Overseas Voting Practical Amendments Act of 2009

Bill: 111-hr-1739
Sponsor: Rep. Maloney, Carolyn B. [D-NY-14]
Introduced: 2009-03-26 in the House
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad
Elections, voting, political campaign regulation
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government information and archives
Military personnel and dependents
Postal service
Visas and passports
Voting rights

Summary:
action_date: 2009-03-26
text: 
Overseas Voting Practical Amendments Act of 2009 - Amends the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) to rename the official post card form containing both an absentee voter registration application and an absentee ballot application the Federal Voter Registration and Absentee Ballot Application.
 
Prohibits states from refusing to accept balloting materials on any of specified grounds, including that the materials are not printed on a post card, do not include certain information, are not notarized or witnessed by an authorized official, are not delivered by the U.S. Postal Service, or do not meet certain other nonessential requirements.
 
Prohibits a state from requiring an absent uniformed services voter or overseas voter who submits a voter registration application or absentee ballot application to include any form of documentation which may be issued only to an individual who physically resides in the state (such as a current state motor vehicle operator's license or a current utility bill).
 
Prescribes requirements for postage markings on pre-printed return envelopes prepared by a state for the submission of materials by an absent uniformed services voter or overseas voter.
 
Amends UOCAVA to: (1) permit voters to request absentee ballots in all subsequent elections; (2) repeal the requirement to provide absentee ballots in subsequent elections to individuals with unknown addresses; (3) sets forth special rules for use of federal absentee ballots in certain states; (4) apply it to individuals who have never resided in the United States (whose parents are overseas voters); (5) require prompt notification of rejection of a voter registration or absentee ballot request; and (6) provide for use of a U.S. state Department diplomatic pouch for returning completed absentee ballots.
 
Directs the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to establish a grant program for outreach to absentee uniformed services voters and overseas voters. 
 
Requires the head of each office of the federal government that has employees whose designated post of duty is outside the United states to notify such employees of their UOCAVA rights to submit voter registration and absentee ballot requests as well as absentee ballots (including the federal write-in absentee ballot).
 
Requires the Secretary of State to ensure that each passport issued on or after the enactment of this Act includes a page: (1) describing such rights; and (2) listing resources through which individuals may obtain additional information regarding them.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-03-26
text: Referred to House Foreign Affairs
action_date: 2009-03-26
text: Referred to House Oversight and Government Reform
action_date: 2009-03-26
text: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on Oversight and Government Reform, and Foreign Affairs, 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: 2009-03-26
text: Referred to House Administration
action_date: 2009-03-26
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E793)
action_date: 2009-03-26
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2009-03-26
text: Introduced in House