S-1437 : Still Just a Bill

Voter Empowerment Act of 2017

Voter Registration Modernization Act of 2017

This bill amends the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to require states to make available online voter registration.

The federal criminal code is amended to prohibit hindering, interfering with, or preventing voter registration.

The Help America Vote Act of 2002 is amended to require states to promote access to voter registration and voting for individuals with disabilities.

The Election Assistance Commission (EAC) must support pilot programs enabling individuals with disabilities to register and vote at their residences.

The bill reauthorizes support for state and local governments to ensure voting access for individuals with disabilities.

States must notify individuals convicted of a criminal offense under state law, upon release or upon sentence to probation, of their right to vote in federal elections.

Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act of 2017

This bill revises auditing requirements for voting systems.

Voting systems must use individual, durable, voter-verified paper ballots.

The National Science Foundation must support the study and development of accessible ballot voting and best practices to enhance the accessibility of voting for certain individuals.

With exceptions, states must audit federal election results.

The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act is amended to extend the guarantee of voting residency to family members of absent military personnel.

The EAC must support poll-worker recruitment and training and develop materials for a model program.

The Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 is amended to prohibit a chief state election administration official, unless the official or a family member is a candidate, from taking part in political management or in a political campaign for federal office over which the official has supervisory authority.

The EAC is reauthorized and its exemption from certain contracting requirements is repealed.

Action Timeline

Action DateTypeTextSource
2017-06-26IntroReferralRead twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.Senate
2017-06-26IntroReferralIntroduced in SenateLibrary of Congress

Policy Area :

Government Operations and Politics
See Subjects
  • Administrative law and regulatory procedures
  • Administrative remedies
  • Adult education and literacy
  • Advisory bodies
  • Census and government statistics
  • Civil actions and liability
  • Computer security and identity theft
  • Computers and information technology
  • Congressional elections
  • Congressional oversight
  • Criminal justice information and records
  • Criminal procedure and sentencing
  • Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad
  • Disability and health-based discrimination
  • Disability and paralysis
  • Educational facilities and institutions
  • Elections, voting, political campaign regulation
  • Employee leave
  • Employment and training programs
  • Executive agency funding and structure
  • Fraud offenses and financial crimes
  • Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
  • Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
  • Government information and archives
  • Government studies and investigations
  • Higher education
  • Internet, web applications, social media
  • Military personnel and dependents
  • Postal service
  • Public contracts and procurement
  • Right of privacy
  • State and local government operations
  • Telephone and wireless communication
  • U.S. territories and protectorates
  • Voting rights
  • Northern Mariana Islands
  • Department of Justice
  • Election Assistance Commission

Related Bills

See Related Bills