,,ii #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #ieg ,,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 establish minimum requirements for early voting4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,early ,voting ,act4 #b4 ,establishing minimum requirements for early voting 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 section #cjd as section #cjg2 and 7,b7 by inserting after section #cjc the following new section3 #cjd4 ,early voting 7a7 ,in general ,each ,state and jurisdiction which is responsible for administering elections for ,federal office shall allow individuals to vote in an election for ,federal office on each day occurring during the #ae-;day period which ends on the ,friday immediately preceding the date of the election1 in the same manner as voting is allowed on such date4 7b7 ,minimum early voting requirements 7#a7 ,minimum number of early voting locations based on voting population 7,a7 ,in general ,each jurisdiction shall have at least the applicable number of polling places specified under subparagraph 7,b7 open for early voting pursuant to subsection 7a7 and in accordance with the requirements under paragraphs 7#b7 and 7#c74 7,b7 ,minimum applicable number of voting systems specified ,for purposes of subparagraph 7,a71 the applicable number of polling places specified in this subparagraph is-- 7i7 in the case of a jurisdiction that has 7as of the #fjth day prior to an election for ,federal office1 if available1 or if not available1 as reported in the most recent decennial census7 a voting age population greater than #ajj1jjj1 #b2 and 7ii7 in the case of a jurisdiction that has 7as of such date1 if available1 or if not available1 as reported in the most recent decennial census7 a voting age population equal to or less than #ajj1jjj1 #a4 7#b7 ,minimum number of early voting locations per county ,each jurisdiction shall ensure that each county within the jurisdiction has more than #a polling location4 7#c7 ,other 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 or jurisdiction 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 no more than #a_/b mile of a stop on a public transportation route4 7d7 ,standards 7#a7 ,in general ,notwithstanding section #bji1 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-- 7,a7 subject to subparagraph 7,b71 permit ,states and jurisdictions1 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 turnout2 and 7,b7 include minimum standards for ,states and jurisdictions with respect to polling locations in case of such unforseen circumstances4 7e7 ,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 ,enforcement ,section #dja of the ,help ,america ,vote ,act of #bjjb 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #baaaa7 is amended by striking and #cjc and inserting #cjc1 and #cjd4 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;d71 the ,commission4 7#d7 ,clerical amendments ,the table of contents of such ,act is amended-- 7,a7 by redesignating the items 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 ,early voting4 4 7#e7 ,authorization of funding ,section #beg7;a7 of the ,help ,america ,vote ,act of #bjjb 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #bajjg7;a77 is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph3 7#e7 ,for fiscal year #bjai and subsequent fiscal years1 such sums as are necessary for purposes of making requirements payments to ,states to carry out the activities described in section #cjd4 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 ,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 in an equitable and nondiscriminatory manner 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 7a774