<enum>I</enum><header>Amendments related to the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act</header><section commented="no" id="H2DE0C98A677B4B9BB5268B95727DB96B"><enum>101.</enum><header>Pre-election reporting requirement on transmission of absentee ballots</header><subsection commented="no" id="H679D08D9E77D49EA9EA1955D97035894"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Subsection (c) of section 102 of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/1973ff-1">42 U.S.C. 1973ff–1(c)</external-xref>) is amended by striking <quote>Not later than 90 days</quote> and inserting the following:</text><quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H0E824E5651564960BA293BB36BE0B264" style="OLC"><paragraph id="H8CF25350AF714A33BAE2585EC6CCBE3E"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Pre-election report on absentee ballots transmitted</header><subparagraph id="HC4495CC72B9D4371BD7756C2ECAB30E8"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Not later than 43 days before any election for Federal office held in a State, the chief State election official of such State shall submit a report to the Attorney General and the Presidential designee, and make that report publicly available that same day, confirming—</text><clause id="H4F2F5BD2950140CF8F080C73918FBB66"><enum>(i)</enum><text>the number of absentee ballots validly requested by absent uniformed services voters and overseas voters whose requests were received by the 46th day before the election, and</text></clause><clause id="HDFEF3F190466492BBBF2A7FFA7F21C8B"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>whether those ballots were timely transmitted.</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HC2E8515437814BFDA25688F34DB36D40"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Matters to be included</header><text>The report under subparagraph (A) shall include the following information:</text><clause id="H9DA51787D39F486CB590CD273074DA5B"><enum>(i)</enum><text>Specific information about ballot transmission, including the total numbers of ballot requests received from such voters and ballots transmitted to such voters by the 46th day before the election from each unit of local government that will administer the election.</text></clause><clause id="HCAFB1F0004B8401B86F02CA5A4F06B58"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>If the chief State election official has incomplete information on any items required to be included in the report, an explanation of what information is incomplete information and efforts made to acquire such information.</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H68AE75E6FAC6472D9606CB7587A4F002"><enum>(C)</enum><header>Requirement to supplement incomplete information</header><text>If the report under subparagraph (A) has incomplete information on any items required to be included in the report, the chief State election official shall make all reasonable efforts to expeditiously supplement the report with complete information.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H7FC5D57B76A74E899AC3DB32DFFA8573"><enum>(D)</enum><header>Format</header><text>The report under subparagraph (A) shall be in a format prescribed by the Attorney General in consultation with the chief State election officials of each State.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H19FD84630C7D4E169FFF2D6DB55E110D"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Post election report on number of absentee ballots transmitted and received</header><text>Not later than 90 days</text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection><subsection commented="no" id="HBA55E82608ED45C6A1A1B1230164D45C"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Conforming amendment</header><text>The heading for subsection (c) of section 102 of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/1973ff-1">42 U.S.C. 1973ff–1(c)</external-xref>) is amended by striking <quote><header-in-text level="subsection" style="OLC">Report on number of absentee ballots transmitted and received</header-in-text></quote> and inserting <quote><header-in-text level="subsection" style="OLC">Reports on absentee ballots</header-in-text></quote>.</text></subsection></section><section id="H39234D710FA94F42B96FA593D5CBD81C"><enum>102.</enum><header>Transmission requirements; repeal of waiver provision</header><subsection id="HE93A11458F28462B9C943A0158C9E92B"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Paragraph (8) of section 102(a) of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/1973ff-1">42 U.S.C. 1973ff–1(a)</external-xref>) is amended to read as follows:</text><quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H17CB25355E844202A62045C08CEA099D" style="OLC"><paragraph id="H2D4D36221D104BBB9EA455D4D4EB201B"><enum>(8)</enum><text>transmit a validly requested absentee ballot to an absent uniformed services voter or overseas voter by the date and in the manner determined under subsection (g);</text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection><subsection id="HEBD772A737E740D0A2AF3C6D3D55F180"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Ballot transmission requirements and repeal of waiver provision</header><text>Subsection (g) of section 102 of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/1973ff-1">42 U.S.C. 1973ff–1(g)</external-xref>) is amended to read as follows:</text><quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H3FA95B21E25A4BADBE3AF7166496774C" style="OLC"><subsection id="HDF4B8C710ED34622A769EF16E0E083D7"><enum>(g)</enum><header>Ballot transmission requirements</header><paragraph id="H086D4345297C4357B1E95E5A936D1B7B"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>For purposes of subsection (a)(8), in the case in which a valid request for an absentee ballot is received at least 46 days before an election for Federal office, the following rules shall apply:</text><subparagraph id="HD1110C3294D4454AA60CBC7BCD4D21C6"><enum>(A)</enum><header>Transmission deadline</header><text>The State shall transmit the absentee ballot not later than 46 days before the election.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H05FD56E018C640EFBA954C9C3CAE0169"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Special rules in case of failure to transmit on time</header><clause id="H0D0FF934EA0B4602AC3E994EE31302BA"><enum>(i)</enum><header>In general</header><text>If the State fails to transmit any absentee ballot by the 46th day before the election as required by subparagraph (A) and the absent uniformed services voter or overseas voter did not request electronic ballot transmission pursuant to subsection (f), the State shall transmit such ballot by express delivery.</text></clause><clause id="HD7AF642DC6EE4526BBA41F1FFB95C0B5"><enum>(ii)</enum><header>Extended failure</header><text>If the State fails to transmit any absentee ballot by the 41st day before the election, in addition to transmitting the ballot as provided in clause (i), the State shall—</text><subclause id="H80DA5DE414F74F7E843C6C4EA25B4689"><enum>(I)</enum><text>in the case of absentee ballots requested by absent uniformed services voters with respect to regularly scheduled general elections, notify such voters of the procedures established under section 103A for the collection and delivery of marked absentee ballots; and</text></subclause><subclause id="H9240ED6CC096424C8C6A70BBFB49440A"><enum>(II)</enum><text>in any other case, provide for the return of such ballot by express delivery.</text></subclause></clause><clause id="HA642D0DAFFC34EE4AD978F670C3E933A"><enum>(iii)</enum><header>Cost of express delivery</header><text>In any case in which express delivery is required under this subparagraph, the cost of such express delivery—</text><subclause id="H0E30A7F8FAA84E28B650026456FD77DA"><enum>(I)</enum><text>shall not be paid by the voter, and</text></subclause><subclause id="H6164DB5B3D8B40EF90B00366DDBA6658"><enum>(II)</enum><text>may be required by the State to be paid by a local jurisdiction if the State determines that election officials in such jurisdiction are responsible for the failure to transmit the ballot by any date required under this paragraph.