,,ii  #aahth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #bhda  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,september #ai1
 #bjbc,ms4 ,klobuchar 7for herself1     
,mrs4 ,gillibrand1 ,mr4 ,padilla1 ,mr4  
,blumenthal1 ,ms4 ,warren1 ,mr4 ,wyden1 
,mr4 ,kaine1 ,mr4 ,merkley1 ,ms4 ,smith1
 ,mr4 ,booker1 ,ms4 ,hirono1 ,mr4       
,markey1 ,mr4 ,casey1 and ,mr4          
,menendez7 introduced the following     
bill2 which was read twice and referred 
to the ,committee on ,rules and         
,administration  ,a ,,bill  ,to improve 
voter access to the ballot box through  
automatic voter registration1 and for   
other purposes4  #a4 ,short title ,this 
,act may be cited as the ,register      
,america to ,vote ,act of #bjbc4  #b4   
,findings and purpose  7a7 ,findings and
 purpose  7#a7 ,findings ,congress finds
 that-- 7,a7 the right to vote is a     
fundamental right of citizens of the    
,united ,states2  7,b7 it is the        
responsibility of ,federal and ,state   
governments to ensure that every        

eligible citizen is registered to vote2 
7,c7 existing voter registration systems
 can be inaccurate1 costly1             
inaccessible1 and confusing1 with       
damaging effects on voter participation 
in elections for ,federal office and    
disproportionate impacts on young       
people1 individuals with disabilities1  
and racial and ethnic minorities2 and   
7,d7 voter registration systems must be 
updated with #bast century technologies 
and procedures to maintain their        
security4  7#b7 ,purpose ,it is the     
purpose of this ,act-- 7,a7 to establish
 that it is the responsibility of       
government to ensure that all eligible  
citizens are registered to vote in      
elections for ,federal office2  7,b7 to 
enable the ,state governments to        
register all eligible citizens to vote  
with accurate1 cost-efficient1 and      
up-to-date procedures2  7,c7 to         
modernize voter registration and list   
maintenance procedures with electronic  
and internet capabilities2 and  7,d7 to 

protect and enhance the integrity1      
accuracy1 efficiency1 and accessibility 
of the electoral process for all        
eligible citizens4  #c4 ,definitions ,in
 this ,act1 the following definitions   
apply3 7#a7 ,the term chief ,state      
election official means1 with respect to
 a ,state1 the individual designated by 
the ,state under section #aj of the     
,national ,voter ,registration ,act of  
#aiic 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #bjeji7 to be      
responsible for coordination of the     
responsibilities under that ,act4  7#b7 
,the term ,state means each of the      
several ,states1 the ,district of       
,columbia1 the ,commonwealth of ,puerto 
,rico1 the ,united ,states ,virgin      
,islands1 ,guam1 ,american ,samoa1 and  
the ,commonwealth of the ,northern      
,mariana ,islands4  #d4 ,automatic      
registration of individuals turning #ah 
years of age  7a7 ,requirement ,except  
as provided in subsection 7b71 the chief
 ,state election official of each ,state
 shall establish and operate a system of

 automatic registration for the         
registration of any eligible individual 
on the date on which the individual     
turns #ah in order that the individual  
may vote in elections for ,federal      
office in the ,state4  7b7 ,exception   
,the requirement under paragraph 7#a7   
shall not apply to a ,state in which1   
under a ,state law in effect            
continuously on and after the date of   
the enactment of this section1 there is 
no voter registration requirement for   
individuals in the ,state with respect  
to elections for ,federal office4  #e4  
,automatic registration of eligible     
individuals  7a7 ,in general ,the       
,national ,voter ,registration ,act of  
#aiic 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #bjejd7 is amended 
by inserting after section #e the       
following new section3  #e;,a4          
,automatic registration by ,state motor 
vehicle authority  7a7 ,definitions ,in 
this section-- 7#a7 ,applicable agency  
,the term applicable agency means1 with 
respect to a ,state1 the ,state motor   

