117 S4574 IS: Enhanced Election Security and Protection Act
U.S. Senate
2022-07-20
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EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
1.Short title; table of contents(a)This Act may be cited as the Enhanced Election Security and Protection Act
.(b)The table of contents of this Act is as follows:Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.TITLE I—Enhanced Penalties to Protect our Elections ActSec. 101. Short title.Sec. 102. Enhanced penalties for crimes against federally protected activities relating to voting and the conduct of elections.TITLE II—Postal Service Election Improvement ActSec. 201. Short title.Sec. 202. Definitions.Sec. 203. Best practices guidance for Federal election mail.Sec. 204. Election mail services from the Postal Service.Sec. 205. Creation of standardized Federal ballot mail parameters and features.Sec. 206. Ballot search and certification.Sec. 207. Federal election mail processing.Sec. 208. Postmark required on all Federal ballots.Sec. 209. No cause of action.TITLE III—Reauthorization of Election Assistance CommissionSec. 301. Reauthorization of Election Assistance Commission.Sec. 302. Requiring penetration testing as part of the testing and certification of voting systems.TITLE IV—Protections for election records, papers, and voting systemsSec. 401. Short title.Sec. 402. Protection for election records, papers, and voting systems.<enum>I</enum><header>Enhanced Penalties to Protect our Elections Act</header><section id="idE18AE4C3C86C480E85A6853E511C006D"><enum>101.</enum><header>Short title</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">This title may be cited as the <quote><short-title>Enhanced Penalties to Protect Our Elections Act</short-title></quote>.</text></section><section id="idD0315CA378DC49E88A1D4A1CCFD4B39C"><enum>102.</enum><header>Enhanced penalties for crimes against Federally protected activities relating to voting and the conduct of elections</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 245(b) of title 18, United States Code, is amended in the matter following paragraph (5) by inserting “(or, in the case of a violation of paragraph (1)(A), two years)” after “one year”.</text></section><enum>II</enum><header>Postal Service Election Improvement Act</header><section id="idCA0F45C7A1A8445E8720DE0E3C31A63B"><enum>201.</enum><header>Short title</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">This title may be cited as the <quote><short-title>Postal Service Election Improvement Act</short-title></quote>.</text></section><section id="id157A460022E24919A250EF2AFEDD7E39"><enum>202.</enum><header>Definitions</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">In this title:</text><paragraph id="idd72a145422ba46db98f1a2ef50e4ca13"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Covered election</header><text>The term <term>covered election</term> means an election for Federal office.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id2C62C4753C554B81AF33D776722F29FF"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Election Mail Advisor</header><text>The term <term>Election Mail Advisor</term> means an individual designated under section 204(b).</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id74A74233EA584F04B7D5D4DCB2B96147"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Election official</header><text>The term <term>election official</term> means an individual responsible for overseeing voting in a covered election in a State, locality, or Tribal territory.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id934B2F770D784D20958C4A838017A0D9"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Federal election mail</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The term <term>Federal election mail</term>—</text><subparagraph id="id1F63879FF25941DB8835AC532D5FFDC2"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">means any item mailed to or from an authorized election official that enables citizens to participate in the voting process with respect to a covered election; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idC6038CEA90F648A9BD8F801BAB6CDCD6"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">includes a ballot, voter registration card, absentee voting application, and polling place notification.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id946185D293984473A4340CFEC08CA579"><enum>(5)</enum><header>Federal office</header><text>The term <term>Federal office</term> has the meaning given that term in section 301 of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30101">52 U.S.C. 30101</external-xref>).</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id0644D65F8B8E44299F946696DF380FC7"><enum>(6)</enum><header>Postal Service</header><text>The term <term>Postal Service</term> means the United States Postal Service.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id262B4D3AEC0A49579A3465D13D7AC413"><enum>(7)</enum><header>State</header><text>The term <term>State</term> has the meaning given that term in section 901 of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/21141">52 U.S.C. 21141</external-xref>).</text></paragraph></section><section id="id423405cd367f491f90c80b56fece5395"><enum>203.