RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING

SEC. 1101. LEAVE TO SERVE AS A POLL WORKER FOR FEDERAL EMPLOYEES.

    (a) In General.--Subchapter II of chapter 63 of title 5, United 
States Code, is amended by inserting after section 6329c the following:
``Sec. 6329d. Absence in connection with serving as a poll worker
    ``(a) In General.--An employee in or under an Executive agency is 
entitled to leave, without loss of or reduction in pay, leave to which 
otherwise entitled, credit for time or service, or performance or 
efficiency rating, not to exceed 6 days in a leave year, in order--
            ``(1) to provide election administration assistance to a 
        State or unit of local government at a polling place on the 
        date of any election for public office; or
            ``(2) to receive any training without which such employee 
        would be ineligible to provide such assistance.
    ``(b) Regulations.--The Director of the Office of Personnel 
Management may prescribe regulations for the administration of this 
section, including regulations setting forth the terms and conditions 
of the election administration assistance an employee may provide for 
purposes of subsection (a).''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for chapter 63 of 
title 5, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item 
relating to section 6329c the following:

``6329d. Absence in connection with serving as a poll worker.''.

SEC. 1102. GRANTS TO STATES FOR POLL WORKER RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING.

    (a) Grants by Election Assistance Commission.--
            (1) In general.--The Election Assistance Commission 
        (hereafter referred to as the ``Commission'') shall make a 
        grant to each eligible State for recruiting and training 
        individuals to serve as poll workers on dates of elections for 
        public office.
            (2) Use of commission materials.--In carrying out 
        activities with a grant provided under this section, the 
        recipient of the grant shall use the manual prepared by the 
        Commission on successful practices for poll worker recruiting, 
        training and retention as an interactive training tool, and 
        shall develop 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 application submitted 
        under paragraph (1) shall--
                    (A) describe the activities for which assistance 
                under this section is sought;
                    (B) provide assurances that the funds provided 
                under this section will be used to supplement 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 workers after 
                recruitment and training with the funds provided under 
                this section; and
                    (D) provide such additional information and 
                certifications as the Commission determines to be 
                essential to ensure compliance with the requirements of 
                this section.
    (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 defined.--In paragraph 
        (1), the ``voting age population 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 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 submit a report to Congress on the grants made 
        under this section and the activities carried out by recipients 
        with the grants, and shall include in the report such 
        recommendations as the Commission considers appropriate.
    (e) Funding.--
            (1) Continuing availability of amount appropriated.--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 available for administrative expenses of the 
        Commission.

SEC. 1103. MODEL POLL WORKER TRAINING PROGRAM.

    (a) Development of Program by Election Assistance Commission.--Not 
later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Election Assistance Commission shall develop and provide to each State 
materials for a model poll worker training program which the State may 
use to train individuals to serve as poll workers in elections for 
Federal office.
    (b) Contents of Materials.--The materials for the model poll worker 
training program developed under this section shall include materials 
to provide training with respect to the following:
            (1) The relevant provisions of the Federal laws which apply 
        to the administration of elections for Federal office in the 
        State, including the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the Help 
        America Vote Act of 2002.
            (2) The provision of access to voting to individuals with 
        disabilities in a manner which preserves the dignity and 
        privacy of such individuals.
            (3) The provision of access to voting to individuals with 
        limited English language proficiency, and to individuals who 
        are members or racial or ethnic minorities, consistent with the 
        protections provided for such individuals under relevant law, 
        in a manner which preserves the dignity of such individuals.
            (4) Practical experience in the use of the voting machines 
        which will be used in the election involved, including the 
        accessibility features of such machines.
            (5) Such other election administration subjects as the 
        Commission considers appropriate to ensure that poll workers 
        are able to effectively assist with the administration of 
        elections for Federal office.

SEC. 1104. STATE DEFINED.

    In this title, the term ``State'' includes the District of 
Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the 
United States Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern 
Mariana Islands.

                 TITLE XII--ENHANCEMENT OF ENFORCEMENT

SEC. 1201. 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 inserting 
        ``(a) In General.--The Attorney General''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new subsections:
    ``(b) Filing of Complaints by Aggrieved Persons.--
            ``(1) In general.--A person who is aggrieved by a violation 
        of title III which has occurred, is occurring, or is about to 
        occur may file a written, signed, notarized complaint with the 
        Attorney General describing the violation and requesting the 
        Attorney General to take appropriate action under this section. 
        The Attorney General shall immediately provide 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.
            ``(2) Response by attorney general.--The Attorney General 
        shall respond to each complaint filed under paragraph (1), in 
        accordance with procedures established by the Attorney General 
        that require responses and determinations to be made within the 
        same (or shorter) deadlines which apply to a State under the 
        State-based administrative complaint procedures described in 
        section 402(a)(2). The Attorney General shall immediately 
        provide a copy of the response made 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.
    ``(c) Availability of Private Right of Action.--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 
ballot 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 election technology and administration 
requirements under subtitle A of title III.
    ``(d) No Effect on State Procedures.--Nothing in this section may 
be construed to affect the availability of the State-based 
administrative complaint procedures required 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.

