,,ii #aagth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #degd ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,july #bj1 #bjbb,ms4 ,collins 7for herself1 ,mr4 ,manchin1 ,mr4 ,portman1 ,ms4 ,sinema1 ,mr4 ,romney1 ,mrs4 ,shaheen1 ,ms4 ,murkowski1 ,mr4 ,warner1 ,mr4 ,tillis1 ,mr4 ,murphy1 ,mr4 ,cardin1 and ,mr4 ,coons7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,homeland ,security and ,governmental ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to amend title #ah1 ,united ,states ,code1 to increase penalties for crimes against federally protected activities relating to voting and the conduct of elections1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title2 table of contents 7a7 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,enhanced ,election ,security and ,protection ,act4 7b7 ,table of contents ,the table of contents of this ,act is as follows3 ,sec4 #a4 ,short title2 table of contents4,,title ,i--,enhanced ,penalties to ,protect our ,elections ,act,sec4 #aja4 ,short title4,sec4 #ajb4 ,enhanced penalties for crimes against federally protected activities relating to voting and the conduct of elections4,,title ,,ii--,postal ,service ,election ,improvement ,act,sec4 #bja4 ,short title4,sec4 #bjb4 ,definitions4,sec4 #bjc4 ,best practices guidance for ,federal election mail4,sec4 #bjd4 ,election mail services from the ,postal ,service4,sec4 #bje4 ,creation of standardized ,federal ballot mail parameters and features4,sec4 #bjf4 ,ballot search and certification4,sec4 #bjg4 ,federal election mail processing4,sec4 #bjh4 ,postmark required on all ,federal ballots4,sec4 #bji4 ,no cause of action4,,title ,,iii--,reauthorization of ,election ,assistance ,commission,sec4 #cja4 ,reauthorization of ,election ,assistance ,commission4,sec4 #cjb4 ,requiring penetration testing as part of the testing and certification of voting systems4,,title ,,iv--,protections for election records1 papers1 and voting systems,sec4 #dja4 ,short title4,sec4 #djb4 ,protection for election records1 papers1 and voting systems4 ,i ,enhanced ,penalties to ,protect our ,elections ,act #aja4 ,short title ,this title may be cited as the ,enhanced ,penalties to ,protect ,our ,elections ,act4 #ajb4 ,enhanced penalties for crimes against ,federally protected activities relating to voting and the conduct of elections ,section #bde7;b7 of title #ah1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended in the matter following paragraph 7#e7 by inserting 87or1 in the case of a violation of paragraph 7#a77;,a71 two years70 after 8one year04 ,,ii ,postal ,service ,election ,improvement ,act #bja4 ,short title ,this title may be cited as the ,postal ,service ,election ,improvement ,act4 #bjb4 ,definitions ,in this title3 7#a7 ,covered election ,the term covered election means an election for ,federal office4 7#b7 ,election ,mail ,advisor ,the term ,election ,mail ,advisor means an individual designated under section #bjd7;b74 7#c7 ,election official ,the term election official means an individual responsible for overseeing voting in a covered election in a ,state1 locality1 or ,tribal territory4 7#d7 ,federal election mail ,the term ,federal election mail-- 7,a7 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 election2 and 7,b7 includes a ballot1 voter registration card1 absentee voting application1 and polling place notification4 7#e7 ,federal office ,the term ,federal office has the meaning given that term in section #cja of the ,federal ,election ,campaign ,act of #aiga 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #cjaja74 7#f7 ,postal ,service ,the term ,postal ,service means the ,united ,states ,postal ,service4 7#g7 ,state ,the term ,state has the meaning given that term in section #ija of the ,help ,america ,vote ,act of #bjjb 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #baada74 #bjc4 ,best practices guidance for ,federal election mail 7a7 ,in general ,not later than ,september #cj of each odd-numbered year1 the ,postal ,service shall issue best practices for ,state1 local1 and ,tribal governments1 in light of the capabilities of the ,postal ,service1 regarding-- 7#a7 optimal timing for voters to request and return absentee or mail-in ballots through the mail for covered elections1 based on the established service standards of the ,postal ,service2 7#b7 the design1 physical standards1 and format of the envelopes containing physical voting materials for covered elections that may be processed through the mail1 such as ballot envelopes2 7#c7 the use of identifying information to designate ,federal election mail for more efficient processing2 and 7#d7 other topics the ,postal ,service may identify to improve the efficiency of ,federal election mail4 7b7 ,postal ,service authority ,nothing in subsection 7a7 shall prevent the ,postal ,service from updating the best practices issued under that subsection as appropriate following the date of issuance4 7c7 ,recipients ,the ,postal ,service shall make publicly available the best practices issued under subsection 7a71 and shall provide specific notice of the best practices to-- 7#a7 ,state1 local1 and ,tribal election officials2 7#b7 the chief executive officer of each ,state2 and 7#c7 majority and minority leadership of each ,state legislature4 #bjd4 ,election mail services from the ,postal ,service 7a7 ,in general ,the ,postal ,service shall coordinate ,federal election mail services to include the following3 7#a7 ,designation of employees to coordinate with relevant processing plants1 post offices1 retail units1 delivery units1 managers1 supervisors1 and other postal employees to-- 7,a7 ensure all ,federal election mail is handled in an appropriate manner2 7,b7 develop metrics and internal reporting requirements1 as necessary1 to ensure ,federal election mail processing and handling comply with applicable regulations and guidelines of the ,postal ,service2 and 7,c7 ensure any extraordinary measures to process ,federal election mail are appropriately carried out according to the regulations and guidelines of the ,postal ,service4 7#b7 ,assistance of election officials by ,election ,mail ,advisors from the appropriate geographic offices of the ,postal ,service with facilitating ,federal election mail4 7#c7 ,advice for election officials by mailpiece design analysts1 in coordination with the relevant ,election ,mail ,advisor1 on-- 7,a7 how to improve the tracking