,,ii  #aahth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #ciab  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,march #ab1    
#bjbd,mr4 ,ossoff introduced the        
following bill2 which was read twice and
 referred to the ,committee on ,rules   
and ,administration  ,a ,,bill  ,to     
protect election workers and polling    
places4  #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may
 be cited as the ,election ,worker and  
,polling ,place ,protection ,act4  #b4  
,prohibition on interference and        
intimidation ,section #aa of the ,voting
 ,rights ,act of #aife 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4   
#ajcjg7 is amended by adding at the end 
the following3  7f7 7#a7 7,a7 ,whoever1 
whether or not acting under color of    
law1 by force or threat of force1 or by 
violence or threat of violence to any   
person or property1 willfully interferes
 with or attempts to interfere with1 the
 ability of any person or any class of  
persons to vote or qualify to vote1 or  
to qualify or act as a poll watcher or  
as any legally authorized election      

official1 in any primary1 special1 or   
general election1 or any person who is1 
or is employed by1 an agent1 contractor1
 or vendor of a legally authorized      
election official assisting in the      
administration of any primary1 special1 
or general election to assist in that   
administration1 shall be fined not more 
than #b1ejj1 or imprisoned not more than
 #f months1 or both4  7,b7 ,whoever1    
whether or not acting under color of    
law1 by force or threat of force1 or by 
violence or threat of violence to any   
person or property1 willfully           
intimidates or attempts to intimidate1  
any person or any class of persons      
seeking to vote or qualify to vote1 or  
to qualify or act as a poll watcher or  
as any legally authorized election      
official1 in any primary1 special1 or   
general election1 or any person who is1 
or is employed by1 an agent1 contractor1
 or vendor of a legally authorized      
election official assisting in the      
administration of any primary1 special1 

or general election1 shall be fined not 
more than #b1ejj1 or imprisoned not more
 than #f months1 or both4  7,c7 ,if     
bodily injury results from an act       
committed in violation of this paragraph
 or if such act includes the use1       
attempted use1 or threatened use of a   
dangerous weapon1 an explosive1 or fire1
 then1 in lieu of the remedy described  
in subparagraph 7,a7 or 7,b71 the       
violator shall be fined not more than   
#e1jjj or imprisoned not more than #a   
year1 or both4  7#b7 7,a7 ,whoever1     
whether or not acting under color of    
law1 willfully physically damages or    
threatens to physically damage any      
physical property being used as a       
polling place or tabulation center or   
other election infrastructure1 with the 
intent to interfere with the            
administration of a primary1 general1 or
 special election or the tabulation or  
certification of votes for such an      
election1 shall be fined not more than  
#b1ejj1 or imprisoned not more than #f  

months1 or both4  7,b7 ,if bodily injury
 results from an act committed in       
violation of this paragraph or if such  
act includes the use1 attempted use1 or 
threatened use of a dangerous weapon1 an
 explosive1 or fire1 then1 in lieu of   
the remedy described in subparagraph    
7,a71 the violator shall be fined not   
more than #e1jjj or imprisoned not more 
than #a year1 or both4  7#c7 ,for       
purposes of this subsection1 de minimus 
damage or a threat of de minimus damage 
to physical property shall not be       
considered a violation of this          
subsection4  7#d7 ,for purposes of this 
subsection1 the term election           
infrastructure means any office of a    
legally authorized election official1 or
 a staffer1 worker1 or volunteer1       
assisting such an election official or  
any physical1 mechanical1 or electrical 
device1 structure1 or tangible item1    
used in the process of creating1        
distributing1 voting1 returning1        
counting1 tabulating1 auditing1 storing1

 or other handling of voter registration
 or ballot information4  7g7 ,no        
prosecution of any offense described in 
subsection 7f7 may be undertaken by the 
,united ,states1 except under the       
certification in writing of the         
,attorney ,general1 or a designee1      
that-- 7#a7 the ,state does not have    
jurisdiction2  7#b7 the ,state has      
requested that the ,federal ,government 
assume jurisdiction2 or  7#c7 a         
prosecution by the ,united ,states is in
 the public interest and necessary to   
secure substantial justice4  4