[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3978 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 3978

To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit the dissemination of 
   false information for the purpose of discouraging a student of an 
 institution of higher education from registering to vote or voting in 
    an election for Federal office, to require States which require 
individuals to present a photo identification as a condition of voting 
   in elections for Federal office to accept a photo identification 
   presented by a student which is issued by the school the student 
                    attends, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            February 8, 2012

 Mr. Cleaver introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
 Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on House 
   Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
  Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
           within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit the dissemination of 
   false information for the purpose of discouraging a student of an 
 institution of higher education from registering to vote or voting in 
    an election for Federal office, to require States which require 
individuals to present a photo identification as a condition of voting 
   in elections for Federal office to accept a photo identification 
   presented by a student which is issued by the school the student 
                    attends, 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 ``Equal Access to Support Youth Voting 
Act'' or the ``EASY Voting Act''.

SEC. 2. PROHIBITING DISSEMINATION OF FALSE INFORMATION REGARDING 
              STUDENT VOTING IN FEDERAL ELECTIONS.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 29 of title 18, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 612. Dissemination of false information regarding student voting 
              in Federal elections
    ``(a) Whoever knowingly disseminates false information for the 
purpose of discouraging a student of an institution of higher education 
from registering to vote or voting in an election for Federal office, 
or from registering to vote or voting in an election for Federal office 
in a specific jurisdiction, shall be fined under this title or 
imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both.
    ``(b) In this section--
            ``(1) 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); and
            ``(2) the term `institution of higher education' has the 
        meaning given such term in section 101 of the Higher Education 
        Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001), except that such term includes a 
        proprietary institution of higher education described in 
        section 102(b) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1002(b)).''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for chapter 29 of 
such title is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

``612. Dissemination of false information regarding student voting in 
                            Federal elections.''.

SEC. 3. REQUIRING STATES TO ACCEPT STUDENT IDENTIFICATIONS FOR PURPOSES 
              OF MEETING VOTER IDENTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS.

    (a) Acceptance of Student Identifications.--Title III of the Help 
America Vote Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 15481 et seq.) is amended by 
inserting after section 303 the following new section:

``SEC. 303A. REQUIRING ACCEPTANCE OF STUDENT PHOTO IDENTIFICATION AS 
              CURRENT AND VALID PHOTO IDENTIFICATION.

    ``(a) Acceptance of Student Identifications.--A State or local 
election official shall accept a current and valid student photo 
identification issued by an institution of higher education to a 
student attending such institution of higher education as a current and 
valid photo identification for purposes of section 303(b)(2) or of any 
State or local law which requires an individual to produce a current 
and valid photo identification to obtain a ballot or vote in an 
election for Federal office.
    ``(b) Definition.--In this section, the term `institution of higher 
education' has the meaning given such term in section 101 of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001), except that such term includes 
a proprietary institution of higher education described in section 
102(b) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1002(b)).''.
    (b) Enforcement.--Section 401 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 15511) is 
amended by striking ``and 303'' and inserting ``303, and 303A''.
    (c) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents of such Act is 
amended by inserting after the item relating to section 303 the 
following new item:

``Sec. 303A. Requiring acceptance of student photo identification as 
                            current and valid photo identification.''.
    (d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply with respect to elections occurring on or after the date of the 
enactment of this Act.
                                 <all>