vehicle authority responsible for motor 
vehicle driver's licenses under ,state  
law4  7#b7 ,applicable transaction ,the 
term applicable transaction means-- 7,a7
 an application to an applicable agency 
for a motor vehicle driver's license2   
and  7,b7 any other service or          
assistance 7including for a change of   
address7 provided by an applicable      
agency4  7#c7 ,automatic registration   
,the term automatic registration means a
 system that registers an individual to 
vote and updates existing voter         
registration in elections for ,federal  
office in a ,state1 if eligible1 by     
electronically transferring the         
information necessary for registration  
from the applicable agency to election  
officials of the ,state in order that1  
unless the individual affirmatively     
declines to be registered or to update  
any voter registration1 the individual  
will be registered to vote in those     
elections4  7#d7 ,eligible individual   
,the term eligible individual means1    

with respect to an election for ,federal
 office1 an individual who is otherwise 
qualified to vote in that election4     
7#e7 ,register to vote ,the term        
register to vote includes updating the  
existing voter registration of an       
individual4  7b7 ,establishment  7#a7   
,in general ,the chief ,state election  
official of each ,state shall establish 
and operate a system of automatic       
registration for the registration of    
eligible individuals to vote for        
elections for ,federal office in the    
,state1 in accordance with the          
provisions of this section4  7#b7       
,registration of voters based on new    
agency records  7,a7 ,in general ,the   
chief ,state election official shall--  
7i7 subject to subparagraph 7,b71 ensure
 that each eligible individual who      
completes an applicable transaction and 
does not decline to register to vote is 
registered to vote-- 7,i7 in the next   
election for ,federal office 7and       
subsequent elections for ,federal       

office71 if an applicable agency        
transmits information under subsection  
7c77#a77;,e7 with respect to the        
individual not later than the applicable
 date2 and  7,,ii7 in subsequent        
elections for ,federal office1 if an    
applicable agency transmits information 
under subsection 7c77#a77;,e7 with      
respect to the individual after the     
applicable date2 and  7ii7 not later    
than #fj days after the receipt of      
information described in subsection     
7c77#a77;,e7 with respect to an         
individual1 send written notice to the  
individual1 in addition to other means  
of notice established under this        
section1 of the voter registration      
status of the individual4  7,b7         
,applicable date ,for purposes of this  
subsection1 the term 8applicable date0  
means1 with respect to any election for 
,federal office1 the later of-- 7i7 the 
date that is #bh days before the date of
 the election2 or  7ii7 the last day of 
the period provided by ,state law for   

voter registration with respect to such 
election4  7,c7 ,clarification ,nothing 
in this subsection shall prevent a chief
 ,state election official from          
registering an eligible individual to   
vote in the next election for ,federal  
office in the ,state1 including if an   
applicable agency transmits information 
under subsection 7c77#a77;,e7 with      
respect to the individual after the     
applicable date4  7#c7 ,treatment of    
individuals under #ah years of age  7,a7
 ,in general ,except as provided in     
subparagraph 7,b71 a ,state may not     
refuse to treat an individual as an     
eligible individual for purposes of this
 section on the grounds that the        
individual is less than #ah years of age
 on the date on which an applicable     
agency receives information with respect
 to the individual1 provided that the   
individual is not less than #af years of
 age at that time4  7,b7 ,exception     
,nothing in subparagraph 7,a7 may be    
construed to require a ,state to permit 

an individual who is less than #ah years
 of age on the date of an election for  
,federal office to vote in the election4
  7c7 ,applicable agency                
responsibilities  7#a7 ,instructions on 
automatic registration for agencies     
collecting citizenship information  7,a7
 ,in general ,except as otherwise       
provided in this section1 in the case of
 any applicable transaction for which an
 applicable agency 7in the normal course
 of the operations7 requests 7either    
directly or as part of the overall      
application submitted for the applicable
 transaction7 that an individual affirm 
that the individual is a ,united ,states
 citizen1 the applicable agency shall   
inform each such individual who is a    
citizen of the ,united ,states of the   
following3 7i7 ,unless the individual   
declines to register to vote1 or is     
found ineligible to vote-- 7,i7 the     
individual will be registered to vote2  
or  7,,ii7 if applicable1 the voter     
registration of the individual will be  