</enum><header>Best practices guidance for Federal election mail</header><subsection id="id1b80e135b7d04473863ac9d64367535b"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Not later than September 30 of each odd-numbered year, the Postal Service shall issue best practices for State, local, and Tribal governments, in light of the capabilities of the Postal Service, regarding—</text><paragraph id="idc0b4190b12c94a3c8004abcdd18b0209"><enum>(1)</enum><text>optimal timing for voters to request and return absentee or mail-in ballots through the mail for covered elections, based on the established service standards of the Postal Service;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id3119775b8b0748f7a8030e75934d88fe"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the design, physical standards, and format of the envelopes containing physical voting materials for covered elections that may be processed through the mail, such as ballot envelopes;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="ida7da05f0e96a4059b4709d0e0a3a42ff"><enum>(3)</enum><text>the use of identifying information to designate Federal election mail for more efficient processing; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idae30ac4391ed4cd995ced8fa26bab5fc"><enum>(4)</enum><text>other topics the Postal Service may identify to improve the efficiency of Federal election mail.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="idA5936C2BB0FA4781B4B49FCE4D38A97C"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Postal Service authority</header><text>Nothing in subsection (a) shall prevent the Postal Service from updating the best practices issued under that subsection as appropriate following the date of issuance.</text></subsection><subsection id="id1dadafb29ea6452b90f5d80247b9b99f"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Recipients</header><text>The Postal Service shall make publicly available the best practices issued under subsection (a), and shall provide specific notice of the best practices to—</text><paragraph id="idEDF6B7D1B1E24942A084911F10326A4C"><enum>(1)</enum><text>State, local, and Tribal election officials;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idCD2ACF28735B4B13B07EE773805E6E90"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the chief executive officer of each State; and </text></paragraph><paragraph id="idAE38E10B73A7414C9507DA21352C770E"><enum>(3)</enum><text>majority and minority leadership of each State legislature.</text></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="id956b0541efd34d6db6a4ed814fd2b45a"><enum>204.</enum><header>Election mail services from the Postal Service</header><subsection id="id3afd0be27fad4aa8959bbf7b73c047d8"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The Postal Service shall coordinate Federal election mail services to include the following:</text><paragraph id="id797EB8C0FA1E4E68B14A937A4BE1B7E0"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Designation of employees to coordinate with relevant processing plants, post offices, retail units, delivery units, managers, supervisors, and other postal employees to—</text><subparagraph id="idDC2B2EE99A88406BABAD4303CB9E8442"><enum>(A)</enum><text>ensure all Federal election mail is handled in an appropriate manner;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id6C104550EFA04581BDEF9AFB12F5BB04"><enum>(B)</enum><text>develop metrics and internal reporting requirements, as necessary, to ensure Federal election mail processing and handling comply with applicable regulations and guidelines of the Postal Service; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id322F2A8F63B04D199D5688B77342EA26"><enum>(C)</enum><text>ensure any extraordinary measures to process Federal election mail are appropriately carried out according to the regulations and guidelines of the Postal Service.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="idB3F4F6709EC5451EBC0225960FF15866"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Assistance of election officials by Election Mail Advisors from the appropriate geographic offices of the Postal Service with facilitating Federal election mail.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id717F795C47CC4CA482D6179699EE3C79"><enum>(3)</enum><text>Advice for election officials by mailpiece design analysts, in coordination with the relevant Election Mail Advisor, on—</text><subparagraph id="idCE90C0E60C7B4F23880717281168346E"><enum>(A)</enum><text>how to improve the tracking and visibility of mail-in ballots for covered elections; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idEDC02316C1F142CCA4D8E006BAC8FA7D"><enum>(B)</enum><text>verification that ballot mail envelope designs are consistent with the standardized parameters and features created under section 205.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id4cbe9cf95ea44e97a7eb1526891f8129"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Election Mail Advisors</header><paragraph id="idAEF9B52F95FE4418A5BC474322861F8A"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Number of Election Mail Advisors</header><subparagraph id="idF7BAD3F8E1C54708AB1E868FEC3934A1"><enum>(A)</enum><header>Minimum number of Election Mail Advisors per State</header><text>The Postal Service shall designate not less than 1 dedicated Election Mail Advisor for each State. </text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id3313F60E476440D39AF54E58A4F608FF"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Determination of number of Election Mail Advisors per State</header><text>In determining the number of Election Mail Advisors to designate for a State, the Postal Service shall take into account the population and the organization of the election administration of the State to ensure that a sufficient number of Election Mail Advisors are designated.