Voter Integrity and Defense Act

Bill: 118-hr-5189
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Garcia, Mike [R-CA-27]
Introduced: 2023-08-11
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Latest action: action_date: 2023-08-11
text: Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-08-11
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><strong>Voter Integrity and Defense Act</strong></p><p>This bill requires states and local jurisdictions, in order to receive election assistance payments, to have in effect a law that requires valid photo identification for voting in federal elections.</p><p>Specifically, the state or local jurisdiction must certify that the state has in effect a law that prevents state or local election officials from (1) providing a ballot for a federal election to an individual who desires to vote in person unless the individual presents a valid photo identification, and (2) accepting a ballot for a federal election from an individual who votes other than in person unless the individual submits with the ballot a copy of a valid photo identification.</p>

tv_txt: I 118th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 5189 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES August 11, 2023 Mr. Mike Garcia of California introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on House Administration A BILL To amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to condition the eligibility of a State or jurisdiction in a State to receive Federal funds to support the administration of elections for Federal office in the State on having laws in effect that require voters to present a valid photo identification in order to receive or cast a ballot in such elections, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Voter Integrity and Defense Act . 2. Requiring photo identification law as condition of eligibility for Federal funds to support election administration (a) Requirement 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: 7 Conditioning Eligibility for Funds on Laws Requiring Photo Identification for Voting 297. Condition on eligibility for funds (a) Requiring provision of photo identification for voting A State or a jurisdiction in a State is not eligible to receive a payment from the Commission under this Act or any other Act unless the State or jurisdiction certifies to the Commission that the State has in effect a law that— (1) prevents the appropriate State or local election official from providing a ballot for an election for Federal office to an individual who desires to vote in person unless the individual presents to the official a valid photo identification described in section 297A; and (2) prevents the appropriate State or local election official from accepting any ballot for an election for Federal office provided by an individual who votes other than in person unless the individual submits with the ballot a copy of a valid photo identification described in section 297A. (b) Exception for absent military voters A State or jurisdiction is eligible to receive a payment if the State provides an exemption under the law described in subsection (a) for absent uniformed services voters under section 107(1) of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act ( 52 U.S.C. 20310(1) ). 297A. Valid photo identification described A valid photo identification described in this section with respect to an individual is any of the following: (1) A valid State-issued motor vehicle driver’s license that includes a photo of the individual and an expiration date. (2) A valid State-issued identification card that includes a photo of the individual and an expiration date. (3) A valid United States passport for the individual. (4) A valid military identification for the individual. (5) Any other form of government-issued identification that the State may specify as a valid photo identification for purposes of voting in an election for Federal office. . (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—Conditioning Payment of Funds on Laws Requiring Photo Identification for Voting Sec. 297. Condition on payments. Sec. 297A. Valid photo identification described. (c) Effective date The amendments made by this Act shall apply with respect to payments made on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.