Voter Notification of Timely Information about Changes in Elections Act or the Voter Notice Act
This bill requires state and local election officials to conduct public education campaigns in the event of changes to federal elections (e.g., methods of voting) due to public health and safety emergencies.
Specifically, the bill requires election officials to notify individuals of changes to federal elections by (1) providing not fewer than one direct mailing to each registered voter; and (2) notifying individuals who are eligible to vote through direct mailings, newspaper advertisements, broadcasting, and social media.
Election officials must ensure their official public websites are accessible to individuals with disabilities, including the blind and visually impaired.
The bill also directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology to establish and regularly update best practices to ensure official public websites of election officials are continuously operating during emergencies. Election officials must ensure their official public websites comply with such best practices.
The Election Assistance Commission must make payments to states for conducting public education campaigns and operating election websites during emergencies.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6512 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6512
To amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to require State and local
election officials to conduct public education campaigns to notify
individuals of changes in the administration of elections for Federal
office in response to emergencies affecting public health and safety,
to require the websites of such officials to be fully accessible to
individuals with disabilities and to meet best practices established by
the National Institute for Science and Technology for ensuring the
continuing operation of such websites in the event of emergencies
affecting public health and safety, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 14, 2020
Mr. Phillips (for himself, Ms. McCollum, Mrs. Napolitano, Mr. Deutch,
Mr. Malinowski, Mr. Moulton, and Mr. Allred) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on House Administration, and
in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, 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
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to require State and local
election officials to conduct public education campaigns to notify
individuals of changes in the administration of elections for Federal
office in response to emergencies affecting public health and safety,
to require the websites of such officials to be fully accessible to
individuals with disabilities and to meet best practices established by
the National Institute for Science and Technology for ensuring the
continuing operation of such websites in the event of emergencies
affecting public health and safety, 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.
This Act may be cited as the ``Voter Notification of Timely
Information about Changes in Elections Act'' or the ``Voter Notice
Act''.
SEC. 2. PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGNS IN EVENT OF CHANGES IN ELECTIONS IN
RESPONSE TO EMERGENCIES.
(a) Requirement for Election Officials To Conduct Campaigns.--
Section 302 of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21082) is
amended--
(1) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (e); and
(2) by inserting after subsection (c) the following new
subsection:
``(d) Public Education Campaigns in Event of Changes in Elections
in Response to Emergencies.--
``(1) Requirement.--If the administration of an election
for Federal office, including the methods of voting or
registering to vote in the election, is changed in response to
an emergency affecting public health and safety, the
appropriate State or local election official shall conduct a
public education campaign through at least one direct mailing
to each individual who is registered to vote in the election,
and through additional direct mailings, newspaper
advertisements, broadcasting (including through television,
radio, satellite, and the Internet), and social media, to
notify individuals who are eligible to vote or to register to
vote in the election of the changes.
``(2) Frequency and methods of providing information.--The
election official shall carry out the public education campaign
under this subsection at such frequency, and using such
methods, as will have the greatest likelihood of providing
timely knowledge of the change in the administration of the
election to those individuals who will be most adversely
affected by the change.
``(3) Language accessibility.--In the case of a State or
political subdivision that is a covered State or political
subdivision under section 203 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965
(52 U.S.C. 10503), the appropriate election official shall
ensure that the information disseminated under a public
education campaign conducted under this subsection is provided
in the language of the applicable minority group as well as in
the English language, as required by section 203 of such Act.
``(4) Effective date.--This subsection shall apply with
respect to the regularly scheduled general election for Federal
office held in November 2020 and each succeeding election for
Federal office.''.
(b) Conforming Amendment Relating to Effective Date.--Section
302(e) of such Act (52 U.S.C. 21082(e)), as redesignated by subsection
(a), is amended by striking ``Each State'' and inserting ``Except as
provided in subsection (d), each State''.
SEC. 3. REQUIREMENTS FOR WEBSITES OF ELECTION OFFICIALS.
(a) Requirements.--Subtitle A of 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. REQUIREMENTS FOR WEBSITES OF ELECTION OFFICIALS.
