[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 50 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 50

To amend title 3, United States Code, and the Uniform Time Act of 1966 
   to establish a single poll closing time for Presidential general 
                               elections.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 22, 2001

Mr. Stevens (for himself, Mr. Inouye, and Mr. Murkowski) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
                        Rules and Administration

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title 3, United States Code, and the Uniform Time Act of 1966 
   to establish a single poll closing time for Presidential general 
                               elections.

    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 ``Uniform Poll Closing Act of 2000.''

SEC. 2. SINGLE POLL CLOSING TIME FOR PRESIDENTIAL GENERAL ELECTIONS.

    Chapter 1 of title 3, United States Code, is amended by--
            (1) redesignating section 21 as section 22; and
            (2) inserting after section 20 the following new section:

``SEC. 21. SINGLE POLL CLOSING TIME.

    ``(a) Each polling place in each State shall close, with respect to 
a Presidential general election, at 9:00 o'clock post meridiem, eastern 
standard time. Any person who, as determined under the law of the State 
involved, arrives at a polling place after that time shall not be 
permitted to vote in the Presidential general election.
    ``(b) Notwithstanding subsection (a), a polling place shall close, 
with respect to a Presidential general election, as provided by the law 
of the State involved, in the case of a polling place at which each 
person who is eligible to vote has voted.
    ``(c) Notwithstanding section 1 or any other provision of law, in 
the case of the States of Alaska and Hawaii, a State may open polling 
places with respect to a Presidential general election during the day 
preceding the day provided under such section in addition to the day 
provided under such section, so long as the State meets the 
requirements of subsection (a) with respect to the day provided under 
such section.
    ``(d) As used in this section, the `Presidential general election' 
means the election for electors of President and Vice President.''.

SEC. 3. EXTENDED DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME IN PACIFIC TIME ZONE IN 
              PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION YEARS.

    Section 3 of the Uniform Time Act of 1966 (15 U.S.C. 260a) is 
amended by adding at the end of the following new subsection:
    ``(d)(1) Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section, in each 
year in which a Presidential general election takes place, the period 
of time during which the standard time shall be advanced with respect 
to the Pacific time zone shall end at 2:00 o'clock ante meridiem on the 
first Sunday after the date of that election.
    ``(2) As used in this subsection, the term `Presidential general 
election' means the election for electors of President and Vice 
President.''.

SEC. 4. TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS.

    (a) Amendments to Title 3, United States Code.--The table of 
sections for chapter 1 of title 3, United States code, is amended--
            (1) by redesignating the item relating to section 21 as the 
        item relating to section 22; and
            (2) by inserting after the item relating to section 20 the 
        following new item:

``21. Single poll closing time in continental United States.''.
    (b) Amendments to Uniform Time Act of 1966.--Section 3(a) of the 
Uniform Time Act of 1966 (15 U.S.C. 260a(a)) is amended by striking out 
``2 o'clock antemeridian'' each place it appears and inserting in lieu 
thereof ``2:00 o'clock ante meridiem.''.
                                 <all>