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="idd0ef5767e9ea400289c3593a4539a9d0"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Duties of Election Mail Advisor</header><text>An Election Mail Advisor shall provide information, guidance, and coordination to assist election officials in managing the use of Federal election mail in the applicable jurisdiction, including—</text><subparagraph id="idd7107104aeb5467696bdb42aa149239c"><enum>(A)</enum><text>providing the election officials with detailed information on—</text><clause id="idacf1714e366e4602a6c557b241ba77b0"><enum>(i)</enum><text>service standards and other relevant service-related information for the region relating to the processing of Federal election mail that would assist election officials in managing covered elections;</text></clause><clause id="ida45ad1697d764faf9f7247d1647ea681"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>best practices issued under section 203; and</text></clause><clause id="idc9c7410808764003b72af9b23a441bcf"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>Postal Service regulations, guidelines, and processes for handling Federal election mail; and</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id6249a4692bb8456c8aa31e3aae9cb1c9"><enum>(B)</enum><text>performing any other duties assigned by the Postal Service to improve the ability of election officials to manage covered elections in their respective jurisdictions.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="id2B8BD1B8BA124906AD4D6A702AD5F7D0"><enum>205.</enum><header>Creation of standardized Federal ballot mail parameters and features</header><subsection id="idA4E6ECA28DF44D598DB9E11F72AEE471"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Postal Service shall create standardized ballot envelope design parameters and features for blank outbound ballots and for returning inbound ballots that a State may choose to use in covered elections.</text></subsection><subsection id="idAD801B33CA574BB7AFADEF5CB503518A"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Tracking for standardized ballot envelope</header><text>The standardized ballot envelope design parameters under subsection (a) shall include the ability to incorporate tracking technology.</text></subsection></section><section id="id687b15fb2ab742a48cf075a34924dfdf"><enum>206.</enum><header>Ballot search and certification</header><subsection id="id298ebaeec1214f439c2a1f420f14f946"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Ballot identification</header><text>During the period beginning not later than 14 days before the date of a covered election and ending not earlier than 7 days after the last date on which the State accepts ballots cast in that covered election, the Postal Service shall conduct daily inspections for ballots in each Postal Service facility that processes Federal election mail in any Postal Service district in which the covered election is being held to ensure that each ballot scheduled to depart the facility that day has departed the facility.</text></subsection><subsection id="id345b3db9c34b4f8c8a426ca5aee48ca5"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Certification</header><text>Each day during a period described in subsection (a), the manager or supervisor in charge of a Postal Service facility described in that subsection shall certify in a record maintained by the Postal Service that each ballot scheduled to depart the facility that day has departed the facility.</text></subsection></section><section id="id5F85EE6448E94CCDA5199CCB45B22434"><enum>207.</enum><header>Federal election mail processing</header><subsection id="id51F62483DB114A46A45932EBB6E7161B"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Processing preceding elections for Federal office</header><text>During the 90-day period preceding a general election for Federal office, the Postal Service may not—</text><paragraph id="id0CBEC4AD9F514FB4AEAFF645290C8B36"><enum>(1)</enum><text>implement any service standard changes that would slow the delivery of Federal election mail;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id73FFD4AFF4054C33A7ED4A2E414343BA"><enum>(2)</enum><text>take any steps that would meaningfully interfere with the ability of the Postal Service to achieve its service standards; or</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id636AB68E21C44E4786BE6366F987C790"><enum>(3)</enum><text>engage in activity that would meaningfully interfere with the ability of the Postal Service to prioritize monitoring and timely delivery of Federal election mail.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="idB449A83B12474C289292466555B6A5A1"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Sunday processing</header><text>The Postal Service shall collect and process the mail in a Postal Service district on the Sunday before a general election is held in that district.</text></subsection><subsection id="id60528f96f9084f35a3bbf947b9955ceb"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Extended hours</header><text>The Postal Service shall coordinate with election officials and may operate on extended hours, as necessary, to process Federal election mail in advance of a covered election.</text></subsection></section><section id="idA60ADB2572DC47EEAC100D122AD1204E"><enum>208.</enum><header>Postmark required on all Federal ballots</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline"> The Postal Service shall implement procedures designed to apply a physical postmark or other physical indicia bearing a legible date to each identifiable envelope containing a ballot when returned by mail for a covered election to the maximum extent practicable.</text></section><section id="idFA73A98428B24BC48B8ED0C3228801E9"><enum>209.</enum><header>No cause of action</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">No provision of this title shall—</text><paragraph id="id2A5D12A948884258B292940828D00735"><enum>(1)</enum><text>be binding on any State, local, or Tribal government; or</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id23FDCF8427384DA5A4860FADE9DD6F35" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(2)</enum><text>be construed to create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, the Postal Service, or a State, local, or Tribal government, a department, agency, entity, officer, employee, or agent thereof, or any other person. </text></paragraph></section><enum>III</enum><header>Reauthorization of Election Assistance Commission</header><section id="idF55D0A5E5487493BB25B0B48E40A97AA"><enum>301.