updated4  7ii7 ,with respect to the     
qualification to register to vote-- 7,i7
 the substantive qualifications of an   
elector in the ,state as listed in the  
mail voter registration application form
 for elections for ,federal office      
prescribed pursuant to section #i2      
7,,ii7 the consequences of false        
registration2 and  7,,iii7 how the      
individual should decline to register to
 vote if the individual does not meet   
requirements for eligibility to vote in 
a ,federal election4  7iii7 ,in the case
 of a ,state in which affiliation or    
enrollment with a political party is    
required in order to participate in an  
election for ,federal office to select  
the candidate of the political party1   
the requirement that the individual     
must1 in registering to vote1 affiliate 
or enroll with a political party in     
order to participate in such an         
election4  7iv7 ,with respect to voter  
registration by an individual-- 7,i7    
voter registration is voluntary2  7,,ii7

 whether the individual registers or    
declines to register to vote shall not  
affect the availability of any service  
or benefit2 and  7,,iii7 information    
relating to whether the individual      
registers or declines to register to    
vote may not be used for other purposes4
  7,b7 ,individuals with limited        
,english proficiency  7i7 ,covered      
individual ,for purposes of this        
subparagraph1 the term covered          
individual means an individual          
conducting an applicable transaction--  
7,i7 who is a member of a group that    
constitutes not less than #c percent of 
the overall population of the ,state1 as
 determined by the ,united ,states      
,census ,bureau1 served by the          
applicable agency2 and  7,,ii7 who is   
limited ,english proficient4  7ii7      
,requirement ,in providing information  
pursuant to subparagraph 7,a71 an       
applicable agency shall provide the     
information to any covered individual   
served by the applicable agency in a    

language understood by the covered      
individual4  7,c7 ,clarification of     
procedures for ineligible voters ,an    
applicable agency may not provide an    
individual who did not affirm ,united   
,states citizenship1 or for whom the    
applicable agency has conclusive        
documentary evidence obtained through   
the normal course of operations of the  
applicable agency that the individual is
 not a ,united ,states citizen1 the     
opportunity to register to vote under   
subparagraph 7,a74  7,d7 ,opportunity to
 decline registration required  7i7 ,in 
general ,except as otherwise provided in
 this section1 each applicable agency   
shall ensure that each applicable       
transaction described in subparagraph   
7,a7 may not be completed unless the    
individual is given the opportunity to  
decline to be registered to vote4  7ii7 
,language requirement ,if an individual 
is a covered individual1 as defined in  
subparagraph 7,b77i71 the covered       
individual shall be given the           

opportunity to decline to be registered 
to vote in a language understood by the 
covered individual4  7,e7 ,information  
transmittal ,not later than #aj days    
after an applicable transaction with an 
eligible individual1 if the eligible    
individual did not decline to be        
registered to vote1 the applicable      
agency shall electronically transmit to 
the appropriate ,state election official
 the following information with respect 
to the eligible individual3 7i7 ,the    
given name and surname of the eligible  
individual4  7ii7 ,the date of birth of 
the eligible individual4  7iii7 ,the    
residential address of the individual4  
7iv7 ,information showing that the      
individual is a citizen of the ,united  
,states4  7v7 ,the date on which        
information pertaining to the eligible  
individual was collected or most        
recently updated4  7vi7 ,if available1  
the signature of the eligible individual
 in electronic form4  7vii7 ,in the case
 of a ,state in which affiliation or    

enrollment with a political party is    
required in order to participate in an  
election to select the candidate of the 
political party in an election for      
,federal office1 information relating to
 the affiliation or enrollment of the   
eligible individual with a political    
party1 if the eligible individual       
provides that information4  7viii7 ,any 
additional information listed in the    
mail voter registration application form
 for elections for ,federal office      
prescribed pursuant to section #i1      
including1 if the eligible individual   
provides such information-- 7,i7 the    
valid driver's license number of the    
eligible individual2 and  7,,ii7 the    
last #d digits of the social security   
number of the eligible individual4  7,f7
 ,provision of information relating to  
participation in primary elections ,in  
the case of a ,state in which           
affiliation or enrollment with a        
political party is required in order to 
participate in an election to select the

 candidate of a political party in an   
election for ,federal office1 if the    
information transmitted under           
subparagraph 7,e7 with respect to an    
eligible individual does not include    
information regarding the affiliation or
 enrollment with a political party of   
the eligible individual1 the chief      
,state election official shall-- 7i7    
notify the eligible individual that such
 affiliation or enrollment is required  
to participate in any primary election  
for ,federal office2 and  7ii7 provide  
an opportunity for the eligible         
individual to update the registration of
 the eligible individual to denote the  
party affiliation or enrollment of the  
eligible individual4  7,g7              
,clarification ,nothing in this section 
shall be construed to require an        
applicable agency to transmit to an     
election official the information       
described in subparagraph 7,e7 with     
respect to an individual who is         
ineligible to vote in an election for   

