[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1558 Introduced in House (IH)]







                                    


107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1558

To prohibit States from denying any individual the right to register to 
  vote for an election for Federal office, or the right to vote in an 
  election for Federal office, on the grounds that the individual has 
       been convicted of a Federal crime, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 24, 2001

Mr. Hilliard (for himself, Mr. Filner, Mr. McGovern, Mr. Clyburn, Mrs. 
    Jones of Ohio, Mr. Frank, Ms. Carson of Indiana, Mr. Clay, Mr. 
 Kucinich, Mr. Jefferson, Mrs. Meek of Florida, Mr. Rangel, Mr. Wynn, 
Mr. Davis of Illinois, Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas, Ms. Lee, Ms. McKinney, 
Mr. Nadler, and Mrs. Christensen) introduced the following bill; which 
             was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To prohibit States from denying any individual the right to register to 
  vote for an election for Federal office, or the right to vote in an 
  election for Federal office, on the grounds that the individual has 
       been convicted of a Federal crime, 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 Registration Protection Act of 
2001''.

SEC. 2. PROHIBITING DENIAL OF RIGHT TO VOTE IN FEDERAL ELECTIONS ON 
              BASIS OF CONVICTION OF FEDERAL CRIME.

    (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no 
State may prohibit any individual from registering to vote for an 
election for Federal office, or from voting in an election for Federal 
office, on the grounds that the individual has been convicted of a 
Federal crime (except as provided in subsection (b)).
    (b) Exception for Individuals Remaining in Government Custody or 
Supervision.--Subsection (a) shall not apply with respect to any 
individual who is in the custody of, or subject to supervision by, the 
State or the Federal government as a result of the individual's 
conviction of a Federal crime at the time the individual seeks to 
register to vote or vote.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    (a) Federal Crime.--In this section, the term ``Federal crime'' 
means--
            (1) any offense under title 18, United States Code; or
            (2) any offense under chapter 47 of title 10, United States 
        Code (the Uniform Code of Military Justice).
    (b) Other Definitions.--In this section, the terms ``election'' and 
``Federal office'' have the meaning given such terms in section 301 of 
the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 431).

SEC. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    This Act shall apply with respect to elections occurring after 
December 31, 2000.
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