and visibility of mail-in ballots for covered elections2 and 7,b7 verification that ballot mail envelope designs are consistent with the standardized parameters and features created under section #bje4 7b7 ,election ,mail ,advisors 7#a7 ,number of ,election ,mail ,advisors 7,a7 ,minimum number of ,election ,mail ,advisors per ,state ,the ,postal ,service shall designate not less than #a dedicated ,election ,mail ,advisor for each ,state4 7,b7 ,determination of number of ,election ,mail ,advisors per ,state ,in determining the number of ,election ,mail ,advisors to designate for a ,state1 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 designated4 7#b7 ,duties of ,election ,mail ,advisor ,an ,election ,mail ,advisor shall provide information1 guidance1 and coordination to assist election officials in managing the use of ,federal election mail in the applicable jurisdiction1 including-- 7,a7 providing the election officials with detailed information on-- 7i7 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 elections2 7ii7 best practices issued under section #bjc2 and 7iii7 ,postal ,service regulations1 guidelines1 and processes for handling ,federal election mail2 and 7,b7 performing any other duties assigned by the ,postal ,service to improve the ability of election officials to manage covered elections in their respective jurisdictions4 #bje4 ,creation of standardized ,federal ballot mail parameters and features 7a7 ,in general ,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 elections4 7b7 ,tracking for standardized ballot envelope ,the standardized ballot envelope design parameters under subsection 7a7 shall include the ability to incorporate tracking technology4 #bjf4 ,ballot search and certification 7a7 ,ballot identification ,during the period beginning not later than #ad days before the date of a covered election and ending not earlier than #g days after the last date on which the ,state accepts ballots cast in that covered election1 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 facility4 7b7 ,certification ,each day during a period described in subsection 7a71 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 facility4 #bjg4 ,federal election mail processing 7a7 ,processing preceding elections for ,federal office ,during the #ij-;day period preceding a general election for ,federal office1 the ,postal ,service may not-- 7#a7 implement any service standard changes that would slow the delivery of ,federal election mail2 7#b7 take any steps that would meaningfully interfere with the ability of the ,postal ,service to achieve its service standards2 or 7#c7 engage in activity that would meaningfully interfere with the ability of the ,postal ,service to prioritize monitoring and timely delivery of ,federal election mail4 7b7 ,sunday processing ,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 district4 7c7 ,extended hours ,the ,postal ,service shall coordinate with election officials and may operate on extended hours1 as necessary1 to process ,federal election mail in advance of a covered election4 #bjh4 ,postmark required on all ,federal ballots ,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 practicable4 #bji4 ,no cause of action ,no provision of this title shall-- 7#a7 be binding on any ,state1 local1 or ,tribal government2 or 7#b7 be construed to create any right or benefit1 substantive or procedural1 enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the ,united ,states1 the ,postal ,service1 or a ,state1 local1 or ,tribal government1 a department1 agency1 entity1 officer1 employee1 or agent thereof1 or any other person4 ,,iii ,reauthorization of ,election ,assistance ,commission #cja4 ,reauthorization of ,election ,assistance ,commission ,section #baj of the ,help ,america ,vote ,act of #bjjb 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #bjicj7 is amended-- 7#a7 by inserting 1 and for each of the fiscal years #bjbc through #bjbg1 after #bjje2 and 7#b7 by striking 7but not to exceed #aj1jjj1jjj for each such year74 #cjb4 ,requiring penetration testing as part of the testing and certification of voting systems ,section #bca7;a7 of the ,help ,america ,vote ,act of #bjjb 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #bjiga7;a77 is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph3 7#c7 ,required penetration testing ,the ,commission shall provide for the conduct of penetration testing as part of the testing1 certification1 decertification1 and recertification of voting system hardware and software by accredited laboratories under this section4 4 ,,iv ,protections for election records1 papers1 and voting systems #dja4 ,short title ,this title may be cited as the ,election ,records ,protection ,act4 #djb4 ,protection for election records1 papers1 and voting systems 7a7 ,in general 7#a7 ,in general ,title ,,iii of the ,civil ,rights ,act of #aifj 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #bjgja et seq47 is amended by adding at the end the following new section3 #cjg4 ,records ,as used in this title1 the term record includes any electronic record4 4 7#b7 ,guidance ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,attorney ,general1 in consultation with the ,director of the ,cybersecurity and ,infrastructure ,security ,agency of the ,department of ,homeland ,security1 shall issue informal guidance regarding compliance with section #cja of the ,civil ,rights ,act of #aifj 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #bjgja71 including recommendations for retaining and preserving records 7including electronic records7 and papers4 7b7 ,increased penalty for willful failure ,to retain and preserve election records ,section #cjb of the ,civil ,rights ,act of #aifj 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #bjgjb7 is amended-- 7#a7 by striking #a1jjj and inserting #aj1jjj2 and 7#b7 by striking one year and inserting two years4 7c7 ,penalty for theft1 destruction1 concealment1 mutilation1 or alteration of voting systems ,section #ab7b7 of the ,national ,voter ,registration ,act of #aiic 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #bjeaa7 is amended-- 7#a7 by striking or at the end of subparagraph 7,a72 7#b7 by striking the comma at the end of subparagraph 7,b7 and inserting 2 or2 and 7#c7 by adding at the end the following new subparagraph3 7,c7 the theft1 destruction1 concealment1 mutilation1 or alteration of voting systems2 4