,federal office in the ,state1 except to
 the extent required to pre-register a  
citizen between #af and #ah years of    
age4  7#b7 ,alternate procedure for     
certain other applicable agencies ,with 
each applicable transaction for which an
 applicable agency 7in the normal course
 of the operations of the applicable    
agency7 does not request an individual  
to affirm ,united ,states citizenship   
7either directly or as part of the      
overall application for service or      
assistance71 the applicable agency      
shall-- 7,a7 complete the requirements  
under section #e2  7,b7 ensure that each
 transaction by an individual with the  
applicable agency may not be completed  
unless the individual indicates whether 
the individual wishes to register to    
vote or declines to register to vote in 
elections for ,federal office held in   
the ,state2 and  7,c7 for each          
individual who wishes to register to    
vote1 transmit the information relating 
to the individual described in paragraph

 7#a77;,e71 unless the applicable agency
 has conclusive documentary evidence    
obtained through the normal course of   
operations of the applicable agency that
 the individual is not a ,united ,states
 citizen4  7#c7 ,required availability  
of automatic registration opportunity   
with each application for service or    
assistance ,each applicable agency shall
 offer each eligible individual1 in     
conducting each applicable transaction1 
the opportunity to register to vote as  
prescribed by this section without      
regard to whether the individual        
previously declined an opportunity to   
register to vote4  7d7 ,voter protection
  7#a7 ,protection of information by    
applicable agencies ,nothing in this    
section may be construed to authorize an
 applicable agency to collect1 retain1  
transmit1 or publicly disclose any of   
the following1 except as necessary to   
comply with title ,,iii of the ,civil   
,rights ,act of #aifj 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4    
#bjgja et seq473 7,a7 ,the decision of  

an individual to decline to register to 
vote4  7,b7 ,the decision of an         
individual not to affirm the citizenship
 of the individual4  7,c7 ,any          
information that an applicable agency   
transmits pursuant to subsection        
7c77#a77;,e71 except in carrying out the
 ordinary course of business of the     
applicable agency4  7#b7 ,protection of 
information by elections officials  7,a7
 ,public disclosure prohibited  7i7 ,in 
general ,except as provided in clause   
7ii71 with respect to any individual    
with respect to whom any appropriate    
,state election official receives       
information from an applicable agency1  
the ,state election official shall not  
publicly disclose-- 7,i7 any information
 not necessary to voter registration2   
7,,ii7 any information of the individual
 otherwise protected from disclosure    
pursuant to section #h7;a7 or ,state    
law2  7,,iii7 any portion of the social 
security number of the individual2      
7,,iv7 any portion of the motor vehicle 

driver's license number of the          
individual2  7,v7 the signature of the  
individual2  7,,vi7 the telephone number
 of the individual2 or  7,,vii7 the     
email address of the individual4  7ii7  
,special rule for individuals registered
 to vote ,the prohibition on public     
disclosure under clause 7i7 shall not   
apply with respect to the telephone     
number or email address of any          
individual-- 7,i7 for whom any ,state   
election official receives information  
from the applicable agency2 and  7,,ii7 
who1 on the basis of such information1  
is registered to vote in the ,state     
under this section4  7e7 ,miscellaneous 
provisions  7#a7 ,accessibility of      
registration services ,each applicable  
agency shall ensure that the voter      
registration services the applicable    
agency provides under this section are  
made available to individuals with      
disabilities to the same extent as      
services are made available to all other
 individuals4  7#b7 ,transmission       