                 TITLE XIII--FEDERAL ELECTION INTEGRITY

SEC. 1301. 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.
    ``(b) Chief State Election Administration Official.--The term 
`chief State election administration official' 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 political management or in a 
political campaign' means--
            ``(1) serving as a member of an authorized committee 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 candidate 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 Administration of Elections 
Involving Official or Immediate Family Member.--
            ``(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 official is a candidate, but 
        only if such official recuses himself or herself from all of 
        the official's responsibilities for the administration of such 
        election.
            ``(2) Immediate family member defined.--In paragraph (1), 
        the term `immediate family member' 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.

   TITLE XIV--GRANTS FOR RISK-LIMITING AUDITS OF RESULTS OF ELECTIONS

SEC. 1401. GRANTS TO STATES FOR CONDUCTING RISK-LIMITING AUDITS OF 
              RESULTS OF ELECTIONS.

    (a) Availability of Grants.--Subtitle D of title II of the Help 
America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21001 et seq.) is amended by adding 
at the end the following new part:

  ``PART 7--GRANTS FOR CONDUCTING RISK-LIMITING AUDITS OF RESULTS OF 
                               ELECTIONS

``SEC. 297. GRANTS FOR CONDUCTING RISK-LIMITING AUDITS OF RESULTS OF 
              ELECTIONS.

    ``(a) Availability of Grants.--The Commission shall make a grant to 
each eligible State to conduct risk-limiting audits as described in 
subsection (b) with respect to the regularly scheduled general 
elections for Federal office held in November 2020 and each succeeding 
election for Federal office.
    ``(b) Risk-Limiting Audits Described.--In this part, a `risk-
limiting audit' is a post-election process--
            ``(1) which is conducted in accordance with rules and 
        procedures established by the chief State election official of 
        the State which meet the requirements of subsection (c); and
            ``(2) under which, if the reported outcome of the election 
        is incorrect, there is at least a predetermined percentage 
        chance that the audit will replace the incorrect outcome with 
        the correct outcome as determined by a full, hand-to-eye 
        tabulation of all votes validly cast in that election that 
        ascertains voter intent manually and directly from voter-
        verifiable paper records.
    ``(c) Requirements for Rules and Procedures.--The rules and 
procedures established for conducting a risk-limiting audit shall 
include the following elements:
            ``(1) Rules for ensuring the security of ballots and 
        documenting that prescribed procedures were followed.
            ``(2) Rules and procedures for ensuring the accuracy of 
        ballot manifests produced by election agencies.
            ``(3) Rules and procedures for governing the format of 
        ballot manifests, cast vote records, and other data involved in 
        the audit.
            ``(4) Methods to ensure that any cast vote records used in 
        the audit are those used by the voting system to tally the 
        election results sent to the chief State election official and 
        made public.
            ``(5) Procedures for the random selection of ballots to be 
        inspected manually during each audit.
            ``(6) Rules for the calculations and other methods to be 
        used in the audit and to determine whether and when the audit 
        of an election is complete.
            ``(7) Procedures and requirements for testing any software 
        used to conduct risk-limiting audits.
    ``(d) Definitions.--In this part, the following definitions apply:
            ``(1) The term `ballot manifest' means a record maintained 
        by each election agency that meets each of the following 
        requirements:
                    ``(A) The record is created without reliance on any 
                part of the voting system used to tabulate votes.
                    ``(B) The record functions as a sampling frame for 
                conducting a risk-limiting audit.
                    ``(C) The record contains the following information 
                with respect to the ballots cast and counted in the 
                election:
                            ``(i) The total number of ballots cast and 
                        counted by the agency (including undervotes, 
                        overvotes, and other invalid votes).
                            ``(ii) The total number of ballots cast in 
                        each election administered by the agency 
                        (including undervotes, overvotes, and other 
                        invalid votes).
                            ``(iii) A precise description of the manner 
                        in which the ballots are physically stored, 
                        including the total number of physical groups 
                        of ballots, the numbering system for each 
                        group, a unique label for each group, and the 
                        number of ballots in each such group.
            ``(2) The term `election agency' means any component of a 
        State, or any component of a unit of local government in a 
        State, which is responsible for the administration of elections 
        for Federal office in the State.
            ``(3) The term `incorrect outcome' means an outcome that 
        differs from the outcome that would be determined by a full 
        tabulation of all votes validly cast in the election, 
        determining voter intent manually, directly from voter-
        verifiable paper records.
            ``(4) The term `outcome' means the winner of an election, 
        whether a candidate or a position.
            ``(5) The term `reported outcome' means the outcome of an 
        election which is determined according to the canvass and which 
        will become the official, certified outcome unless it is 
        revised by an audit, recount, or other legal process.

