[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1151 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1151

To direct the Federal Election Commission to issue voluntary standards 
   to promote the accessibility and effective use of voting systems, 
 voting equipment, and polling places, to make grants to assist States 
 in complying with such standards and carrying out other activities to 
        promote accessibility in voting, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 21, 2001

Mr. Langevin (for himself, Mrs. Maloney of New York, Mr. Brown of Ohio, 
 Mr. Stark, Mr. McGovern, Mr. Frank, Mr. Kennedy of Rhode Island, and 
 Mr. Lantos) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                   Committee on House Administration

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To direct the Federal Election Commission to issue voluntary standards 
   to promote the accessibility and effective use of voting systems, 
 voting equipment, and polling places, to make grants to assist States 
 in complying with such standards and carrying out other activities to 
        promote accessibility in voting, 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 ``Voting Opportunity Through 
Technology and Education Act of 2001''.

SEC. 2. VOLUNTARY ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS FOR POLLING PLACES AND VOTING 
              EQUIPMENT.

    (a) Revision and Expansion of Current Voting System Standards.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 9 months after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Office of Election 
        Administration of the Federal Election Commission (hereafter in 
        this section referred to as the ``Office'') shall develop and 
        publish revisions to the most recent version of voting system 
        standards issued by the Office, and shall expand the scope of 
        such standards to include voluntary standards to promote for 
        all individuals, including the elderly and individuals with 
        disabilities, the accessibility of polling places and the 
        effective use of voting systems and voting equipment which 
        provide the opportunity for casting a secure and secret ballot.
            (2) Future updates.--The Office shall update the revised 
        and expanded standards under paragraph (1) at such intervals as 
        the Office considers appropriate.
    (b) Consultation.--In developing the revised and expanded standards 
under subsection (a), the Office shall consult with officials of the 
Federal Government and State and local governments with expertise in 
assessing the accessibility of facilities and voting systems for the 
elderly and individuals with disabilities, and with appropriate 
organizations with expertise in developing accessibility standards for 
the elderly and individuals with disabilities.
    (c) Posting on Internet.--The Office shall post the revised and 
expanded standards under this section on the Internet, and shall take 
such other measures to disseminate the standards to the public as the 
Office considers appropriate.

SEC. 3. REQUIRING OFFICE OF ELECTION ADMINISTRATION TO SERVE AS 
              CLEARINGHOUSE OF INFORMATION ON ACCESSIBILITY OF VOTING 
              SYSTEMS.

    Section 311(a)(10) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 
U.S.C. 438(a)(10)) is amended by striking ``Federal elections.'' and 
inserting the following: ``Federal elections (including information 
regarding the accessibility of voting systems, voting equipment, and 
polling places for the elderly and individuals with disabilities), and 
provide information on methods to improve the administration of Federal 
elections upon request to a State or unit of local government.''.

SEC. 4. GRANT PROGRAM FOR ACTIVITIES TO PROMOTE ACCESSIBILITY IN 
              VOTING.

    (a) In General.--After the issuance of the revised voting system 
standards by the Office of Election Administration of the Commission 
pursuant to section 2, the Federal Election Commission shall make 
grants to eligible States--
            (1) to bring voting systems, voting equipment, polling 
        places, and voter registration facilities in the State into 
        compliance with such revised standards; and
            (2) to carry out other activities to promote the 
        accessibility of voting systems, voting equipment, polling 
        places, and voter registration facilities for the elderly and 
        individuals with disabilities.
    (b) Eligibility.--
            (1) In general.--A State is eligible to receive a grant 
        under this section if it submits to the Commission (at such 
        time and in such form as the Commission may require) an 
        application containing--
                    (A) a description of the activities the State will 
                carry out with the funds provided under the grant;
                    (B) assurances that the State will carry out such 
                activities in a manner consistent with the revised 
                voting system standards issued pursuant to section 2; 
                and
                    (C) such other information and assurances as the 
                Commission may require.
            (2) Use of funds for educational activities.--At the option 
        of the State, a State may use funds provided under a grant made 
        under this section to educate poll workers, election officials, 
        and voters on the availability and use of voting technology and 
        equipment which is designed to be fully accessible to the 
        elderly and individuals with disabilities.
    (c) Report.--At such time as the Commission may require, each State 
receiving a grant under this section shall submit a report to the 
Commission which describes the activities carried out with the funds 
provided under the grant and contains such other information as the 
Commission may require.
    (d) Action Through Office of Election Administration.--The 
Commission shall carry out its duties under this section through its 
Office of Election Administration.
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Commission for each of fiscal years 2002 through 
2005--
            (1) $200,000,000 for grants under this section; and
            (2) such sums as may be necessary for the administrative 
        expenses of carrying out this section, including expenses 
        relating to the hiring of additional personnel.

SEC. 5. REVISIONS TO VOTING ACCESSIBILITY FOR THE ELDERLY AND 
              HANDICAPPED ACT.

    (a) Statement of Purpose.--Section 2 of the Voting Accessibility 
for the Elderly and Handicapped Act (42 U.S.C. 1973ee) is amended by 
striking ``to promote the fundamental right'' and all that follows and 
inserting the following: ``to ensure that no citizen is denied the 
right to vote because the citizen is elderly or has a disability.''.
    (b) Restoration of Reporting Requirements.--
            (1) In general.--Section 3(c) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
        1973ee-1(c)) is amended by striking paragraph (3).
            (2) Effective date.--The amendment made by paragraph (1) 
        shall apply with respect to years beginning with 2002.
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