,i #aahth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #aed ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,january #i1 #bjbc,mr4 ,fitzpatrick introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,house ,administration ,a ,,bill ,to ensure election integrity and security by establishing consistent photo identification requirements for voting in elections for ,federal office1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,securing our ,elections ,act of #bjbc4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,free1 fair1 and secure elections are necessary to the prosperity of democracy in the ,united ,states and around the world4 7#b7 ,the right to vote is a crucial aspect of ,american citizenship and must be protected from any potential interference1 abuse1 and fraud4 7#c7 ,the passage of the ,help ,america ,vote ,act of #bjjb improved and standardized ,state and local governments' administration of ,federal elections1 but lacked strong provisions to validate a voter's identity prior to their voting4 7#d7 ,in #bjje1 the bipartisan ,commission on ,federal ,election ,reform co-chaired by former ,democratic ,president ,jimmy ,carter and former ,republican ,secretary of ,state ,james ,a4 ,baker ,,iii released a report which explicitly recommended that ,states require voters to use a valid identification that includes their full legal name1 date of birth1 a signature1 and a photo4 7#e7 ,a public survey conducted by the reputable1 nonpartisan ,monmouth ,university ,polling ,institute in ,june #bjba indicated that an overwhelming #hj percent of ,americans support requiring voters to show a photo identification in order to vote4 7#f7 ,valid identification is required by the ,states and the ,federal ,government for a multitude of serious purposes in public life such as driving or renting a car1 boarding an airplane or train1 traveling within and outside of the ,united ,states1 purchasing alcohol or controlled substances1 picking up prescription medication1 opening a bank account or cashing a check1 applying for employment or housing opportunities1 and much more4 7#g7 ,as determined by the ,congressional ,research ,service1 #afa nations worldwide--approximately #hc percent--require their citizens to present a form of identification in order to vote1 including #ch of the top #ej most democratic nations identified by the ,democracy ,index #bjba4 7#h7 ,more than two-thirds of the ,states already request or require citizens to show a form of identification in order to vote1 #bb of which request or require a photo identification for the purposes of voting4 #c4 ,requiring voters to provide photo identification 7a7 ,requirement ,to provide photo identification as condition of casting ballot 7#a7 ,in general ,title ,,iii of the ,help ,america ,vote ,act of #bjjb 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #bajha et seq47 is amended by inserting after section #cjc the following new section3 #cjc;,a4 ,photo identification requirements 7a7 ,provision of identification required as condition of casting ballot 7#a7 ,individuals voting in person 7,a7 ,requirement to provide identification ,notwithstanding any other provision of law and except as provided in subparagraph 7,b71 the appropriate ,state or local election official may not provide a ballot for an election for ,federal office to an individual who desires to vote in person unless the individual presents to the official a valid photo identification4 7,b7 ,availability of provisional ballot 7i7 ,in general ,if an individual does not present the identification required under subparagraph 7,a71 the individual shall be permitted to cast a provisional ballot with respect to the election under section #cjb7;a71 except that the appropriate ,state or local election official may not make a determination under section #cjb7;a77#d7 that the individual is eligible under ,state law to vote in the election unless1 not later than #c days after casting the provisional ballot1 the individual presents to the official-- 7,i7 the identification required under subparagraph 7,a72 or 7,,ii7 an affidavit developed and made available to the individual by the ,state attesting that the individual does not possess the identification required under subparagraph 7,a7 because the individual has a religious objection to being photographed4 7ii7 ,no effect on other provisional balloting rules ,nothing in clause 7i7 may be construed to apply to the casting of a provisional ballot pursuant to section #cjb7;a7 or any ,state law for reasons other than the failure to present the identification required under subparagraph 7,a74 7#b7 ,individuals voting other than in person 7,a7 ,in general ,notwithstanding any other provision of law and except as provided in subparagraph 7,b71 the appropriate ,state or local election official may not accept any ballot for an election for ,federal office provided by an individual who votes other than in person unless the individual submits with the ballot-- 7i7 a copy of a valid photo identification2 or 7ii7 the last four digits of the individual's ,social ,security number and an affidavit developed and made available to the individual by the ,state attesting that the individual is unable to obtain a copy of a valid photo identification after making reasonable efforts to obtain such a copy4 7,b7 ,exception for overseas military voters ,subparagraph 7,a7 does not apply with respect to a ballot provided by an absent uniformed services voter who1 by reason of active duty or service1 is absent from the ,united ,states on the date of the election involved4 ,in this subparagraph1 the term absent uniformed services voter has the meaning given such term in section #ajg7a7 of the ,uniformed and ,overseas ,citizens ,absentee ,voting ,act 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #bjcaj7a771 other than an individual described in section #ajg7a77;,c7 of such ,act4 7b7 ,providing certain assistance to individuals