[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3277 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3277

    To provide for interregional primary elections and caucuses for 
   selection of delegates to political party Presidential nominating 
                              conventions.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            November 9, 1999

  Mr. Levin introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                   Committee on House Administration

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To provide for interregional primary elections and caucuses for 
   selection of delegates to political party Presidential nominating 
                              conventions.

    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 ``Interregional Presidential Primary 
and Caucus Act of 1999''.

SEC. 2. INTER-REGIONAL PRIMARY ELECTIONS AND CAUCUSES.

    (a) Selection of Delegates to Conventions.--The delegates to each 
national convention for the nomination of candidates of a political 
party for the offices of President and Vice President shall be selected 
by primary election or by caucus, as provided by State law. Such State 
law shall conform to the requirements of the national political 
executive committee and the national nominating convention of the 
political party involved.
    (b) Timing of Primary Elections and Caucuses.--
            (1) In general.--In each region described in subsection 
        (c), the primary elections and caucuses (as the case may be) in 
        2 subregions (each comprised of a State or a group of States) 
        shall be conducted on each of the following days of each 
        Presidential election year: the second Tuesday in March, the 
        first Tuesday in April, the fourth Tuesday in April, the second 
        Tuesday in May, the fourth Tuesday in May, and the second 
        Tuesday in June.
            (2) Initial order of primaries and caucuses.--For the first 
        Presidential election with respect to which this Act applies, 
        the Federal Election Commission shall determine by lot the 
        order of subregions in each region for conduct of primary 
        elections and caucuses by the States under paragraph (1).
            (3) Order of primaries and caucuses for subsequent 
        elections.--The subregions determined under paragraph (2) to be 
        first in order for the first Presidential election to which 
        this Act applies, shall be last in order with respect to the 
        next such election and the other subregions shall advance in 
        the order accordingly. The order shall change with respect to 
        subsequent elections in a like manner.
            (4) Special rules.--Any primary election or caucus for the 
        District of Columbia shall be conducted on the same day as a 
        primary election or caucus for the State of Maryland, the 
        Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and any territory, possession, or 
        other entity entitled under the rules of a political party to 
        delegate representation at the national convention of that 
        party may conduct a Presidential primary or caucus on any day 
        specified in paragraph (1).
    (c) Establishment of Regions.--The regions (designated by number) 
and the subregions (designated by letter) referred to in subsection (b) 
are as follows:
            Region 1. (A) Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont; (B) 
        Massachusetts; (C) Connecticut, Rhode Island; (D) Delaware, New 
        Jersey; (E) New York; (F) Pennsylvania.
            Region 2. (A) Maryland; (B) West Virginia; (C) Missouri; 
        (D) Indiana; (E) Kentucky; (F) Tennessee.
            Region 3. (A) Ohio; (B) Illinois; (C) Michigan; (D) 
        Wisconsin; (E) Iowa; (F) Minnesota.
            Region 4. (A) Texas; (B) Louisiana; (C) Arkansas, Oklahoma; 
        (D) Colorado; (E) Kansas, Nebraska; (F) Arizona, New Mexico.
            Region 5. (A) Virginia; (B) North Carolina; (C) South 
        Carolina; (D) Florida; (E) Georgia; (F) Mississippi, Alabama.
            Region 6. (A) California; (B) Washington; (C) Oregon; (D) 
        Idaho, Nevada, Utah; (E) Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, 
        Wyoming; (F) Hawaii, Alaska.

SEC. 3. ENFORCEMENT.

    The Attorney General may bring a civil action in any appropriate 
United States district court for such declaratory or injunctive relief 
as may be necessary to carry out this Act.

SEC. 4. REGULATIONS.

    The Federal Election Commission shall prescribe such regulations as 
may be necessary to carry out this Act.

SEC. 5. DEFINITION.

    As used in this Act, the term ``State law'' means the law of a 
State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a 
territory or possession of the United States.

SEC. 6. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    This Act shall apply with respect to Presidential elections taking 
place more than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act.
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