,,ii #aaith ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #eabd ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,july #bc1 #bjbf,mr4 ,padilla 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,blumenthal1 ,mr4 ,king1 ,ms4 ,klobuchar1 ,mr4 ,hickenlooper1 ,ms4 ,hirono1 ,ms4 ,slotkin1 and ,ms4 ,baldwin7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,rules and ,administration ,a ,,bill ,to prohibit interference in elections for ,federal office1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,stop ,harassment and ,intimidations in ,elections through ,legal ,defenses 7,,shield7 ,our ,elections ,act4 ,i ,election interference #aja4 ,private right of action for ,federal interference at election locations 7a7 ,in general ,a person who is aggrieved by a violation of section #eib1 #eic1 or #eid of title #ah1 ,united ,states ,code1 may bring a civil action in the appropriate district court for declaratory or injunctive relief to prevent or halt the violation4 7b7 ,attorneys' fees ,in a civil action under this section1 the court may allow the prevailing party 7other than the ,united ,states7 reasonable attorney fees1 including litigation expenses and costs4 7c7 ,no inference ,nothing in this section shall be construed to deny any right otherwise provided under law for relief from any violation of a provision described in subsection 7a74 #ajb4 ,extension of statute of limitations for certain election interference crimes 7a7 ,troops at polls ,section #eib of title #ah1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by adding at the end the following3 ,no person shall be prosecuted1 tried1 or punished for any offense under this section unless the indictment is found or the information is instituted not later than #i years after the date on which the offense was committed4 4 7b7 ,interference by armed forces ,section #eic of title #ah1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by adding at the end the following3 ,no person shall be prosecuted1 tried1 or punished for any offense under this section unless the indictment is found or the information is instituted not later than #i years after the date on which the offense was committed4 4 7c7 ,intimidation of voters ,section #eid of title #ah1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended-- 7#a7 by striking ,whoever intimidates and inserting 7a7 ,in general4--,whoever intimidates2 and 7#b7 by adding at the end the following3 7b7 ,statute of limitations ,no person shall be prosecuted1 tried1 or punished for any offense under this section unless the indictment is found or the information is instituted not later than #i years after the date on which the offense was committed4 4 7d7 ,voting ,rights ,act of #aife ,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 ,no person shall be prosecuted1 tried1 or punished for any offense under this section unless the indictment is found or the information is instituted not later than #i years after the date on which the offense was committed4 4 7e7 ,national ,voter ,registration ,act of #aiic ,section #ab of the ,national ,voter ,registration ,act of #aiic 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #bjeaa7 is amended-- 7#a7 in the matter preceding paragraph 7#a71 by striking ,a person and inserting 7a7 ,in general4--,a person2 and 7#b7 by adding at the end the following3 7b7 ,statute of limitations ,no person shall be prosecuted1 tried1 or punished for any offense under this section unless the indictment is found or the information is instituted not later than #i years after the date on which the offense was committed4 4 ,,ii ,election records #bja4 ,restrictions on seizure of ballots 7a7 ,in general ,title ,,iii of the ,civil ,rights ,act of #aifj 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #bjgja et seq47 is amended by redesignating sections #cje and #cjf as sections #cjf and #cjg1 respectively1 and by inserting after section #cjd the following new section3 #cje4 ,restrictions on seizure of ballots 7a7 ,restriction 7#a7 ,in general ,no record or paper to which section #cja applies1 and no election equipment used in an election described in such section1 may be seized by ,state or ,federal law enforcement before the time at which any recount1 audit1 or legal challenge to the results of the election to which such record or paper relate1 or in which such equipment is used1 has been conclusively resolved4 7#b7 ,exception ,paragraph 7#a7 shall not apply if an appropriate judge in the ,united ,states district court in which the record1 paper1 or equipment is located determines1 pursuant to an action brought in such court1 that there is clear and convincing evidence that such record1 paper1 or equipment is at risk of being destroyed4 ,in any case in which records1 papers1 or equipment are seized under this paragraph1 such records1 papers1 or equipment may be removed but