through secure third party permitted    
,nothing in the ,register ,america to   
,vote ,act of #bjbc or this section     
shall be construed to prevent an        
applicable agency from contracting with 
a third party to assist the applicable  
agency in meeting the information       
transmittal requirements under this     
section1 provided that the information  
transmittal complies with the applicable
 requirements of this section1 including
 provisions relating privacy and        
security4  7#c7 ,nonpartisan1           
nondiscriminatory provision of services 
,the services made available by         
applicable agencies under this section  
shall be made in a manner consistent    
with paragraphs 7#d71 7#e71 and         
7#f77;,c7 of section #g7;a74  7#d7      
,notices  7,a7 ,electronic notices ,each
 ,state may send notices under this     
section via electronic mail if the      
individual has provided an electronic   
mail address and consented to electronic
 mail communications for                

election-related materials4  7,b7       
,response ,any notice sent pursuant to  
this section that requires a response   
shall offer the individual to whom the  
notice is sent the opportunity to       
respond to the notice at no cost to the 
individual4  7#e7 ,registration at other
 ,state offices permitted ,nothing in   
this section may be construed to        
prohibit a ,state from offering voter   
registration services described in this 
section at offices of the ,state other  
than the ,state motor vehicle authority4
  7f7 ,applicability  7#a7 ,in general  
,this section shall not apply to an     
exempt ,state4  7#b7 ,exempt ,state ,the
 term exempt ,state means a ,state that1
 under law that is in effect on or after
 the date of enactment of this ,act1    
either-- 7,a7 has no voter registration 
requirement for any voter in the ,state 
with respect to a ,federal election2 or 
7,b7 operates a system of automatic     
registration 7as defined in subsection  
7a77-- 7i7 at the motor vehicle         

authority of the ,state2 or  7ii7 a     
,permanent ,dividend ,fund of the ,state
 under which an individual is provided  
the opportunity to decline to register  
to vote-- 7,i7 during the transaction2  
or  7,,ii7 by notice sent by mail or    
electronically after the transaction4  4
  7b7 ,conforming amendments  7#a7      
,section #d7;a7 of the ,national ,voter 
,registration ,act of #aiic 7#eb        
,u4,s4,c4 #bjejc7;a77 is amended by--   
7,a7 redesignating paragraphs 7#b7 and  
7#c7 as paragraphs 7#c7 and 7#d71       
respectively2 and  7,b7 inserting after 
paragraph 7#a7 the following3  7#b7 by  
application made simultaneously with an 
application for a motor vehicle driver's
 license pursuant to section #e;,a2  4  
7#b7 ,section #d7;b7 of the ,national   
,voter ,registration ,act of #aiic 7#eb 
,u4,s4,c4 #bjejc7;b77 is amended-- 7,a7 
by redesignating paragraphs 7#a7 and    
7#b7 as subparagraphs 7,a7 and 7,b71    
respectively1 and indenting             
appropriately2  7,b7 by striking        

,states4--,this ,act and inserting      
8,states4--  7#a7 ,in general ,except as
 provided in paragraph 7#b71 this ,act  
2 and  7,c7 by adding at the end the    
following new paragraph3  7#b7          
,application of automatic registration  
requirements ,section #e;,a shall apply 
to a ,state described in paragraph 7#a71
 unless the ,state is an exempt ,state  
as defined in subsection 7f77#b7 of that
 section4  4  7#c7 ,section #h7;a77#a7  
of the ,national ,voter ,registration   
,act of #aiic 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4            
#bjejg7;a77#a77 is amended by           
redesignating subparagraphs 7,b71 7,c71 
and 7,d7 as subparagraphs 7,c71 7,d71   
and 7,e71 respectively1 and by inserting
 after subparagraph 7,a7 the following3 
7,b7 in the case of registration under  
section #e;,a1 within the period        
provided in section #e;,a7b77#b72  4    
#f4 ,voter protection and security in   
automatic registration  7a7 ,protections
 for errors in registration ,an         
individual shall not be prosecuted under

 any ,federal or ,state law1 adversely  
affected in any civil adjudication      
concerning immigration status or        
naturalization1 or subject to an        
allegation in any legal proceeding that 
the individual is not a citizen of the  
,united ,states for any of the following
 reasons3 7#a7 ,the individual notifies 
an election office of the individual's  
automatic registration to vote4  7#b7   
,the individual is not eligible to vote 
in elections for ,federal office but was
 automatically registered to vote due to
 individual or applicable agency error4 
7#c7 ,the individual was automatically  
registered to vote at an address that is
 not the correct residential address of 
the individual4  7#d7 ,the individual   
declined the opportunity to register to 
vote or did not make an affirmation of  
citizenship when registering to vote1   
including through automatic             
registration4  7b7 ,limits on use of    
automatic registration ,the automatic   
registration 7as defined in section     