</text></subclause></clause><clause commented="no" id="H683E5FA46A974FA5A0D3C4517ECC7E2F"><enum>(iv)</enum><header>Enforcement</header><text>A State’s compliance with this subparagraph does not bar the Attorney General from seeking additional remedies necessary to effectuate the purposes of this Act.</text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H02BD264A32DA412695628438D59C56B2"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Requests received after 46th day before election</header><text>For purposes of subsection (a)(8), in the case in which a valid request for an absentee ballot is received less than 46 days but not less than 30 days before an election for Federal office, the State shall transmit the absentee ballot not later than 3 business days after such request is received.</text></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection></section><section id="H564F091CAD3249F1B41E405566865FF7"><enum>103.</enum><header>Technical clarifications to conform to 2009 MOVE Act amendments related to the Federal write-in absentee ballot</header><subsection id="H4B61A4BCCFED4965AFFE06FB1185C767"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Section 102(a)(3) of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/1973ff-1">42 U.S.C. 1973ff–1(a)(3)</external-xref>) is amended by striking <quote>general elections</quote> and inserting <quote>general, special, primary, and runoff elections</quote>.</text></subsection><subsection id="HC5B1922E18DE4A8DBFE476D6E6A01C72"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Conforming amendment</header><text>Section 103 of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/1973ff-2">42 U.S.C. 1973ff–2</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph id="HDD0316F0A6F4472CB1E04104A414864C"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in subsection (b)(2)(B), by striking <quote>general</quote>, and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HC5109BF2D729453181E13473C6810C57"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in the heading thereof, by striking <quote><header-in-text level="section" style="OLC">general</header-in-text></quote>.</text></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="HA2E55928575749D19E23D6397F99BA11"><enum>104.</enum><header>Treatment of ballot requests</header><subsection id="H60A27ACBFA664B1BA8E0E1293ABA86C5"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Application of prohibition of refusal of applications on grounds of early submission to overseas voters</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 104 of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/1973ff-3">42 U.S.C. 1973ff–3</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph id="HFE4BF8F5877B4634BC2A07EC02A24FF5"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by inserting <quote>or overseas voter</quote> after <quote>submitted by an absent uniformed services voter</quote>; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H1F2DA71D6CD849C683A8A8F89AA4A301"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by striking <quote>members of the uniformed services</quote> and inserting <quote>absent uniformed services voters or overseas voters</quote>.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H3DDA7A8AC1AE41FC9616632EF22FEAF1"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Use of single application for subsequent elections</header><paragraph id="H67C0FED1472E4625A4CAE590FA6F7719"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Section 104 of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/1973ff-3">42 U.S.C. 1973ff–3</external-xref>) is amended—</text><subparagraph id="HB679B8979F554FC7BF05BFFC800DD7B1"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking <quote>A State</quote> and inserting the following:</text><quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H03D73EF4CE8642069DD1816BC688F599" style="OLC"><subsection id="HCE7855C61557438D9F506BBF412DC036"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Prohibition of refusal of applications on grounds of early submission</header><text>A State</text></subsection><after-quoted-block>, and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H6F6DC7E8591B47D483DF4D7CFF1D024A"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following new subsections:</text><quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HFFF2A308A80C4815970B2B5E376910B8" style="OLC"><subsection id="H1B458B10FBE44B09A4BA6D0F98264012"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Application treated as valid for subsequent elections</header><paragraph id="H49B00F63BD4548E7A3E5F4D6EDDA19A7"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>If a State accepts and processes a request for an absentee ballot by an absent uniformed services voter or overseas voter and the voter requests that the application be considered an application for an absentee ballot for each subsequent election for Federal office held in the State through the next regularly scheduled general election for Federal office (including any runoff elections which may occur as a result of the outcome of such general election) and any special elections for Federal office held in the State through the calendar year following such general election, the State shall provide an absentee ballot to the voter for each such subsequent election.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H5110D26DB2FB4B729005F9B3A96BA6DE"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Exceptions</header><text>Paragraph (1) shall not apply with respect to either of the following:</text><subparagraph id="H7A2CF06A0C46440C9F071EE8F9070A85"><enum>(A)</enum><header>Voters changing registration</header><text>A voter removed from the list of official eligible voters in accordance with subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) of section 8(a)(3) of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/1973gg-6">42 U.S.C. 1973gg–6(a)</external-xref>).</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H40E3D81743364487890BEC3AB00BA766"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Undeliverable ballots</header><text>A voter whose ballot is returned by mail to the State or local election officials as undeliverable or, in the case of a ballot delivered electronically, if the email sent to the voter was undeliverable or rejected due to an invalid email address.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HF0B967E054E54A64855FFEE6566EF3AE"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Conforming amendment</header><text>The heading of section 104 of such Act is amended by striking <quote><header-in-text level="section" style="OLC">Prohibition of refusal of applications on grounds of early submission</header-in-text></quote> and inserting <quote><header-in-text level="section" style="OLC">Treatment of ballot requests</header-in-text></quote>.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HE574329229124E769BCC797EDDEDAD09"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Revision to postcard form</header><subparagraph id="H66F21BF93BA64B3EA9CB6207D780A3E4"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The Presidential designee shall ensure that the official postcard form prescribed under section 101(b)(2) of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/1973ff">42 U.S.C. 1973ff(b)(2)</external-xref>) enables a voter using the form to—</text><clause id="HC2D5AC3C571340CC94EAD2C6819AC533"><enum>(i)</enum><text>request an absentee ballot for each election for Federal office held in a State through the next regularly scheduled general election for Federal office (including any runoff elections which may occur as a result of the outcome of such general election) and any special elections for Federal office held in the State through the calendar year following such general election; or</text></clause><clause id="HB288B002208E4DCEB241FE7E78D9614E"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>request an absentee ballot for a specific election or elections for Federal office held in a State during the period described in paragraph (1).</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H47CEFA0453DC4241971D834C1AA7976A"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Presidential designee</header><text>For purposes of this paragraph, the term <term>Presidential designee</term> means the individual designated under section 101(a) of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/1973ff">42 U.S.C. 1973ff(a)</external-xref>).