shall remain in the joint custody of the person authorized by the court to remove such records or papers and an election officer designated by the court4 7b7 ,chain of custody ,in any case in which records1 papers1 or election equipment described in subsection 7a7 are seized1 the person controlling such records1 papers1 or equipment shall-- 7#a7 maintain a record of the chain of custody of such records1 papers1 or equipment2 and 7#b7 allow the election official from whom the records1 papers1 or equipment were seized access to such records1 papers1 or equipment4 4 7b7 ,no inference ,nothing in this section or the amendments made by this section shall be construed to limit the application of any other provision of law which otherwise restricts the seizure of records or papers relating to an election for ,federal office or of any equipment used in such an election4 ,,iii ,ballot materials tracking program #cja4 ,grants to establish ,state ballot materials tracking program 7a7 ,in general ,subtitle ,d of title ,,ii of the ,help ,america ,vote ,act of #bjjb 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #bajja et seq47 is amended by adding at the end the following new part3 #g ,balloting materials tracking programs #big4 ,grants for qualifying balloting materials tracking programs 7a7 ,payments for costs of program ,the ,commission is authorized to make grants to ,states to cover costs incurred in establishing and administering qualifying balloting materials tracking programs4 7b7 ,qualifying absentee ballot tracking program 7#a7 ,in general ,for purposes of this section1 the term qualifying absentee ballot tracking program means a program established in a ,state-- 7,a7 under which the ,state or local election official responsible for the receipt of voted mail-in ballots and absentee ballots in an election for ,federal office-- 7i7 tracks and confirms the receipt of such ballots2 and 7ii7 makes information on the receipt of such ballots available to the individual who cast the ballot2 and 7,b7 which meets the requirements of paragraphs 7#b71 7#c71 and 7#d74 7#b7 ,information requirements ,a program meets the requirements of this paragraph if such program provides to a voter the following information with respect to that voter3 7,a7 ,the date on which any request by the voter for an application for voter registration or an absentee ballot was received4 7,b7 ,the date on which any such requested application was sent to the voter4 7,c7 ,the date on which any such completed application was received from the voter and the status of such application4 7,d7 ,the date on which any mail-in ballot or absentee ballot was sent to the voter4 7,e7 ,the date on which any mail-in ballot or absentee ballot was out for delivery to the voter4 7,f7 ,whether such ballot was accepted and counted1 and in the case of any ballot not counted1 the reason why the ballot was not counted4 ,the information described in subparagraph 7,f7 shall be available not later than #a day after a determination is made on whether or not to accept and count the ballot4 7#c7 ,public availability requirements ,a program meets the requirements of this paragraph if the information described in subparagraphs 7,d7 and 7,f7 of paragraph 7#b7 is made available to political parties and voter registration organizations1 at cost to cover the expense of providing such information1 for use1 in accordance with ,state guidelines and procedures1 in helping to return or cure mail-in ballots during any period in which mail-in ballots may be returned4 7#d7 ,accessibility of information 7,a7 ,in general ,except as provided under subparagraph 7,b71 a program meets the requirements of this paragraph if the information provided under the program is available by means of online access using the internet site of the ,state or local election office4 7,b7 ,use of toll-free telephone number by officials without internet site ,in the case of a ,state or local election official whose office does not have an internet site1 the program meets the requirements of this paragraph if the official establishes a toll-free telephone number that may be used by an individual who cast an absentee ballot to obtain the information required under paragraph 7#b74 7c7 ,authorization of appropriations 7#a7 ,authorization ,there are authorized to be appropriated #ej1jjj1jjj to the ,commission for fiscal year #bjbg for payments under this section4 7#b7 ,continuing availability of funds ,any amounts appropriated pursuant to the authorization under this section shall remain available until expended4 4 7b7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of contents of such ,act is amended by adding at the end of the items relating to subtitle ,d of title ,,ii the following3 ,,part #g--;,balloting materials tracking programs,sec4 #big4 ,grants for qualifying balloting materials tracking programs4 4