#e;,a of the ,national ,voter           
,registration ,act of #aiic7 of any     
individual1 or the fact that an         
individual declined the opportunity to  
register to vote or did not make an     
affirmation of citizenship 7including   
through automatic registration71 may not
 be used as evidence against that       
individual in any ,state or ,federal law
 enforcement proceeding or any civil    
adjudication concerning immigration     
status or naturalization1 and the lack  
of knowledge or willfulness of the      
individual in such registration may be  
demonstrated by the testimony of the    
individual alone4  7c7 ,protection of   
election integrity ,nothing in          
subsection 7a7 or 7b7 shall be construed
 to prohibit or restrict any action     
under color of law against an individual
 who-- 7#a7 knowingly and willfully     
makes a false statement to effectuate or
 perpetuate automatic voter registration
 by any individual2 or  7#b7 casts a    
ballot knowingly and willfully in       

violation of ,state law or the laws of  
the ,united ,states4  7d7 ,protection of
 information by elections officials     
7#a7 ,voter record changes ,each ,state 
shall maintain for at least #b years1   
and shall make available for public     
inspection 7and1 where available1       
photocopying at a reasonable cost71     
including in electronic form and through
 electronic methods1 all records of     
changes to voter records1 including     
removals1 the reasons for removals1 and 
updates4  7#b7 ,database management     
standards ,not later than #a year after 
the date of enactment of this ,act1 the 
,director of the ,national ,institute of
 ,standards and ,technology1 in         
consultation with ,state and local      
election officials representing         
geographic and socio-economic diversity1
 and the ,election ,assistance          
,commission1 shall1 after providing the 
public with notice and the opportunity  
to comment-- 7,a7 establish standards   
governing the comparison of data for    

voter registration list maintenance     
purposes1 identifying as part of those  
standards the specific data elements1   
the matching rules used1 and how a      
,state may use the data to determine and
 deem that an individual is ineligible  
under ,state law to vote in an election1
 or to deem a record to be a duplicate  
or outdated2  7,b7 ensure that the      
standards developed under this paragraph
 are uniform and nondiscriminatory and  
are applied in a uniform and            
nondiscriminatory manner2  7,c7 not     
later than #de days after the deadline  
for public notice and comment2 7i7      
publish the standards developed under   
this paragraph on the website of the    
,national ,institute of ,standards and  
,technology2 and  7ii7 make the         
standards developed under this paragraph
 available in written form upon request2
 and  7,d7 ensure that the standards    
developed under this paragraph are      
maintained and updated in a manner that 
reflects innovations and best practices 

in the security of database management4 
7#c7 ,security policy  7,a7 ,in general 
,not later than #a year after the date  
of enactment of this ,act1 the ,director
 of the ,national ,institute of         
,standards and ,technology shall1 after 
providing the public with notice and the
 opportunity to comment1 publish privacy
 and security standards for voter       
registration information not later than 
#de days after the deadline for public  
notice and comment4  7,b7 ,requirement  
,the standards developed under this     
paragraph shall require the chief ,state
 election official of each ,state to    
adopt a policy that shall specify-- 7i7 
each class of users who have authorized 
access to the computerized statewide    
voter registration list-- 7,i7          
specifying for each class the permission
 and levels of access to be granted2 and
  7,,ii7 setting forth other safeguards 
to protect the privacy1 security1 and   
accuracy of the information on voter    
registration lists2 and  7ii7 security  

safeguards to protect personal          
information transmitted through-- 7,i7  
the information transmittal processes of
 section #e;,a7b7 of the ,national      
,voter ,registration ,act of #aiic2     
7,,ii7 any telephone interface2  7,,iii7
 the maintenance of the voter           
registration database2 and  7,,iv7 any  
audit procedure to track access to the  
system4  7,c7 ,maintenance and updating 
,the ,director of the ,national         
,institute of ,standards and ,technology
 shall ensure that the standards        
developed under this paragraph are      
maintained and updated in a manner that 
reflects innovations and best practices 
in the privacy and security of voter    
registration information4  7#d7 ,state  
compliance with national standards  7,a7
 ,certification ,each chief ,state      
election official of the ,state shall   
annually file with the ,election        
,assistance ,commission a statement     
certifying to the ,director of the      
,national ,institute of ,standards and  