</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="H887F54378854420189B1879313262D4A"><enum>105.</enum><header>Applicability to Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Paragraphs (6) and (8) of section 107 of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/1973ff-6">42 U.S.C. 1973ff–6(6)</external-xref>) are each amended by striking <quote>and American Samoa</quote> and inserting <quote>American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands</quote>.</text></section><section id="HEDEAFD1EA2DB4129B5807AABA5CC4192"><enum>106.</enum><header>Biennial report on the effectiveness of activities of the federal voting assistance program and Comptroller General review</header><subsection id="H21A1080B795D42DEAE34F5F3770B4951"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Section 105A(b) of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (42 U.S.C. 1973ff–4a(b)) is amended—</text><paragraph id="HC374D746944F4C7782601E9A0F39225E"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in the matter preceding paragraph (1)—</text><subparagraph id="HA245C06F74D9480396CF9269ED0A7F8A"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking <quote>March 31 of each year</quote> and inserting <quote>June 30 of each odd-numbered year</quote>; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="HC5F42CB73ECD49CCBEF3017F1265714E"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by striking <quote>the following information</quote> and inserting <quote>the following information with respect to the Federal elections held during the 2 preceding calendar years</quote>;</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="H126982A9471A4C22BF64905A57D6DCA7"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in paragraph (1), by striking <quote>separate assessment</quote> each place it appears and inserting <quote>separate assessment and statistical analysis</quote>; and</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="H4D4FB3319D1A4DF09E5BE9E43A0DBD76"><enum>(3)</enum><text>in paragraph (2)—</text><subparagraph commented="no" id="H3944C1F348F747639485033DE52EBDAA"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking <quote>section 1566a</quote> in the matter preceding subparagraph (A) and inserting <quote>sections 1566a and 1566b</quote>;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="HCA6E6E7B22B74AB3B987AB1FECEC24C7"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by striking <quote>such section</quote> each place it appears in subparagraphs (A) and (B) and inserting <quote>such sections</quote>; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="H6E54EDBF96B84291BAC8CAA4F6F123E8"><enum>(C)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following new subparagraphs:</text><quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HAFFF8A0A029D4F5F95D1381261B1896E" style="OLC"><subparagraph commented="no" id="HD749D2B74488405FBEE98B9E21BA4CDE"><enum>(C)</enum><text>The number of completed official postcard forms prescribed under section 101(b)(2) that were completed by absent uniformed services members and accepted and transmitted.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="HA08207F764D84D94AC8AAAA2B3B03DA2"><enum>(D)</enum><text>The number of absent uniformed services members who declined to register to vote under such sections.</text></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" id="H335BBE5E93C3436BB0D6CABAE09C9C25"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Comptroller General reviews</header><text>Section 105A of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/1973ff-4a">42 U.S.C. 1973ff–4a</external-xref>) is amended by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (d) and by inserting after subsection (b) the following new subsection:</text><quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HA5F3EF9C57CD477BB7452AE9CB6025BC" style="OLC"><subsection id="HCF0A49F25CBD44EAB7885129DAB1EEC9"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Comptroller General reviews</header><paragraph id="H8F70A866FD61411F9465F654C1CEECE0"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><subparagraph id="HFFF76FF5EA8B42E48A1300DEC8677FC0"><enum>(A)</enum><header>Review</header><text>The Comptroller General shall conduct a review of any reports submitted by the Presidential designee under subsection (b) with respect to elections occurring in calendar years 2014 through 2020.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H3FA72B3F07894555B697C8B01689BE24"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Report</header><text>Not later than 180 days after a report is submitted by the Presidential designee under subsection (b), the Comptroller General shall submit to the relevant committees of Congress a report containing the results of the review conducted under subparagraph (A).</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H79F3A315CF0B44E6969FE1F57F39331C"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Matters reviewed</header><text>A review conducted under paragraph (1) shall assess—</text><subparagraph id="HB2A0DA66850046F0A028A63DBA61E6A6"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the methodology used by the Presidential designee to prepare the report and to develop the data presented in the report, including the approach for designing, implementing, and analyzing the results of any surveys,</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HD02D32A25A7C4505924F91DDA972FE57"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the effectiveness of any voting assistance covered in the report provided under subsection (b) and provided by the Presidential designee to absent overseas uniformed services voters and overseas voters who are not members of the uniformed services, including an assessment of—</text><clause id="H32B8C2B479F14AD5B4858542B901A48E"><enum>(i)</enum><text>any steps taken toward improving the implementation of such voting assistance; and</text></clause><clause id="HCD2566680C874AFD82B6978A6ADC7278"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>the extent of collaboration between the Presidential designee and the States in providing such voting assistance; and</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H72CAA8143E77420A8E4A57545317BB4A"><enum>(C)</enum><text>any other information the Comptroller General considers relevant to the review.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection><subsection id="HE8CA6DC66BBA4A51877C51AC2EC25C69"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Conforming amendments</header><paragraph id="H0F1B473734B448D1915F290CBF986BC0"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Section 101(b) of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/1973ff">42 U.S.C. 1973ff(b)</external-xref>) is amended—</text><subparagraph id="H41CEB2087ADA403291E1B5C218160710"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking paragraph (6); and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H8CFBC33FCE2E4672B9E61474C3F02FC6"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by redesignating paragraphs (7) through (11) as paragraphs (6) through (10), respectively.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HCB2C342F42E74CA08DFD78E31437E08E"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Section 102(a) of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/1973ff-1">42 U.S.C. 1973ff–1(a)</external-xref>) is amended—</text><subparagraph id="H01AEBBF47EA6435D810577D29E1D4400"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in paragraph (5), by striking <quote>101(b)(7)</quote> and inserting <quote>101(b)(6)</quote>; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HC3B3DD81D87346E69518132E09B3DBA8"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in paragraph (11), by striking <quote>101(b)(11)</quote> and inserting <quote>101(b)(10)</quote>.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H68F32A81978F4CC59EBA1DECD403F3F7"><enum>(3)</enum><text>Section 105A(b) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1973ff–4a(b)) is amended—</text><subparagraph id="HDC7945B748604C1BB7FDE0987D9DC7E9"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking <quote><header-in-text level="subsection" style="OLC">Annual report</header-in-text></quote> in the subsection heading and inserting <quote><header-in-text level="subsection" style="OLC">Biennial report</header-in-text></quote>; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HF7B69BAE8E07466EA7C61822A868BECE"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by striking <quote>In the case of</quote> in paragraph (3) and all that follows through <quote>a description</quote> and inserting <quote>A description</quote>.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection></section><section commented="no" id="HE88D020A360242D09BE7B207A9FA6BB5"><enum>107.</enum><header>Effective date</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The amendments made by this title shall apply with respect to the regularly scheduled general election for Federal office held in November 2014 and each succeeding election for Federal office.</text></section>