unable ,to pay costs of obtaining identification or otherwise unable ,to obtain identification 7#a7 ,provision of identification without charge to certain individuals ,if an individual presents a ,state official at the appropriate ,state agency or department designated by the ,state with an affidavit developed and made available to the individual by the ,state attesting that the individual is unable to pay the costs associated with obtaining a valid photo identification under this section1 or attesting that the individual is otherwise unable to obtain a valid photo identification under this section after making reasonable efforts to obtain such an identification1 the official shall provide the individual with a valid photo identification under this subsection without charge to the individual4 7#b7 ,public access to digital imaging devices ,with respect to each ,state1 the appropriate ,state or local government official of the ,state shall ensure1 to the extent practicable1 public access to a digital imaging device1 which shall include a printer1 copier1 image scanner1 or multifunction machine1 at ,state and local government buildings in the ,state1 including courts1 libraries1 and police stations1 for the purpose of allowing individuals to use such a device at no cost to the individual to make a copy of a valid photo identification4 7c7 ,valid photo identifications described ,for purposes of this section1 a valid photo identification means1 with respect to an individual who seeks to vote in a ,state1 any of the following3 7#a7 ,a valid ,state-issued motor vehicle driver's license that includes a photo of the individual and an expiration date4 7#b7 ,a valid ,state-issued identification card that includes a photo of the individual and an expiration date4 7#c7 ,a valid ,united ,states passport for the individual4 7#d7 ,a valid military identification for the individual4 7#e7 ,any other form of government-issued identification that the ,state may specify as a valid photo identification for purposes of this subsection4 7d7 ,notification of identification requirement to applicants for voter registration 7#a7 ,in general ,each ,state shall ensure that1 at the time an individual applies to register to vote in elections for ,federal office in the ,state1 the appropriate ,state or local election official notifies the individual of the photo identification requirements of this section4 7#b7 ,special rule for individuals applying to register to vote online ,each ,state shall ensure that1 in the case of an individual who applies to register to vote in elections for ,federal office in the ,state online1 the online voter registration system notifies the individual of the photo identification requirements of this section before the individual completes the online registration process4 7e7 ,treatment of ,states with certain photo identification requirements in effect as of date of enactment ,if1 as of the date of the enactment of this section1 a ,state has in effect a law that satisfies or exceeds the requirements of this section for an individual to provide a photo identification as a condition of casting a ballot in elections for ,federal office held in the ,state and the law remains in effect on and after the effective date of this section1 the ,state shall be considered to meet the requirements of this section if-- 7#a7 the ,state submits a request to the ,attorney ,general and provides such information as the ,attorney ,general may consider necessary to determine that the ,state has in effect such a law and that the law remains in effect2 and 7#b7 the ,attorney ,general-- 7,a7 approves the request2 or 7,b7 fails to issue a determination with respect to the request during the #ahj-;day period that begins on the date the ,state submits such request4 7f7 ,effective date ,this section shall apply with respect to elections for ,federal office held in #bjbd or any succeeding year4 4 7#b7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of contents of such ,act is amended by inserting after the item relating to section #cjc the following new item3 ,sec4 #cjc;,a4 ,photo identification requirements4 4 7b7 ,conforming amendment relating to voluntary guidance by ,election ,assistance ,commission ,section #caa7;b7 of such ,act 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #baaja7;b77 is amended-- 7#a7 by striking and at the end of paragraph 7#b72 7#b7 by striking the period at the end of paragraph 7#c7 and inserting 2 and2 and 7#c7 by adding at the end the following new paragraph3 7#d7 in the case of the recommendations with respect to section #cjc;,a1 ,october #a1 #bjbc4 4 7c7 ,conforming amendment relating to enforcement ,section #dja of such ,act 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #baaaa7 is amended by striking and #cjc and inserting #cjc1 and #cjc;,a4 7d7 ,conforming amendments relating to repeal of existing photo identification requirements for certain voters 7#a7 ,in general ,section #cjc of such ,act 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #bajhc7 is amended-- 7,a7 in the heading1 by striking and requirements for voters who register by mail2 7,b7 in the heading of subsection 7b71 by striking for ,voters ,who ,register by ,mail and inserting for ,mail-,in ,registration ,forms2 7,c7 in subsection 7b71 by striking paragraphs 7#a7 through 7#c7 and redesignating paragraphs 7#d7 and 7#e7 as paragraphs 7#a7 and 7#b71 respectively2 and 7,d7 in subsection 7c71 by striking subsections 7a77#e77;,a77i77,,ii7 and 7b77#c77;,b77i77,,ii7 and inserting subsection 7a77#e77;,a77i77,,ii74 7#b7 ,clerical ,amendment ,the table of contents of such ,act is amended by amending the item relating to section #cjc to read as follows3 ,sec4 #cjc4 ,computerized statewide voter registration list requirements4 4 7e7 ,effective ,date ,this section and the amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to elections for ,federal office held in #bjbd or any succeeding year4