``SEC. 297A. 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 application containing--
            ``(1) a certification that, not later than 5 years after 
        receiving the grant, the State will conduct risk-limiting 
        audits of the results of elections for Federal office held in 
        the State as described in section 297;
            ``(2) a certification that, not later than one year after 
        the date of the enactment of this section, the chief State 
        election official of the State has established or will 
        establish the rules and procedures for conducting the audits 
        which meet the requirements of section 297(c);
            ``(3) a certification that the audit shall be completed not 
        later than the date on which the State certifies the results of 
        the election;
            ``(4) a certification that, after completing the audit, the 
        State shall publish a report on the results of the audit, 
        together with such information as necessary to confirm that the 
        audit was conducted properly;
            ``(5) a certification that, if a risk-limiting audit 
        conducted under this part leads to a full manual tally of an 
        election, State law requires that the State or election agency 
        shall use the results of the full manual tally as the official 
        results of the election; and
            ``(6) such other information and assurances as the 
        Commission may require.

``SEC. 297B. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``There are authorized to be appropriated for grants under this 
part $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2019, to 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--Grants for Conducting Risk-Limiting Audits of Results of 
                               Elections

``Sec. 297. Grants for conducting risk-limiting audits of results of 
                            elections.
``Sec. 297A. Eligibility of States.
``Sec. 297B. Authorization of appropriations.''.

SEC. 1402. GAO ANALYSIS OF EFFECTS OF AUDITS.

    (a) Analysis.--Not later than 6 months after the first election for 
Federal office is held after grants are first awarded to States for 
conducting risk-limiting under part 7 of subtitle D of title II of the 
Help America Vote Act of 2002 (as added by section 1401) for conducting 
risk-limiting audits of elections for Federal office, the Comptroller 
General of the United States shall conduct an analysis of the extent to 
which such audits have improved the administration of such elections 
and the security of election infrastructure in the States receiving 
such grants.
    (b) Report.--The Comptroller General of the United States shall 
submit a report on the analysis conducted under subsection (a) to the 
appropriate congressional committees.
    (c) Definitions.--In this section--
            (1) the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means 
        the Committees on Homeland Security and House Administration of 
        the House of Representatives and the Committees on Homeland 
        Security and Governmental Affairs and Rules and Administration 
        of the Senate;
            (2) the term ``election agency'' means any component of a 
        State, or any component of a unit of local government in a 
        State, which is responsible for the administration of elections 
        for Federal office in the State; and
            (3) the term ``election infrastructure'' means storage 
        facilities, polling places, and centralized vote tabulation 
        locations used to support the administration of elections for 
        public office, as well as related information and 
        communications technology, including voter registration 
        databases, voting machines, electronic mail and other 
        communications systems (including electronic mail and other 
        systems of vendors who have entered into contracts with 
        election agencies to support the administration of elections, 
        manage the election process, and report and display election 
        results), and other systems used to manage the election process 
        and to report and display election results on behalf of an 
        election agency.

   TITLE XV--PROMOTING VOTER ACCESS THROUGH ELECTION ADMINISTRATION 
                              IMPROVEMENTS

                   Subtitle A--Promoting Voter Access

SEC. 1501. TREATMENT OF UNIVERSITIES AS VOTER REGISTRATION AGENCIES.

    (a) In General.--Section 7(a) of the National Voter Registration 
Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 20506(a)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (2)--
                    (A) by striking ``and'' at the end of subparagraph 
                (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 Education 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 paragraph (23).
    (c) Sense of Congress Relating to Option of Students To Register in 
Jurisdiction of Institution of Higher Education or Jurisdiction of 
Domicile.--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 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. 1502. MINIMUM NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR VOTERS AFFECTED BY 
              POLLING PLACE CHANGES.