113 HR 3576 IH: Safeguarding Elections for our Nation’s Troops through Reforms and Improvements Act U.S. House of Representatives 2013-11-21 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the

Safeguarding Elections for our Nation’s Troops through Reforms and Improvements Act

or the

SENTRI Act

<enum>I</enum><header>Amendments related to the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act</header><section commented="no" id="H2DE0C98A677B4B9BB5268B95727DB96B"><enum>101.</enum><header>Pre-election reporting requirement on transmission of absentee ballots</header><subsection commented="no" id="H679D08D9E77D49EA9EA1955D97035894"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Subsection (c) of section 102 of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/1973ff-1">42 U.S.C. 1973ff–1(c)</external-xref>) is amended by striking <quote>Not later than 90 days</quote> and inserting the following:</text><quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H0E824E5651564960BA293BB36BE0B264" style="OLC"><paragraph id="H8CF25350AF714A33BAE2585EC6CCBE3E"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Pre-election report on absentee ballots transmitted</header><subparagraph id="HC4495CC72B9D4371BD7756C2ECAB30E8"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Not later than 43 days before any election for Federal office held in a State, the chief State election official of such State shall submit a report to the Attorney General and the Presidential designee, and make that report publicly available that same day, confirming—</text><clause id="H4F2F5BD2950140CF8F080C73918FBB66"><enum>(i)</enum><text>the number of absentee ballots validly requested by absent uniformed services voters and overseas voters whose requests were received by the 46th day before the election, and</text></clause><clause id="HDFEF3F190466492BBBF2A7FFA7F21C8B"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>whether those ballots were timely transmitted.</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HC2E8515437814BFDA25688F34DB36D40"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Matters to be included</header><text>The report under subparagraph (A) shall include the following information:</text><clause id="H9DA51787D39F486CB590CD273074DA5B"><enum>(i)</enum><text>Specific information about ballot transmission, including the total numbers of ballot requests received from such voters and ballots transmitted to such voters by the 46th day before the election from each unit of local government that will administer the election.</text></clause><clause id="HCAFB1F0004B8401B86F02CA5A4F06B58"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>If the chief State election official has incomplete information on any items required to be included in the report, an explanation of what information is incomplete information and efforts made to acquire such information.</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H68AE75E6FAC6472D9606CB7587A4F002"><enum>(C)</enum><header>Requirement to supplement incomplete information</header><text>If the report under subparagraph (A) has incomplete information on any items required to be included in the report, the chief State election official shall make all reasonable efforts to expeditiously supplement the report with complete information.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H7FC5D57B76A74E899AC3DB32DFFA8573"><enum>(D)</enum><header>Format</header><text>The report under subparagraph (A) shall be in a format prescribed by the Attorney General in consultation with the chief State election officials of each State.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H19FD84630C7D4E169FFF2D6DB55E110D"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Post election report on number of absentee ballots transmitted and received</header><text>Not later than 90 days</text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection><subsection commented="no" id="HBA55E82608ED45C6A1A1B1230164D45C"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Conforming amendment</header><text>The heading for subsection (c) of section 102 of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/1973ff-1">42 U.S.C. 1973ff–1(c)</external-xref>) is amended by striking <quote><header-in-text level="subsection" style="OLC">Report on number of absentee ballots transmitted and received</header-in-text></quote> and inserting <quote><header-in-text level="subsection" style="OLC">Reports on absentee ballots</header-in-text></quote>.</text></subsection></section><section id="H39234D710FA94F42B96FA593D5CBD81C"><enum>102.</enum><header>Transmission requirements; repeal of waiver provision</header><subsection id="HE93A11458F28462B9C943A0158C9E92B"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Paragraph (8) of section 102(a) of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/1973ff-1">42 U.S.C. 1973ff–1(a)</external-xref>) is amended to read as follows:</text><quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H17CB25355E844202A62045C08CEA099D" style="OLC"><paragraph id="H2D4D36221D104BBB9EA455D4D4EB201B"><enum>(8)</enum><text>transmit a validly requested absentee ballot to an absent uniformed services voter or overseas voter by the date and in the manner determined under subsection (g);</text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection><subsection id="HEBD772A737E740D0A2AF3C6D3D55F180"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Ballot transmission requirements and repeal of waiver provision</header><text>Subsection (g) of section 102 of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/1973ff-1">42 U.S.C. 1973ff–1(g)</external-xref>) is amended to read as follows:</text><quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H3FA95B21E25A4BADBE3AF7166496774C" style="OLC"><subsection id="HDF4B8C710ED34622A769EF16E0E083D7"><enum>(g)</enum><header>Ballot transmission requirements</header><paragraph id="H086D4345297C4357B1E95E5A936D1B7B"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>For purposes of subsection (a)(8), in the case in which a valid request for an absentee ballot is received at least 46 days before an election for Federal office, the following rules shall apply:</text><subparagraph id="HD1110C3294D4454AA60CBC7BCD4D21C6"><enum>(A)</enum><header>Transmission deadline</header><text>The State shall transmit the absentee ballot not later than 46 days before the election.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H05FD56E018C640EFBA954C9C3CAE0169"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Special rules in case of failure to transmit on time</header><clause id="H0D0FF934EA0B4602AC3E994EE31302BA"><enum>(i)</enum><header>In general</header><text>If the State fails to transmit any absentee ballot by the 46th day before the election as required by subparagraph (A) and the absent uniformed services voter or overseas voter did not request electronic ballot transmission pursuant to subsection (f), the State shall transmit such ballot by express delivery.