``(a) Accessibility.--Each State and local election official shall
ensure that the official public website of the official is fully
accessible for individuals with disabilities, including the blind and
visually impaired, in a manner that provides the same opportunity for
access and participation as the website provides for other individuals.
``(b) Continuing Operation in Case of Emergencies.--
``(1) Establishment of best practices.--
``(A) In general.--The Director of the National
Institute of Standards and Technology shall establish
and regularly update best practices for ensuring the
continuing operation of the official public websites of
State and local election officials during emergencies
affecting public health and safety.
``(B) Deadline.--The Director shall first establish
the best practices required under this paragraph as
soon as practicable after the date of the enactment of
this section, but in no case later than August 15,
2020.
``(2) Requiring websites to meet best practices.--Each
State and local election official shall ensure that the
official public website of the official is in compliance with
the best practices established by the Director of the National
Institute of Standards and Technology under paragraph (2).
``(c) Effective Date.--This section shall apply with respect to the
regularly scheduled general election for Federal office held in
November 2020 and each succeeding election for Federal office.''.
(b) Conforming Amendment Relating to Adoption 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 304, as soon as practicable after the date of the
enactment of this paragraph, but in no case later than August
15, 2020.''.
(c) 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''.
(d) 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. Requirements for websites of election officials.''.
SEC. 4. PAYMENTS BY ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION TO STATES FOR COSTS
OF COMPLIANCE.
(a) Availability of Payments.--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--PAYMENTS FOR COSTS OF COMPLIANCE WITH CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS
RELATING TO PUBLIC NOTIFICATION
``SEC. 297. PAYMENTS.
``(a) Availability and Use of Payments.--The Commission shall make
a payment to each eligible State to cover the costs the State incurs or
expects to incur in meeting the requirements of section 302(d)
(relating to public education campaigns in event of changes in
elections in response to emergencies) and section 304 (relating to
requirements for the websites of election officials).
``(b) Schedule of Payments.--As soon as practicable after the date
of the enactment of this part, and not less frequently than once each
calendar year thereafter, the Commission shall make payments under this
part.
``(c) Administration of Payments.--The chief State election
official of the State shall receive the payment made to a State under
this part, and may use the payment for the purposes set forth in this
part without intervening action by the legislature of the State.
``SEC. 297A. AMOUNT OF PAYMENT.
``(a) In General.--The amount of a payment made to an eligible
State for a year under this part shall be determined by the Commission
on the basis of the information provided by the State in its
application under section 297B.
``(b) Continuing Availability of Funds After Appropriation.--A
payment made to an eligible State under this part shall be available
without fiscal year limitation.
``SEC. 297B. REQUIREMENTS FOR ELIGIBILITY.
``(a) Application.--Each State that desires to receive a payment
under this part for a fiscal year 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.
``(b) Contents of Application.--Each application submitted under
subsection (a) shall--
``(1) describe the activities for which assistance under
this part is sought; and
``(2) provide an estimate of the costs the State has
incurred or expects to incur in carrying out the provisions
described in section 297, together with such additional
information and certifications as the Commission determines to
be essential to ensure compliance with the requirements of this
part.
``SEC. 297C. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
``There are authorized to be appropriated for payments under this
part such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 2020
through 2023.
``SEC. 297D. REPORTS.
``(a) Reports by Recipients.--Not later than the 6 months after the
end of each fiscal year for which an eligible State received a payment
under this part, the State shall submit a report to the Commission on
the activities conducted with the funds provided during the year.
``(b) Reports by Commission to Committees.--With respect to each
fiscal year for which the Commission makes payments under this part,
the Commission shall submit a report on the activities carried out
under this part to the Committee on House Administration of the House
of Representatives and the Committee on Rules and Administration of the
Senate.''.
(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--Payments for Costs of Compliance With Certain Requirements
Relating to Public Notification
``Sec. 297. Payments.
``Sec. 297A. Amount of payment.
``Sec. 297B. Requirements for eligibility.
``Sec. 297C. Authorization of appropriations.
``Sec. 297D. Reports.''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, 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.
Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, 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.
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