Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that Congress should enact the Voters with Disabilities Bill of Rights to establish that voters with disabilities have equal access to the ballot as nondisabled persons.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 757 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 757

  Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that Congress 
 should enact the Voters with Disabilities Bill of Rights to establish 
   that voters with disabilities have equal access to the ballot as 
                          nondisabled persons.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 28, 2021

    Ms. Wild (for herself, Ms. Norton, Mr. Smith of Washington, Mr. 
    Langevin, Ms. Scanlon, Ms. Stevens, Ms. Clarke of New York, Ms. 
Schakowsky, Mr. Auchincloss, and Ms. Williams of Georgia) submitted the 
  following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on House 
                             Administration

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that Congress 
 should enact the Voters with Disabilities Bill of Rights to establish 
   that voters with disabilities have equal access to the ballot as 
                          nondisabled persons.

Whereas, according to the 2018 American Community Survey, 40,600,000 people with 
        disabilities live in the United States, totaling approximately 13 
        percent of the noninstitutionalized United States population;
Whereas researchers from the School of Management and Labor at Rutgers 
        University found a continued gap in participation between voters with 
        and without disabilities in the November 2020 elections;
Whereas a national survey sponsored by the Election Assistance Commission found 
        that 11 percent of voters with disabilities experienced difficulties 
        with voting in the November 2020 elections, nearly twice the rate of 
        voters without disabilities;
Whereas, despite the size, diversity, and the interest of people with 
        disabilities to participate in the United States electoral system, 
        elections in the United States are woefully, inexcusably, and unjustly 
        not fully accessible to all voters; and
Whereas, despite the demonstrated investment of the disabled community in 
        elections, people with disabilities continue to turn out to vote at a 
        lower rate than their nondisabled peers: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that 
Congress should enact the Voters with Disabilities Bill of Rights to 
establish that voters with disabilities have equal access to the ballot 
as nondisabled persons, including--
            (1) ensuring that voters with disabilities have the right 
        to a private and independent vote, whether voting in person or 
        remotely;
            (2) requiring that voters with disabilities have equal 
        access to voter registration;
            (3) ensuring that voters with disabilities have the right 
        to request accommodations and materials in accessible formats 
        while voting;
            (4) requiring that voters with disabilities have the right 
        to the assistant of his or her choice while voting, with the 
        exception of the voter's employer or union representative;
            (5) ensuring that voters with disabilities have the right 
        to request to move to the front of the line at polling places, 
        or be provided seating or another form of accommodation;
            (6) ensuring that new ballots are made available for voters 
        with disabilities who make mistakes while filling out their 
        ballots;
            (7) ensuring that voters with disabilities have the right 
        to vote after the polls close if they are in line, or waiting 
        to vote curbside, prior to the polls closing;
            (8) requiring that voters with disabilities have the right 
        to request accommodations or an alternative method of casting 
        their ballots if their polling places are inaccessible;
            (9) ensuring that people with disabilities who have a 
        guardian also have the right to vote and that they can advocate 
        to have their right to vote restored, if it was taken away in 
        the guardianship process;
            (10) requiring that voters with disabilities are adequately 
        able to report violations of their voting rights and advocate 
        on problems they experienced while voting; and
            (11) ensuring that voters with disabilities have access to 
        voting systems and materials in polling places that are 
        accessible and well-maintained.
                                 <all>