</text></clause><clause id="HD7AF642DC6EE4526BBA41F1FFB95C0B5"><enum>(ii)</enum><header>Extended failure</header><text>If the State fails to transmit any absentee ballot by the 41st day before the election, in addition to transmitting the ballot as provided in clause (i), the State shall—</text><subclause id="H80DA5DE414F74F7E843C6C4EA25B4689"><enum>(I)</enum><text>in the case of absentee ballots requested by absent uniformed services voters with respect to regularly scheduled general elections, notify such voters of the procedures established under section 103A for the collection and delivery of marked absentee ballots; and</text></subclause><subclause id="H9240ED6CC096424C8C6A70BBFB49440A"><enum>(II)</enum><text>in any other case, provide for the return of such ballot by express delivery.</text></subclause></clause><clause id="HA642D0DAFFC34EE4AD978F670C3E933A"><enum>(iii)</enum><header>Cost of express delivery</header><text>In any case in which express delivery is required under this subparagraph, the cost of such express delivery—</text><subclause id="H0E30A7F8FAA84E28B650026456FD77DA"><enum>(I)</enum><text>shall not be paid by the voter, and</text></subclause><subclause id="H6164DB5B3D8B40EF90B00366DDBA6658"><enum>(II)</enum><text>may be required by the State to be paid by a local jurisdiction if the State determines that election officials in such jurisdiction are responsible for the failure to transmit the ballot by any date required under this paragraph.</text></subclause></clause><clause commented="no" id="H683E5FA46A974FA5A0D3C4517ECC7E2F"><enum>(iv)</enum><header>Enforcement</header><text>A State’s compliance with this subparagraph does not bar the Attorney General from seeking additional remedies necessary to effectuate the purposes of this Act.</text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H02BD264A32DA412695628438D59C56B2"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Requests received after 46th day before election</header><text>For purposes of subsection (a)(8), in the case in which a valid request for an absentee ballot is received less than 46 days but not less than 30 days before an election for Federal office, the State shall transmit the absentee ballot not later than 3 business days after such request is received.</text></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection></section><section id="H564F091CAD3249F1B41E405566865FF7"><enum>103.</enum><header>Technical clarifications to conform to 2009 MOVE Act amendments related to the Federal write-in absentee ballot</header><subsection id="H4B61A4BCCFED4965AFFE06FB1185C767"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Section 102(a)(3) of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/1973ff-1">42 U.S.C. 1973ff–1(a)(3)</external-xref>) is amended by striking <quote>general elections</quote> and inserting <quote>general, special, primary, and runoff elections</quote>.</text></subsection><subsection id="HC5B1922E18DE4A8DBFE476D6E6A01C72"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Conforming amendment</header><text>Section 103 of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/1973ff-2">42 U.S.C. 1973ff–2</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph id="HDD0316F0A6F4472CB1E04104A414864C"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in subsection (b)(2)(B), by striking <quote>general</quote>, and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HC5109BF2D729453181E13473C6810C57"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in the heading thereof, by striking <quote><header-in-text level="section" style="OLC">general</header-in-text></quote>.</text></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="HA2E55928575749D19E23D6397F99BA11"><enum>104.</enum><header>Treatment of ballot requests</header><subsection id="H60A27ACBFA664B1BA8E0E1293ABA86C5"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Application of prohibition of refusal of applications on grounds of early submission to overseas voters</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 104 of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/1973ff-3">42 U.S.C. 1973ff–3</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph id="HFE4BF8F5877B4634BC2A07EC02A24FF5"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by inserting <quote>or overseas voter</quote> after <quote>submitted by an absent uniformed services voter</quote>; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H1F2DA71D6CD849C683A8A8F89AA4A301"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by striking <quote>members of the uniformed services</quote> and inserting <quote>absent uniformed services voters or overseas voters</quote>.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H3DDA7A8AC1AE41FC9616632EF22FEAF1"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Use of single application for subsequent elections</header><paragraph id="H67C0FED1472E4625A4CAE590FA6F7719"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Section 104 of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/1973ff-3">42 U.S.C. 1973ff–3</external-xref>) is amended—</text><subparagraph id="HB679B8979F554FC7BF05BFFC800DD7B1"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking <quote>A State</quote> and inserting the following:</text><quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H03D73EF4CE8642069DD1816BC688F599" style="OLC"><subsection id="HCE7855C61557438D9F506BBF412DC036"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Prohibition of refusal of applications on grounds of early submission</header><text>A State</text></subsection><after-quoted-block>, and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H6F6DC7E8591B47D483DF4D7CFF1D024A"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following new subsections:</text><quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HFFF2A308A80C4815970B2B5E376910B8" style="OLC"><subsection id="H1B458B10FBE44B09A4BA6D0F98264012"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Application treated as valid for subsequent elections</header><paragraph id="H49B00F63BD4548E7A3E5F4D6EDDA19A7"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>If a State accepts and processes a request for an absentee ballot by an absent uniformed services voter or overseas voter and the voter requests that the application be considered an application for an absentee ballot for each subsequent election for Federal office held in the State through the next regularly scheduled general election for Federal office (including any runoff elections which may occur as a result of the outcome of such general election) and any special elections for Federal office held in the State through the calendar year following such general election, the State shall provide an absentee ballot to the voter for each such subsequent election.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H5110D26DB2FB4B729005F9B3A96BA6DE"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Exceptions</header><text>Paragraph (1) shall not apply with respect to either of the following:</text><subparagraph id="H7A2CF06A0C46440C9F071EE8F9070A85"><enum>(A)</enum><header>Voters changing registration</header><text>A voter removed from the list of official eligible voters in accordance with subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) of section 8(a)(3) of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/1973gg-6">42 U.S.C. 1973gg–6(a)</external-xref>).</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H40E3D81743364487890BEC3AB00BA766"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Undeliverable ballots</header><text>A voter whose ballot is returned by mail to the State or local election officials as undeliverable or, in the case of a ballot delivered electronically, if the email sent to the voter was undeliverable or rejected due to an invalid email address.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HF0B967E054E54A64855FFEE6566EF3AE"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Conforming amendment</header><text>The heading of section 104 of such Act is amended by striking <quote><header-in-text level="section" style="OLC">Prohibition of refusal of applications on grounds of early submission</header-in-text></quote> and inserting <quote><header-in-text level="section" style="OLC">Treatment of ballot requests</header-in-text></quote>.