Freedom to Vote Act

Bill: 118-hr-11
Sponsor: Rep. Sarbanes, John P. [D-MD-3]
Introduced: 2023-07-18 in the House
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Accounting and auditing
Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Adult day care
Aging
Assault and harassment offenses
Broadcasting, cable, digital technologies
Buy American requirements
Child care and development
Citizenship and naturalization
Civil actions and liability
Commemorative events and holidays
Computer security and identity theft
Computers and information technology
Congressional districts and representation
Congressional elections
Congressional oversight
Constitution and constitutional amendments
Consumer credit
Corporate finance and management
Correctional facilities and imprisonment
Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Criminal justice information and records
Criminal procedure and sentencing
Department of the Treasury
Digital media
Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad
Disability and health-based discrimination
Disability and paralysis
Disability assistance
Domestic violence and child abuse
Due process and equal protection
Election Assistance Commission
Elections, voting, political campaign regulation
Employment and training programs
Executive agency funding and structure
Family relationships
Federal Election Commission (FEC)
Federal district courts
Food industry and services
Foreign language and bilingual programs
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
Government information and archives
Government lending and loan guarantees
Government studies and investigations
Government trust funds
Guam
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
House of Representatives
Housing and community development funding
Housing finance and home ownership
Intergovernmental relations
Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
Internet, web applications, social media
Judges
Judicial procedure and administration
Judicial review and appeals
Jurisdiction and venue
Labor-management relations
Landlord and tenant
Law enforcement administration and funding
Lawyers and legal services
Legal fees and court costs
Licensing and registrations
Low- and moderate-income housing
Manufacturing
Members of Congress
Military personnel and dependents
News media and reporting
Northern Mariana Islands
Political advertising
Political parties and affiliation
Political representation
Postal service
Public contracts and procurement
Public housing
Public participation and lobbying
Racial and ethnic relations
Right of privacy
Rural conditions and development
Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations
State and local government operations
Subversive activities
Supreme Court
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers
Tax-exempt organizations
Telephone and wireless communication
U.S. Sentencing Commission
U.S. and foreign investments
U.S. territories and protectorates
User charges and fees
Virgin Islands
Voting rights

Summary:
action_date: 2023-07-18
text: 

Freedom to Vote Act

 
This bill addresses voter registration and voting access, election integrity and security, redistricting, and campaign finance.
 
Specifically, the bill expands voter registration (e.g., automatic and same-day registration) and voting access (e.g., vote-by-mail and early voting). It also limits removing voters from voter rolls.
 
Next, the bill establishes Election Day as a federal holiday.
 
The bill declares that the right of a U.S. citizen 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, at the time of the election, such individual is serving a felony sentence.
 
The bill establishes certain federal criminal offenses related to voting. In particular, the bill establishes a new criminal offense for conduct (or attempted conduct) to corruptly hinder, interfere with, or prevent another person from registering to vote or helping someone register to vote.
 
Additionally, the bill sets forth provisions related to election security, including by requiring states to conduct post-election audits for federal elections.
 
The bill outlines criteria for congressional redistricting and generally prohibits mid-decade redistricting.
 
The bill addresses campaign finance, including by expanding the prohibition on campaign spending by foreign nationals, requiring additional disclosure of campaign-related fundraising and spending, requiring additional disclaimers regarding certain political advertising, and establishing an alternative campaign funding system for certain federal offices.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2024-12-17
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Social Security.
action_date: 2023-07-18
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection.
action_date: 2023-07-18
text: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Science, Space, and Technology, Oversight and Accountability, Financial Services, Ways and Means, Natural Resources, and Homeland Security, 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: 2023-07-18
text: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Science, Space, and Technology, Oversight and Accountability, Financial Services, Ways and Means, Natural Resources, and Homeland Security, 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: 2023-07-18
text: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Science, Space, and Technology, Oversight and Accountability, Financial Services, Ways and Means, Natural Resources, and Homeland Security, 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: 2023-07-18
text: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Science, Space, and Technology, Oversight and Accountability, Financial Services, Ways and Means, Natural Resources, and Homeland Security, 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: 2023-07-18
text: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Science, Space, and Technology, Oversight and Accountability, Financial Services, Ways and Means, Natural Resources, and Homeland Security, 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: 2023-07-18
text: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Science, Space, and Technology, Oversight and Accountability, Financial Services, Ways and Means, Natural Resources, and Homeland Security, 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: 2023-07-18
text: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Science, Space, and Technology, Oversight and Accountability, Financial Services, Ways and Means, Natural Resources, and Homeland Security, 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: 2023-07-18
text: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Science, Space, and Technology, Oversight and Accountability, Financial Services, Ways and Means, Natural Resources, and Homeland Security, 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: 2023-07-18
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2023-07-18
text: Introduced in House