,technology that the ,state is in       
compliance with the standards developed 
under paragraphs 7#b7 and 7#c71 which   
requirement may be met if the chief     
,state election official submits to the 
,election ,assistance ,commission a     
statement that states1  hereby certifies
 that  is in compliance with the        
standards referred to in paragraphs 7#b7
 and 7#c7 of section #f7;d7 of the      
,register ,america to ,vote ,act of     
#bjbc41 with the blank spaces to be     
completed with the name of the relevant 
,state4  7,b7 ,publication of policies  
and procedures ,the chief ,state        
election official of a ,state shall--   
7i7 publish on the website of the chief 
,state election official the policies   
and procedures established under this   
section2 and  7ii7 make those policies  
and procedures available in written form
 upon public request4  7,c7 ,funding    
dependent on certification ,if a ,state 
does not timely file the certification  
required under subparagraph 7,a71 it    

shall not receive any payment under this
 ,act for the upcoming fiscal year in   
which the ,state fails to make such     
certification4  7,d7 ,compliance of     
,states that require changes to ,state  
law ,in the case of a ,state that       
requires ,state legislation to carry out
 an activity covered by any             
certification submitted under this      
paragraph-- 7i7 for a period of not more
 than #b years1 the ,state shall be     
permitted to make the certification     
notwithstanding that the legislation has
 not been enacted on the date on which  
the ,state submits the certification2   
and  7ii7 the ,state shall submit an    
additional certification once such      
legislation is enacted4  7e7            
,restrictions on use of information ,no 
person acting under color of law may    
discriminate against any individual     
based on1 or use for any purpose other  
than voter registration1 election       
administration1 juror selection1 or     
enforcement relating to an election     

crime1 any of the following3 7#a7 ,voter
 registration records4  7#b7 ,the       
declination of an individual to register
 to vote or complete an affirmation of  
citizenship under section #e;,a of the  
,national ,voter ,registration ,act of  
#aiic4  7#c7 ,the voter registration    
status of an individual4  7f7           
,prohibition on the use of voter        
registration information for commercial 
purposes  7#a7 ,in general ,information 
collected under this ,act or the        
amendments made by this ,act shall not  
be used for commercial purposes4  7#b7  
,dissemination for political purposes   
,nothing in this subsection shall be    
construed to prohibit the transmission1 
exchange1 or dissemination of           
information for political purposes1     
including the support of campaigns for  
election for ,federal1 ,state1 or local 
public office or the activities of      
political committees 7including         
committees of political parties7 under  
the ,federal ,election ,campaign ,act of

 #aiga 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #cjaja et seq474  
#g4 ,payments and grants  7a7 ,in       
general ,the ,election ,assistance      
,commission shall make grants to each   
eligible ,state under subsection 7b7 to 
assist the ,state in implementing the   
requirements of this ,act and the       
amendments made by this ,act 7or1 in the
 case of an exempt ,state1 in           
implementing the existing automatic     
voter registration program of the exempt
 ,state or expanding the automatic voter
 registration program of the ,state in a
 manner consistent with the requirements
 of this ,act7 with respect to the      
offices of the ,state motor vehicle     
authority and any other offices of the  
,state at which the ,state offers voter 
registration services as described in   
this ,act and the amendments made by    
this ,act4  7b7 ,eligibility2           
application ,a ,state is eligible to    
receive a grant under this section if   
the ,state submits to the ,election     
,assistance ,commission1 at such time   