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HE574329229124E769BCC797EDDEDAD09"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Revision to postcard form</header><subparagraph id="H66F21BF93BA64B3EA9CB6207D780A3E4"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The Presidential designee shall ensure that the official postcard form prescribed under section 101(b)(2) of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/1973ff">42 U.S.C. 1973ff(b)(2)</external-xref>) enables a voter using the form to—</text><clause id="HC2D5AC3C571340CC94EAD2C6819AC533"><enum>(i)</enum><text>request an absentee ballot for each election for Federal office held in a State through the next regularly scheduled general election for Federal office (including any runoff elections which may occur as a result of the outcome of such general election) and any special elections for Federal office held in the State through the calendar year following such general election; or</text></clause><clause id="HB288B002208E4DCEB241FE7E78D9614E"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>request an absentee ballot for a specific election or elections for Federal office held in a State during the period described in paragraph (1).</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H47CEFA0453DC4241971D834C1AA7976A"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Presidential designee</header><text>For purposes of this paragraph, the term <term>Presidential designee</term> means the individual designated under section 101(a) of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/1973ff">42 U.S.C. 1973ff(a)</external-xref>).</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="H887F54378854420189B1879313262D4A"><enum>105.</enum><header>Applicability to Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Paragraphs (6) and (8) of section 107 of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/1973ff-6">42 U.S.C. 1973ff–6(6)</external-xref>) are each amended by striking <quote>and American Samoa</quote> and inserting <quote>American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands</quote>.</text></section><section id="HEDEAFD1EA2DB4129B5807AABA5CC4192"><enum>106.</enum><header>Biennial report on the effectiveness of activities of the federal voting assistance program and Comptroller General review</header><subsection id="H21A1080B795D42DEAE34F5F3770B4951"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Section 105A(b) of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (42 U.S.C. 1973ff–4a(b)) is amended—</text><paragraph id="HC374D746944F4C7782601E9A0F39225E"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in the matter preceding paragraph (1)—</text><subparagraph id="HA245C06F74D9480396CF9269ED0A7F8A"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking <quote>March 31 of each year</quote> and inserting <quote>June 30 of each odd-numbered year</quote>; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="HC5F42CB73ECD49CCBEF3017F1265714E"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by striking <quote>the following information</quote> and inserting <quote>the following information with respect to the Federal elections held during the 2 preceding calendar years</quote>;</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="H126982A9471A4C22BF64905A57D6DCA7"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in paragraph (1), by striking <quote>separate assessment</quote> each place it appears and inserting <quote>separate assessment and statistical analysis</quote>; and</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="H4D4FB3319D1A4DF09E5BE9E43A0DBD76"><enum>(3)</enum><text>in paragraph (2)—</text><subparagraph commented="no" id="H3944C1F348F747639485033DE52EBDAA"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking <quote>section 1566a</quote> in the matter preceding subparagraph (A) and inserting <quote>sections 1566a and 1566b</quote>;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="HCA6E6E7B22B74AB3B987AB1FECEC24C7"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by striking <quote>such section</quote> each place it appears in subparagraphs (A) and (B) and inserting <quote>such sections</quote>; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="H6E54EDBF96B84291BAC8CAA4F6F123E8"><enum>(C)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following new subparagraphs:</text><quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HAFFF8A0A029D4F5F95D1381261B1896E" style="OLC"><subparagraph commented="no" id="HD749D2B74488405FBEE98B9E21BA4CDE"><enum>(C)</enum><text>The number of completed official postcard forms prescribed under section 101(b)(2) that were completed by absent uniformed services members and accepted and transmitted.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="HA08207F764D84D94AC8AAAA2B3B03DA2"><enum>(D)</enum><text>The number of absent uniformed services members who declined to register to vote under such sections.</text></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" id="H335BBE5E93C3436BB0D6CABAE09C9C25"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Comptroller General reviews</header><text>Section 105A of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/1973ff-4a">42 U.S.C. 1973ff–4a</external-xref>) is amended by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (d) and by inserting after subsection (b) the following new subsection:</text><quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HA5F3EF9C57CD477BB7452AE9CB6025BC" style="OLC"><subsection id="HCF0A49F25CBD44EAB7885129DAB1EEC9"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Comptroller General reviews</header><paragraph id="H8F70A866FD61411F9465F654C1CEECE0"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><subparagraph id="HFFF76FF5EA8B42E48A1300DEC8677FC0"><enum>(A)</enum><header>Review</header><text>The Comptroller General shall conduct a review of any reports submitted by the Presidential designee under subsection (b) with respect to elections occurring in calendar years 2014 through 2020.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H3FA72B3F07894555B697C8B01689BE24"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Report</header><text>Not later than 180 days after a report is submitted by the Presidential designee under subsection (b), the Comptroller General shall submit to the relevant committees of Congress a report containing the results of the review conducted under subparagraph (A).</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H79F3A315CF0B44E6969FE1F57F39331C"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Matters reviewed</header><text>A review conducted under paragraph (1) shall assess—</text><subparagraph id="HB2A0DA66850046F0A028A63DBA61E6A6"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the methodology used by the Presidential designee to prepare the report and to develop the data presented in the report, including the approach for designing, implementing, and analyzing the results of any surveys,</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HD02D32A25A7C4505924F91DDA972FE57"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the effectiveness of any voting assistance covered in the report provided under subsection (b) and provided by the Presidential designee to absent overseas uniformed services voters and overseas voters who are not members of the uniformed services, including an assessment of—</text><clause id="H32B8C2B479F14AD5B4858542B901A48E"><enum>(i)</enum><text>any steps taken toward improving the implementation of such voting assistance; and</text></clause><clause id="HCD2566680C874AFD82B6978A6ADC7278"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>the extent of collaboration between the Presidential designee and the States in providing such voting assistance; and</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H72CAA8143E77420A8E4A57545317BB4A"><enum>(C)</enum><text>any other information the Comptroller General considers relevant to the review.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection><subsection id="HE8CA6DC66BBA4A51877C51AC2EC25C69"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Conforming amendments</header><paragraph id="H0F1B473734B448D1915F290CBF986BC0"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Section 101(b) of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/1973ff">42 U.S.C. 1973ff(b)</external-xref>) is amended—</text><subparagraph id="H41CEB2087ADA403291E1B5C218160710"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking paragraph (6); and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H8CFBC33FCE2E4672B9E61474C3F02FC6"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by redesignating paragraphs (7) through (11) as paragraphs (6) through (10), respectively.