,i #aacth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #ej ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,january #c1 #bjac ,mr4 ,george ,miller of ,california 7for himself and ,mr4 ,clyburn7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,house ,administration ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,help ,america ,vote ,act of #bjjb to promote early voting in elections for ,federal office and to prevent unreasonable waiting times for voters at polling places used in such elections1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,streamlined and ,improved ,methods at ,polling ,locations and ,early 7,,simple7 ,voting ,act of #bjac4 #b4 ,minimum requirements for early voting and for reducing waiting times for voters in federal elections 7a7 ,requirements for ,states 7#a7 ,in general ,subtitle ,a of title ,,iii of the ,help ,america ,vote ,act of #bjjb 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aedha et seq47 is amended-- 7,a7 by redesignating sections #cjd and #cje as sections #cjf and #cjg2 and 7,b7 by inserting after section #cjc the following new sections3 #cjd4 ,early voting 7a7 ,in general ,each ,state shall allow individuals to vote in an election for ,federal office on each day occurring during the #ae-;day period which ends on the second day immediately preceding the date of the election1 in the same manner as voting is allowed on such date4 7b7 ,minimum early voting requirements ,each polling place which allows voting prior to the date of a ,federal election pursuant to subsection 7a7 shall-- 7#a7 allow such voting for not less than #aj hours on each day2 and 7#b7 have uniform hours each day for which such voting occurs4 7c7 ,location of polling places near public transportation ,to the greatest extent practicable1 a ,state shall ensure that each polling place which allows voting prior to the date of a ,federal election pursuant to subsection 7a7 is located within reasonable walking distance of a stop on a public transportation route4 7d7 ,standards 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,commission shall issue standards for the administration of voting prior to the date scheduled for a ,federal election4 ,such standards shall include the nondiscriminatory geographic placement of polling places at which such voting occurs4 7#b7 ,deviation ,the standards described in paragraph 7#a7 shall permit ,states1 upon providing adequate public notice1 to deviate from any requirement in the case of unforeseen circumstances such as a natural disaster1 terrorist attack1 or a change in voter turnout4 7e7 ,effective date ,this section shall apply with respect to elections held on or after ,january #a1 #bjad4 #cje4 ,preventing unreasonable waiting times for voters 7a7 ,preventing unreasonable waiting times 7#a7 ,in general ,each ,state shall provide a sufficient number of voting systems1 poll workers1 and other election resources 7including physical resources7 at a polling place used in any election for ,federal office1 including a polling place at which individuals may cast ballots prior to the date of the election1 to ensure-- 7,a7 a fair and equitable waiting time for all voters in the ,state2 and 7,b7 that no individual will be required to wait longer than one hour to cast a ballot at the polling place4 7#b7 ,criteria ,in determining the number of voting systems1 poll workers1 and other election resources provided at a polling place for purposes of paragraph 7#a71 the ,state shall take into account the following factors3 7,a7 ,the voting age population4 7,b7 ,voter turnout in past elections4 7,c7 ,the number of voters registered4 7,d7 ,the number of voters who have registered since the most recent ,federal election4 7,e7 ,census data for the population served by the polling place1 such as the proportion of the voting-age population who are under #be years of age or who are naturalized citizens4 7,f7 ,the needs and numbers of voters with disabilities and voters with limited ,english proficiency4 7,g7 ,the type of voting systems used4 7,h7 ,the length and complexity of initiatives1 referenda1 and other questions on the ballot4 7,i7 ,such other factors1 including relevant demographic factors relating to the population served by the polling place1 as the ,state considers appropriate4 7#c7 ,guidelines ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this section1 the ,commission shall establish and publish guidelines to assist ,states in meeting the requirements of this subsection4 7#d7 ,rule of construction ,nothing in this subsection may be construed to authorize a ,state to meet the requirements of this subsection by closing any polling place1 prohibiting an individual from entering a line at a polling place1 or refusing to permit an individual who has arrived at a polling place prior to closing time from voting at the polling place4 7b7 ,development and implementation of contingency plans 7#a7 ,in general ,each ,state shall develop1 and implement to the greatest extent practicable1 a contingency plan under which the ,state shall provide additional poll workers1 machines1 ballots1 and other equipment and supplies 7as the case may be7 on the date of the election to any polling place used in an election for ,federal office1 including a polling place at which individuals may cast ballots prior to the date of the election1 at which waiting times exceed one hour4 7#b7 ,approval of plan by ,commission ,the ,state shall ensure that the contingency plan developed under paragraph 7#a7 is approved by the ,commission prior to the date of the election involved1 in accordance with such procedures as the ,commission may establish4 7c7 ,effective date ,this section shall apply with respect to elections held on or after ,january #a1 #bjad4 4 7#b7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of