and in such form as the ,election       
,assistance ,commission may require1 an 
application containing-- 7#a7 a         
description of the activities the ,state
 will carry out with the grant2  7#b7 an
 assurance that the ,state shall carry  
out such activities without partisan    
bias and without promoting any          
particular point of view regarding any  
issue2 and  7#c7 any other information  
and assurances as the ,election         
,assistance ,commission may require4    
7c7 ,amount of grant2 priorities  7#a7  
,amount ,the ,commission shall determine
 the amount of a grant made to an       
eligible ,state under this section4     
7#b7 ,priorities ,in determining the    
amount of a grant1 the ,election        
,assistance ,commission shall give      
priority to providing funds for those   
activities that are most likely to      
accelerate compliance with the          
requirements of this ,act 7or1 in the   
case of an exempt ,state1 that are most 
likely to enhance the ability of the    

exempt ,state to automatically register 
individuals to vote through the existing
 automatic voter registration program of
 the exempt ,state71 including-- 7,a7   
investments supporting electronic       
information transfer1 including         
electronic collection and transfer of   
signatures1 between applicable agencies 
7as defined in section #e;,a of the     
,national ,voter ,registration ,act of  
#aiic7 and the appropriate ,state       
election officials2  7,b7 updates to    
online or electronic voter registration 
systems already operating as of the date
 of the enactment of this ,act2  7,c7   
introduction of online voter            
registration systems in jurisdictions in
 which those systems did not previously 
exist2 and  7,d7 public education on the
 availability of new methods of         
registering to vote1 updating           
registration1 and correcting            
registration4  7d7 ,exempt ,state ,for  
purposes of this section1 the term      
exempt ,state-- 7#a7 has the meaning    

given that term under section           
#e;,a7f77#b7 of the ,national ,voter    
,registration ,act of #aiic2 and  7#b7  
includes a ,state in which1 under law in
 effect on or after the date of the     
enactment of the ,national ,voter       
,registration ,act of #aiic1 there is no
 voter registration requirement for any 
voter in the ,state with respect to an  
election for ,federal office4  7e7      
,authorization of appropriations  7#a7  
,authorization ,there are authorized to 
be appropriated to carry out this       
section-- 7,a7 #c1jjj1jjj1jjj for fiscal
 year #bjbd2 and  7,b7 such sums as may 
be necessary for each succeeding fiscal 
year4  7#b7 ,continuing availability of 
funds ,any amounts appropriated pursuant
 to this subsection shall remain        
available without fiscal year limitation
 until expended4  #h4 ,miscellaneous    
provisions  7a7 ,enforcement ,section   
#aa of the ,national ,voter             
,registration ,act of #aiic 7#eb        
,u4,s4,c4 #bjeaj et seq471 relating to  

civil enforcement and the availability  
of private rights of action1 shall apply
 with respect to this ,act in the same  
manner as such section applies to the   
,national ,voter ,registration ,act of  
#aiic 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #bjeaj et seq474   
7b7 ,relation to other laws ,except as  
provided1 nothing in this ,act or the   
amendments made by this ,act may be     
construed to authorize or require       
conduct prohibited under1 or to         
supersede1 restrict1 or limit the       
application of any of the following3    
7#a7 ,the ,voting ,rights ,act of #aife 
7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #ajcja et seq474  7#b7   
,the ,uniformed and ,overseas ,citizens 
,absentee ,voting ,act 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4   
#bjcja et seq474  7#c7 ,except as       
provided by the amendment made under    
section #e of this ,act1 the ,national  
,voter ,registration ,act of #aiic 7#eb 
,u4,s4,c4 #bjeja et seq474  7#d7 ,the   
,help ,america ,vote ,act of #bjjb 7#eb 
,u4,s4,c4 #bjija et seq474  7#e7 ,the   
,americans with ,disabilities ,act of   

#aiij 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #abaja et seq474   
#i4 ,effective date  7a7 ,in general    
,except as provided in subsection 7b71  
this ,act and the amendments made by    
this ,act shall apply on and after      
,january #a1 #bjbd4  7b7 ,waiver ,if a  
,state certifies to the ,elections      
,assistance ,commission not later than  
,january #a1 #bjbd1 that the ,state will
 not meet the deadline described in     
subsection 7a7 because it would be      
impracticable to do so and includes in  
the certification the reasons for the   
failure to meet that deadline1          
subsection 7a7 shall apply to the ,state
 as if the reference in such subsection 
to ,january #a1 #bjbd were a reference  
to ,january #a1 #bjbf4