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HCB2C342F42E74CA08DFD78E31437E08E"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Section 102(a) of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/1973ff-1">42 U.S.C. 1973ff–1(a)</external-xref>) is amended—</text><subparagraph id="H01AEBBF47EA6435D810577D29E1D4400"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in paragraph (5), by striking <quote>101(b)(7)</quote> and inserting <quote>101(b)(6)</quote>; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HC3B3DD81D87346E69518132E09B3DBA8"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in paragraph (11), by striking <quote>101(b)(11)</quote> and inserting <quote>101(b)(10)</quote>.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H68F32A81978F4CC59EBA1DECD403F3F7"><enum>(3)</enum><text>Section 105A(b) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1973ff–4a(b)) is amended—</text><subparagraph id="HDC7945B748604C1BB7FDE0987D9DC7E9"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking <quote><header-in-text level="subsection" style="OLC">Annual report</header-in-text></quote> in the subsection heading and inserting <quote><header-in-text level="subsection" style="OLC">Biennial report</header-in-text></quote>; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HF7B69BAE8E07466EA7C61822A868BECE"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by striking <quote>In the case of</quote> in paragraph (3) and all that follows through <quote>a description</quote> and inserting <quote>A description</quote>.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection></section><section commented="no" id="HE88D020A360242D09BE7B207A9FA6BB5"><enum>107.</enum><header>Effective date</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The amendments made by this title shall apply with respect to the regularly scheduled general election for Federal office held in November 2014 and each succeeding election for Federal office.</text></section><enum>II</enum><header>Provision of voter assistance to members of the Armed Forces</header><section commented="no" id="HA1EE7BA5FB51407F964DDCC5B67F804F"><enum>201.</enum><header>Provision of annual voter assistance</header><subsection commented="no" id="HF17328E60DF14E28BFD11AC6422138DD"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Annual voter assistance</header><paragraph commented="no" id="H0E91C620440C4A2FA377022BE635BE23"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text><external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/10/80">Chapter 80</external-xref> of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting after <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/10/1566a">section 1566a</external-xref> the following new section:</text><quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H1E008A36859940D9A38FB3271FACF8A1" style="USC"><section commented="no" id="HFF5BC6F7735648D2A5FD14EB76185FC9"><enum>1566b.</enum><header>Annual voter assistance</header><subsection commented="no" id="H7745816CF3BE4C0887F7536EDEDBBCC2"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Secretary of Defense shall carry out the following activities:</text><paragraph commented="no" id="HAF86118A1DB5412EB2A9D7E4256CA862"><enum>(1)</enum><text>In coordination with the Secretary of each military department—</text><subparagraph commented="no" id="HA1937A13395046F19E31C4F1D01D98DE"><enum>(A)</enum><text>affirmatively offer, on an annual basis, each member of the armed forces on active duty (other than active duty for training) the opportunity, through the online system developed under paragraph (2), to—</text><clause commented="no" id="HCA9BC50BDCB14DF5A31C9C1B26A92E75"><enum>(i)</enum><text>register to vote in an election for Federal office;</text></clause><clause commented="no" id="H6BFE28DA83CE4A86B761864AA301DBED"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>update the member's voter registration information; or</text></clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H200D85807F1342AD885F8B05D397B994"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>request an absentee ballot;</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HBFA10FB3B1504816B29F55347DD618DC"><enum>(B)</enum><text>provide services to such members for the purpose of carrying out the activities in clauses (i), (ii), and (iii) of subparagraph (A); and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HEA3262E0B12F41DB80BFC80837B7B5AE"><enum>(C)</enum><text>require any such member who declines the offer for voter assistance under subparagraph (A) to indicate and record that decision.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HFD04164D23764FEAAB5DFF9AFCFB3F06"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Implement an online system that, to the extent practicable, is integrated with the existing systems of each of the military departments and that—</text><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H2CBEF97AB964479F973365D2B499EECC"><enum>(A)</enum><text>provides an electronic means for carrying out the requirements of paragraph (1);</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H2B82326726844400925B0727F61AA29A"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in the case of an individual registering to vote in a State that accepts electronic voter registration and operates its own electronic voter registration system using a form that meets the requirements for mail voter registration forms under section 9(b) of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/1973gg-7">42 U.S.C. 1973gg–7(b)</external-xref>), directs such individual to that system; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H7767A11DE2CB4C54B1EBBAE577907037"><enum>(C)</enum><text>in the case of an individual using the official postcard form prescribed under section 101(b)(2) of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/1973ff">42 U.S.C. 1973ff(b)(2)</external-xref>) to register to vote and request an absentee ballot—</text><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H90537E68B95348B09F78FEB95D16E20B"><enum>(i)</enum><text>pre-populates such official postcard form with the personal information of such individual, and</text></clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HCEBDEA8845394DC1B517DBEE4DE588C6"><enum>(ii)</enum><subclause commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H31397FF0691B4DE4803CEE6F6FD53098"><enum>(I)</enum><text>produces the pre-populated form and a pre-addressed envelope for use in transmitting such official postcard form; or</text></subclause><subclause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HFEA6BFA9CAF2432FA07F6FC65987621B" indent="up1"><enum>(II)</enum><text>transmits the completed official postcard form electronically to the appropriate State or local election officials.</text></subclause></clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HA173944167D44D68B9C23BDFA1B22725"><enum>(3)</enum><text>Implement a system (either independently or in conjunction with the online system under paragraph (2)) by which any change of address by a member of the armed forces on active duty who is undergoing a permanent change of station, deploying overseas for at least six months, or returning from an overseas deployment of at least six months automatically triggers a notification via electronic means to such member that—</text><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H0E28C96633A44FC58EC41DB9FB7910A8"><enum>(A)</enum><text>indicates that such member's voter registration or absentee mailing address should be updated with the appropriate State or local election officials; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HEE66E87552C84B5D81B130746EB89A2F"><enum>(B)</enum><text>includes instructions on how to update such voter registration using the online system developed under paragraph (2).