,,ii #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #iee ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,march #bh1 #bjai ,mr4 ,merkley introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,rules and ,administration ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,help ,america ,vote ,act of #bjjb to reduce waiting times for voters in ,federal elections4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,polling ,place ,protection ,act of #bjai4 #b4 ,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#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #bajha et seq47 is amended-- 7,a7 by redesignating sections #cjd as section #cjg2 and 7,b7 by inserting after section #cjc the following new section3 #cjd4 ,preventing unreasonable waiting times for voters 7a7 ,preventing unreasonable waiting times 7#a7 ,in general ,each ,state and jurisdiction which is responsible for administering elections for ,federal office shall provide a sufficient number of voting systems1 poll workers1 and other election resources1 including physical resources1 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 reasonably uniform ratio of election staff and voting systems to registered voters in the jurisdiction2 7,b7 a reasonably uniform and geographic distribution of polling places to ensure that all voters in a jurisdiction have equal access to polling places2 7,c7 a fair and equitable waiting time for all voters in the ,state2 and 7,d7 that no individual will be required to wait longer than #cj minutes 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 jurisdiction shall take into account the following factors3 7,a7 ,the voting age population4 7,b7 ,voter turnout in past and similar 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 ,complaints received during and following prior elections about long wait times or other problems voters experienced at polling places in the jurisdiction1 including whether and in which ways polling places worked to remedy such complaints4 7,j7 ,such other factors1 if available1 including relevant demographic factors relating to the population served by the polling place determined by the ,state or jurisdiction4 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 and jurisdictions in meeting the requirements of this subsection4 7#d7 ,rule of construction ,nothing in this subsection may be construed to authorize a ,state or jurisdiction 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 election administration plans1 including contingency plans 7#a7 ,in general ,each jurisdiction which administers elections for ,federal office shall develop1 and implement to the greatest extent practicable1 an election administration plan for each election for ,federal office1 in accordance with applicable ,federal and ,state law4 ,such election administration plan shall include a contingency plan under which the jurisdiction 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 #cj minutes4 ,each such contingency plan shall also include a provision by which the jurisdiction shall extend the closing time for the polling place in the case where there is a delay in the timely opening or operation of a polling place or when voters have waited more than #cj minutes to cast a ballot4 ,such extended poll hours shall be commensurate with the total time of the delayed opening or operation of the polling place and for the total period of time exceeding #cj minutes that voters had to wait in order to cast a ballot at the polling place from the time of arrival4 7#b7 ,approval of plan by ,commission ,notwithstanding section #bji1 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 the date that is #ahj days after the date of enactment of this section4 4 7#b7 ,enforcement2 private right of action for unreasonable waiting times for voters 7,a7 ,in general ,section #dja of the ,help ,america ,vote ,act of #bjjb 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #baaaa7 is amended-- 7i7 by striking the section heading and inserting the following3 ,enforcement2 7ii7 by striking ,the ,attorney ,general and inserting 7a7 ,in general4--,the ,attorney ,general2 7iii7 in subsection 7a71 as added by subparagraph 7,b71 by striking 8and #cjc0 and inserting 8#cjc1 and #cjd02 and 7iv7 by adding at the end the following new subsection3 7b7 ,private right of action 7#a7 ,availability ,a person who is aggrieved by a ,state's or jurisdiction's violation of section #cjd1 relating to preventing unreasonable waiting times for voter1 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 section4 7#b7 ,costs and attorney fees ,the court may award to a person aggrieved by a violation of section #cjd who prevails in an action brought under paragraph 7#a7 the costs of the action1 including a reasonable attorney fee4 7c7 ,extension of polling hours ,a ,united ,states ,district ,court may extend the hours for a polling location in any action brought under subsection 7a7 or 7b7 to enforce the provisions of such section #cjd4 4 7,b7 ,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 7#c7 ,conforming amendment relating to rulemaking authority ,section #bji of such ,act 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #bjibi7 is amended by striking ,the ,commission and inserting ,except as provided in section #cjd7;b77#b71 the ,commission4 7#d7 ,clerical amendments ,the table of contents of such ,act is amended-- 7,a7 by redesignating the item relating to section #cjd as relating to section #cjg2 and 7,b7 by inserting after the item relating to section #cjc the following new item3 ,sec4 #cjd4 ,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 section #cjd 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 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 #cjd of such ,act 7as added by subsection 7a774