    (a) Requirements.--Section 302 of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 
(52 U.S.C. 21082), as amended by section 701(a), is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsection (f) as subsection (g); and
            (2) by inserting after subsection (e) the following new 
        subsection:
    ``(f) Minimum Notification Requirements for Voters Affected by 
Polling Place Changes.--
            ``(1) In general.--If a State assigns an individual who is 
        a registered voter in a State to a polling place with respect 
        to an election for Federal office 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--
                    ``(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 assignment 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 January 1, 2020.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 302(g) of such Act (52 U.S.C. 
21082(g)), as redesignated by subsection (a) and as amended by section 
701(b), is amended by striking ``(d)(2) and (e)(2)'' and inserting 
``(d)(2), (e)(2), and (f)(2)''.

SEC. 1503. ELECTION DAY HOLIDAY.

    (a) Treatment of Election Day in Same Manner as Legal Public 
Holiday for Purposes of Federal 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 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 Congress 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. 1504. PERMITTING USE OF SWORN WRITTEN STATEMENT TO MEET 
              IDENTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS 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 following new section:

``SEC. 303A. PERMITTING USE OF SWORN WRITTEN STATEMENT TO MEET 
              IDENTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS.

    ``(a) Use of Statement.--
            ``(1) In general.--Except as provided in subsection (c), if 
        a State has in effect a requirement that an individual present 
        identification as a condition of receiving and casting a ballot 
        in an election for Federal office, the State shall permit the 
        individual to meet the requirement--
                    ``(A) in the case of an individual who desires to 
                vote in person, by presenting the appropriate State or 
                local election official with a sworn written statement, 
                signed by the individual 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 desires to 
                vote by mail, by submitting with the ballot the 
                statement described in subparagraph (A).
            ``(2) Providing pre-printed copy of statement.--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 provide 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
                    ``(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 individual who presents 
or submits a sworn written statement in accordance with subsection 
(a)(1) shall be permitted to cast a regular ballot in the election in 
the same manner as an individual who presents identification.
    ``(c) Exception for First-Time Voters Registering 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 Information Material Posted at Polling Places.--
Section 302(b)(2) of such Act (52 U.S.C. 21082(b)(2)), as amended by 
section 172(b) and section 302(b), is amended--
            (1) by striking ``and'' at the end of subparagraph (G);
            (2) by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (H) 
        and inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
                    ``(I) in the case of a State that has in effect 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. 1505. POSTAGE-FREE BALLOTS.

    (a) Absentee Ballots Carried Free of Postage.--
            (1) In general.--Chapter 34 of title 39, United States 
        Code, is amended by adding after section 3406 the following:
``Sec. 3407. Absentee ballots carried free of postage
    ``(a) Any absentee ballot for any election shall be carried 
expeditiously and free of postage.
    ``(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 sections for chapter 
        34 of such title is amended by inserting 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 Reimburse 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 provided 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 ballots.--A State shall use a requirements 
        payment to reimburse the United States Postal Service for the 
        revenue which the Postal Service would have obtained as the 
        result of the mailing of absentee ballots 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 requirements 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 succeeding fiscal 
                year.

SEC. 1506. 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.), as amended by section 1401(a), 
is further amended by adding at the end the following new part:

     ``PART 8--PAYMENTS TO REIMBURSE STATES FOR COSTS INCURRED IN 
 ESTABLISHING PROGRAM TO TRACK AND CONFIRM RECEIPT OF ABSENTEE BALLOTS

``SEC. 298. PAYMENTS TO STATES.

    ``(a) Payments for Costs of Establishing Program.--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 chooses 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 enactment of this part).
    ``(b) Absentee Ballot Tracking Program Described.--
            ``(1) Program described.--
                    ``(A) In general.--In this part, an `absentee 
                ballot tracking program' is a program to track and 
                confirm the receipt of absentee ballots in an election 
                for Federal office under which the State or local 
                election official responsible 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 
                available to the individual who cast the ballot, by 
                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 receipt of an absentee ballot shall 
                include information 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 program 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 number 
        that may be used by an individual who cast an absentee ballot 
        to obtain the information on the receipt 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 
                established an absentee ballot tracking program 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 establishing 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 received.--A State may 
        not receive more than one payment under this part.

``SEC. 298A. 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.
    ``(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, as 
amended by section 1401(b), is further amended by adding at the end of 
the items relating to subtitle D of title II the following:

     ``Part 8--Payments To Reimburse States for Costs Incurred in 
 Establishing Program To Track and Confirm Receipt of Absentee Ballots

``Sec. 298. Payments to States.
``Sec. 298A. Authorization of appropriations.''.