</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H52DB29814B2D47089C4C0A9C9A62EFCF"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Data collection</header><text>The online system developed under subsection (a)(2) shall collect and store all data required to meet the reporting requirements of section 201(b) of the <short-title>Safeguarding Elections for our Nation’s Troops through Reforms and Improvements Act</short-title> and section 105A(b)(2) of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (42 U.S.C. 1973ff–4a(b)(2)) in a manner that complies with <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/5/552a">section 552a</external-xref> of title 5, United States Code, (commonly known as the Privacy Act of 1974) and imposes no new record management burden on any military unit or military installation.</text></subsection><subsection id="H170E40CA8E2B410A978695AA2773B3FF"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Timing of voter assistance</header><text>To the extent practicable, the voter assistance under subsection (a)(1) shall be offered as a part of each servicemember’s annual training.</text></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H1D4274B7232D4434A1CB7D0282985F11"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Regulations</header><text>Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary of Defense shall prescribe regulations implementing the requirements of subsection (a). Such regulations shall include procedures to inform those members of the armed forces on active duty (other than active duty for training) experiencing a change of address about the benefits of this section and the timeframe for requesting an absentee ballot to ensure sufficient time for State delivery of the ballot.</text></subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="H49E9E313ED064E218DC94A0257795B28"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Clerical amendment</header><text>The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 80 of such title is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 1566a the following new item:</text><quoted-block id="H0E1EEA6C694048A08C91F8AA42630548" style="USC"><toc><toc-entry idref="HFF5BC6F7735648D2A5FD14EB76185FC9" level="section">1566b. Annual voter assistance.</toc-entry></toc><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" id="H707BDC5485C34D18B93AACA303DDFFFE"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Report on status of implementation</header><paragraph commented="no" id="H39C3C85B98224D69931DD81C63629902"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the relevant committees of Congress a report on the status of the implementation of the requirements of <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/10/1566b">section 1566b</external-xref> of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a)(1).</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="HEB9051501E22433296CF16D789B0175D"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Elements</header><text>The report under paragraph (1) shall include—</text><subparagraph commented="no" id="H255E3756BF184802AC66E2B5DBA74D9D"><enum>(A)</enum><text>a detailed description of any specific steps already taken towards the implementation of the requirements of such section 1566b;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="H85EB48B6004C47659D6012A205861E9B"><enum>(B)</enum><text>a detailed plan for the implementation of such requirements, including milestones and deadlines for the completion of such implementation;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="H65395694743B42F2A0523AB17DAC1EF2"><enum>(C)</enum><text>the costs expected to be incurred in the implementation of such requirements;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="H8417418959434F198BCC9D0F943E924A"><enum>(D)</enum><text>a description of how the annual voting assistance and system under subsection (a)(3) of such section will be integrated with the applicable Department of Defense personnel databases that track military servicemembers' address changes;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="H1D1AC20DBC6C4FB9B5DED6CA0AB95578"><enum>(E)</enum><text>an estimate of how long it will take an average member to complete the voter assistance process required under subsection (a)(1) of such section;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="H2FAC8BA2996A40A2AE3E694B4A2B5F82"><enum>(F)</enum><text>an explanation of how the Secretary of Defense will collect reliable data on the utilization of the online system under subsection (a)(2) of such section; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="H9D89D4633BE84CA3B0A30FF72383D708"><enum>(G)</enum><text>a summary of any objections, concerns, or comments made by State or local election officials regarding the implementation of such section.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="H876327F57A66459E857DEF823BE3201D"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Relevant committees of congress defined</header><text>In this subsection, the term <term>relevant committees of Congress</term> means—</text><subparagraph commented="no" id="H799A196D62A34342823ECAF869FBEDC6"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the Committees on Appropriations, Armed Services, and Rules and Administration of the Senate; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="HF05B52A49B9F4B1384A244C546C1E03A"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the Committees on Appropriations, Armed Services, and House Administration of the House of Representatives.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection></section><enum>III</enum><header>Electronic voting systems</header><section id="HAA85E00DE9854357A4E736B7A47A5EDB"><enum>301.</enum><header>Repeal of electronic voting demonstration project</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 1604 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2002 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/1973ff">42 U.S.C. 1973ff</external-xref> note) is repealed.</text></section><enum>IV</enum><header>Residency of military family members</header><section id="HDAD18E4D964D45AC884B6331016107E4" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>401.</enum><header>Extending guarantee of residency for voting purposes to family members of absent military personnel</header><subsection id="H0A5C8A35DAE44F6CBFCE15F966CCDE84"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Subsection (b) of section 705 of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc-appendix" parsable-cite="usc-appendix/50/595">50 U.S.C. App. 595</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph id="H6046FC4CFC77422F976657E3115D5080"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by striking <quote>a person who is absent from a State because the person is accompanying the persons's spouse who is absent from that same State in compliance with military or naval orders shall not, solely by reason of that absence</quote> and inserting <quote>a dependent of a person who is absent from a State in compliance with military orders shall not, solely by reason of absence, whether or not accompanying that person</quote>; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HF2C649C4D61B4ABDB09E6218C0D5539E"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in the heading by striking <quote><header-in-text level="subsection" style="OLC">Spouses</header-in-text></quote> and inserting <quote><header-in-text level="subsection" style="OLC">Dependents</header-in-text></quote>.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H0E3C2BB9BE264C7BAD7A79B115AC80EB"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Conforming amendment</header><text>The heading of section 705 of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc-appendix" parsable-cite="usc-appendix/50/595">50 U.S.C. App. 595</external-xref>) is amended by striking <quote><header-in-text level="section" style="OLC">spouses</header-in-text></quote> and inserting <quote><header-in-text level="section" style="OLC">dependents</header-in-text></quote>.</text></subsection><subsection id="HB3CFB784FC3240FB9E602DE553C956C7"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Effective date</header><text>The amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to absences from States described in section 705(b) of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc-appendix" parsable-cite="usc-appendix/50/595">50 U.S.C. App. 595(b)</external-xref>), as amended by subsection (a), after the date of the enactment of this Act, regardless of the date of the military orders concerned.</text></subsection></section>