</enum><header>Reauthorization of Election Assistance Commission</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 210 of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/20930">52 U.S.C. 20930</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph id="id31B793CA76E44E759FB594DBF1B6ED0F"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by inserting <quote>, and for each of the fiscal years 2023 through 2027, </quote> after <quote>2005</quote>; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id37A84C19CE4E42DC93DCBF26935A91D0"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by striking <quote>(but not to exceed $10,000,000 for each such year)</quote>. </text></paragraph></section><section id="id065A021E9E8D41DDBD32D3A1ABF6DD00"><enum>302.</enum><header>Requiring penetration testing as part of the testing and certification of voting systems</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 231(a) of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/20971">52 U.S.C. 20971(a)</external-xref>) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id22DE0ED469D4413CADEAD3FB2B3A3D75"><paragraph id="idC344D0FC673745D6A472B6FB9AE90B91"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Required penetration testing</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Commission shall provide for the conduct of penetration testing as part of the testing, certification, decertification, and recertification of voting system hardware and software by accredited laboratories under this section.</text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></section><enum>IV</enum><header>Protections for election records, papers, and voting systems</header><section id="id32697BF769104106A046E8CD3DAC5A39"><enum>401.</enum><header>Short title</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">This title may be cited as the <quote><short-title>Election Records Protection Act</short-title></quote>.</text></section><section id="id37F5983AC0754C798141F0E49E0C9475"><enum>402.</enum><header>Protection for election records, papers, and voting systems</header><subsection id="id525433C6D4DD48698790E97478F35AA9"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><paragraph id="idC6FBDE20629447CF9866AA044DB1BA75"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Title III of the Civil Rights Act of 1960 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/20701">52 U.S.C. 20701 et seq.</external-xref>) is amended by adding at the end the following new section:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idF98FCD087DF3417E92257A0835614CA5"><section id="id25D059085DDB483793CB8C2F3AA3A7EC"><enum>307.</enum><header>Records</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">As used in this title, the term <term>record</term> includes any electronic record.</text></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph><paragraph id="id5b3d8935d0d24b719516503b08e0791f"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Guidance</header><text>Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Attorney General, in consultation with the Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency of the Department of Homeland Security, shall issue informal guidance regarding compliance with section 301 of the Civil Rights Act of 1960 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/20701">52 U.S.C. 20701</external-xref>), including recommendations for retaining and preserving records (including electronic records) and papers.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="idCF8DC60264484106B60F7030B26770E7"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Increased penalty for willful failure To retain and preserve election records</header><text>Section 302 of the Civil Rights Act of 1960 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/20702">52 U.S.C. 20702</external-xref>) is amended— </text><paragraph id="idb191d8097a4a4c0d84b00c06ba991d81"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by striking <quote>$1,000</quote> and inserting <quote>$10,000</quote>; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id22f89d6932fe40a683323fbf4237d7e2"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by striking <quote>one year</quote> and inserting <quote>two years</quote>.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="idC58EC8D0BB654E5E8B2C1DA291ED2975"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Penalty for theft, destruction, concealment, mutilation, or alteration of voting systems</header><text>Section 12(2) of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/20511">52 U.S.C. 20511</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph id="id2364e2cb7c8e4d848c89773d7662c63d"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by striking <quote>or</quote> at the end of subparagraph (A);</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idC029F972D6C441DFB97000516FE58AE0"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by striking the comma at the end of subparagraph (B) and inserting <quote>; or</quote>; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="ide9029c1f8aa3457bb3242fb11958d1f4"><enum>(3)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idd1b5ed0258a74387b18a64ea569b6cc9"><subparagraph id="id8fcd59c673cc47989ff1b20f136c6184"><enum>(C)</enum><text>the theft, destruction, concealment, mutilation, or alteration of voting systems;</text></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection></section>