SEC. 1507. 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 immediate 
                assistance to such individuals, including information 
                on how to register to vote, the location and hours of 
                operation of polling places, and how to obtain absentee 
                ballots; and
                    (B) State-specific, same-day, and immediate 
                assistance to individuals encountering problems with 
                registering to vote or voting, including individuals 
                encountering intimidation or deceptive practices.
            (2) Hotline.--The Attorney General, in consultation 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 numerals, 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 information 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 Attorney General 
                on problems encountered in registering to vote or 
                voting, including incidences of voter intimidation or 
                suppression.
            (3) Collaboration with state and local election 
        officials.--
                    (A) Collection of information from states.--The 
                Attorney General shall coordinate the collection of 
                information on State and local election laws and 
                policies, including information on the statewide 
                computerized voter registration lists maintained under 
                title III of the Help America Vote Act of 2002, so that 
                individuals 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 complaints 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 
                forward 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.
            (4) Consultation requirements for development of systems 
        and services.--The Attorney General shall ensure that the 
        State-based response system under paragraph (1) and the free 
        telephone service under paragraph (2) are each developed in 
        consultation with civil rights organizations, voting rights 
        groups, State and local election officials, voter protection 
        groups, and other interested community organizations, 
        especially those that have experience in the operation of 
        similar systems and services.
    (b) Use of Service by Individuals With Disabilities 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 assistance 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 appropriate but in no event fewer than 3) to 
        serve on a Voter Hotline Task Force to provide ongoing analysis 
        and assessment of the operation of the telephone service 
        established under this section, and shall give special 
        consideration in making appointments to the Task Force to 
        individuals who represent civil rights organizations. At least 
        one member of the Task Force shall be a representative of an 
        organization promoting voting rights or civil rights which has 
        experience in the operation of similar 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 eligible 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 intimidation or voter suppression.
            (3) Term of service.--An individual appointed to the Task 
        Force shall serve a single term of 2 years, except that the 
        initial terms of the members first appointed to the Task Force 
        shall be staggered 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.--Members 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 during 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 households in the United 
        States with telephone service;
            (4) any recommendations developed by the Task Force 
        established under subsection (c) with respect 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 effective 
        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 paragraph (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 individuals with 
        disabilities and individuals with limited proficiency in the 
        English language.

Subtitle B--Improvements in Operation of Election Assistance Commission

SEC. 1511. 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. 1512. 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 1504(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 request for purposes of conducting 
any post-election survey of the States with respect to the 
administration of a regularly 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 1504(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. 1513. REPORTS BY NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS 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 America 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 transferred from the Commission to the Director 
of the National Institute of Standards and Technology for purposes of 
carrying out this section during any fiscal year, the Director may not 
use such funds unless the Director certifies at the time of transfer 
that the Director will submit a report 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. 1514. 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 
        investigation and resolution of allegations of violations of 
        title III of such Act.
            (2) Recommendations to streamline procedures.--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. 1515. REPEAL OF EXEMPTION OF ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION FROM 
              CERTAIN GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING REQUIREMENTS.

    (a) In General.--Section 205 of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 
(52 U.S.C. 20925) is amended by striking 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.

                  Subtitle C--Miscellaneous Provisions

SEC. 1521. 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 
``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 
        Virgin 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 inserting ``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 Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
                Islands''.
            (3) Conforming amendment relating to consultation of help 
        america vote foundation with local election officials.--Section 
        90102(c) of title 36, United States Code, is amended by 
        striking ``and the United States Virgin Islands'' and inserting 
        ``the United States Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the 
        Northern Mariana Islands''.

SEC. 1522. REPEAL OF EXEMPTION OF ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION FROM 
              CERTAIN GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING REQUIREMENTS.

    (a) In General.--Section 205 of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 
(52 U.S.C. 20925) is amended by striking 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.

SEC. 1523. NO EFFECT ON OTHER LAWS.

    (a) In General.--Except as specifically provided, nothing in this 
Act 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 Absentee Voting Act 
        (52 U.S.C. 20301 et seq.).
            (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 Requirements Under Voting 
Rights Act.--The approval by any person of a payment or grant 
application under this Act, or any other action taken by any person 
under this Act, 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.

                        TITLE XVI--SEVERABILITY

SEC. 1601. SEVERABILITY.

    If any provision of this Act or amendment made by this Act, or the 
application of a provision or amendment to any person or circumstance, 
is held to be unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act and 
amendments made by this Act, and the application of the provisions and 
amendment to any person or circumstance, shall not be affected by the 
holding.
                                 <all>