contents of such ,act is amended-- 7,a7 by redesignating the items relating to sections #cjd and #cje as relating to sections #cjf and #cjg2 and 7,b7 by inserting after the item relating to section #cjc the following new items3 ,sec4 #cjd4 ,early voting4 ,sec4 #cje4 ,preventing unreasonable waiting times for voters4 4 7b7 ,report by election assistance commission ,not later than ,june #cj of each odd-numbered year1 the ,election ,assistance ,commission shall submit to ,congress a report assessing the impact of sections #cjd and #cje of the ,help ,america ,vote ,act of #bjjb 7as added by subsection 7a77 on the administration of elections for ,federal office during the preceding #b-year period1 and shall include in the report such recommendations as the ,commission considers appropriate4 7c7 ,no effect on authority of state ,to provide for longer periods of early voting or greater amount of resources at polling places ,nothing in this section or in any amendment made by this section may be construed to prohibit a ,state1 with respect to any election for ,federal office-- 7#a7 from providing 7in an equitable and nondiscriminatory manner7 a longer period for early voting than the minimum period required under section #cjd of the ,help ,america ,vote ,act of #bjjb 7as added by subsection 7a772 or 7#b7 from providing 7in an equitable and nondiscriminatory manner7 a greater number of systems1 poll workers1 and other election resources at any polling place than the minimum number required under section #cje of such ,act 7as added by subsection 7a774 #c4 ,requirements for counting provisional ballots2 establishment of uniform and nondiscriminatory standards 7a7 ,in general ,section #cjb of the ,help ,america ,vote ,act of #bjjb 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aedhb7 is amended-- 7#a7 by redesignating subsection 7d7 as subsection 7f72 and 7#b7 by inserting after subsection 7c7 the following new subsections3 7d7 ,statewide counting of provisional ballots 7#a7 ,in general ,for purposes of subsection 7a77#d71 notwithstanding the precinct or polling place at which a provisional ballot is cast within the ,state1 the appropriate election official shall count each vote on such ballot for each election in which the individual who cast such ballot is eligible to vote4 7#b7 ,effective date ,this subsection shall apply with respect to elections held on or after ,january #a1 #bjad4 7e7 ,uniform and nondiscriminatory standards 7#a7 ,in general ,consistent with the requirements of this section1 each ,state shall establish uniform and nondiscriminatory standards for the issuance1 handling1 and counting of provisional ballots4 7#b7 ,effective date ,this subsection shall apply with respect to elections held on or after ,january #a1 #bjad4 4 7b7 ,conforming amendment ,section #cjb7;f7 of such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aedhb7;f771 as redesignated by subsection 7a71 is amended by striking ,each ,state and inserting ,except as provided in subsections 7d77#b7 and 7e77#b71 each ,state4 #d4 ,availability of civil penalties and private rights of action to enforce help america vote act of #bjjb 7a7 ,availability of civil penalties and private rights of action ,section #dja of the ,help ,america ,vote ,act of #bjjb 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aeeaa7 is amended to read as follows3 #dja4 ,enforcement 7a7 ,action by ,attorney ,general 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,attorney ,general may bring a civil action against any ,state or jurisdiction in an appropriate ,united ,states ,district ,court for such declaratory and injunctive relief 7including a temporary restraining order1 a permanent or temporary injunction1 or other order7 as may be necessary to carry out the requirements of subtitle ,a of title ,,iii4 7#b7 ,assessment of civil money penalty ,in a civil action brought under paragraph 7#a71 if the court finds that the ,state or jurisdiction violated any provision of subtitle ,a of title ,,iii1 it may1 to vindicate the public interest1 assess a civil penalty against the ,state or jurisdiction-- 7,a7 in an amount not to exceed #aaj1jjj for each such violation1 in the case of a first violation2 or 7,b7 in an amount not to exceed #bbj1jjj for each such violation1 for any subsequent violation4 7#c7 ,intervention ,upon timely application1 a person aggrieved by a violation of subtitle ,a of title ,,iii with respect to which a civil action is commenced under paragraph 7#a7 may intervene in such action1 and may obtain such appropriate relief as the person could obtain in a civil action under subsection 7b7 with respect to that violation1 along with costs and a reasonable attorney fee4 7#d7 ,report to ,congress ,not later than ,december #ca of each year1 the ,attorney ,general shall submit to ,congress an annual report on any civil action brought under paragraph 7#a7 during the preceding year4 7b7 ,private right of action 7#a7 ,availability ,a person who is aggrieved by a ,state's or jurisdiction's violation of subtitle ,a of title ,,iii may bring a civil action in an appropriate ,united ,states ,district ,court for such declaratory or injunctive relief as may be necessary to carry out the requirements of such subtitle4 7#b7 ,costs and attorney fees ,the court may award to a person aggrieved by a violation of subtitle ,a of title ,,iii who prevails in an action brought under paragraph 7#a7 the costs of the action1 including a reasonable attorney fee4 4 7b7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of contents of such ,act is amended by amending the item relating to section #dja to read as follows3 ,sec4 #dja4 ,enforcement4 4 7c7 ,effective date ,the amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to violations alleged to have occurred on or after the date of the enactment of this ,act4