Emergency Assistance for Secure Elections Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-5036
Sponsor: Rep. Holt, Rush [D-NJ-12]
Introduced: 2008-01-17 in the House
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Ballots
Congress
Congressional elections
Disabled
Economics and Public Finance
Grants-in-aid
Illiteracy
Language and languages
Paper and paper products
Presidential elections
Product development
Research and development
Science, Technology, Communications
Self-help devices for the disabled
Voting machines

Summary:
action_date: 2008-01-17
text: 
Emergency Assistance for Secure Elections Act of 2008 - Directs the Administrator of General Services to reimburse certain jurisdictions for the costs of: (1) converting from electronic or other voting systems to paper ballot voting systems for the general elections for federal office to be held in November 2008; and (2) providing emergency paper ballots if the jurisdiction uses a direct recording electronic voting system which happens to fail.
 
Directs the Administrator to reimburse any state, county, or equivalent location for the documented reasonable costs it incurs in conducting manual audits or hand recounts of the results of any of the regularly scheduled elections for federal office in November 2008 (including, at state or local option, manual audits of state and local elections, ballot initiatives, and referenda).
 

 
Requires the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to study, test, and develop products and practices that ensure the accessibility of paper ballot verification and casting for individuals with disabilities, for voters whose primary language is not English, and for voters with difficulties in literacy.

action_date: 2008-04-14
text: 
Emergency Assistance for Secure Elections Act of 2008 - Directs the Election Assistance Commission to reimburse certain jurisdictions for the costs of: (1) converting from electronic or other voting systems to paper ballot voting systems for the general elections for federal office to be held in November 2008; (2) retrofitting direct recording electronic voting systems to produce voter verifiable paper records; and (3) providing backup paper ballots if the jurisdiction uses a direct recording electronic voting system which happens to fail. Authorizes appropriations.
 
Directs the Commission to reimburse any state for the documented reasonable costs it incurs in conducting manual audits of the results of any of the regularly scheduled general elections for federal office in November 2008 (including, at state option, manual audits of state and local elections).
 
Requires the state to: (1) reimburse immediately counties and other jurisdictions for the costs incurred as a result of a state audit; and (2) submit to the Commission a report on audit results in order to receive a payment under this Act. Authorizes appropriations.
 
Provides for payments for state, county, or equivalent locations conducting hand counts of the results of 2008 general elections. Authorizes appropriations.
 
Provides that if a state, county, or equivalent location uses a direct recording electronic voting system to conduct an election, the state, county, or equivalent location may not receive a payment for conducting a hand count of the votes cast in the election unless it certifies to the Commission that its system produces a paper record printout of the marked ballot verifiable by the voter at the time the vote is cast.
 
Requires the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to study, test, and develop products and practices that ensure the accessibility of paper ballot verification and casting for individuals with disabilities, for voters whose primary language is not English, and for voters with difficulties in literacy. Authorizes appropriations.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-15
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Failed by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 239 - 178 (Roll no. 188).
action_date: 2008-04-15
text: Failed of passage/not agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Failed by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 239 - 178 (Roll no. 188).
action_date: 2008-04-15
text: Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H2306-2307)
action_date: 2008-04-15
text: At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
action_date: 2008-04-15
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 5036.
action_date: 2008-04-15
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H2289-2297; text of measure as reported in House: CR H2289-2292)
action_date: 2008-04-15
text: Ms. Lofgren, Zoe moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
action_date: 2008-04-14
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 360.
action_date: 2008-04-14
text: Committee on Science and Technology discharged.
action_date: 2008-04-14
text: Committee on Science and Technology discharged.
action_date: 2008-04-14
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on House Administration. H. Rept. 110-582, Part I.
action_date: 2008-04-14
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on House Administration. H. Rept. 110-582, Part I.
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2008-01-28
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation.
action_date: 2008-01-17
text: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Science and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2008-01-17
text: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Science and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2008-01-17
text: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Science and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2008-01-17
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-01-17
text: Introduced in House