Resources : Proposed Legislation

Leading legislation in the Senate

Equal Protection of Voting Rights Act of 2001 (S-565) (pdf version)

Sponsor: Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-CT). All 50 Democrats in the Senate and Sen. Jeffords (I-VT) have sponsored the bill.
Status: 11/28/2001 - Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders, Calendar No. 239
Summary: " A bill to establish the Commission on Voting Rights and Procedures to study and make recommendations regarding election technology, voting, and election administration, to establish a grant program under which the Office of Justice Programs and the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice shall provide assistance to States and localities in improving election technology and the administration of Federal elections, to require States to meet uniform and nondiscriminatory election technology and administration requirements for the 2004 Federal elections, and for other purposes."

Bipartisan Federal Election Reform Act of 2001 (S-953) (pdf version)

Sponsors: Sen. McConnell (R-KY) and Sen. Schumer (D-NY). In addition, 70 Democrats and Republicans have cosponsored the bill.
Status: 5/24/2001 - Referred to Senate committee
Summary: A bill to establish a Blue Ribbon Study Panel and an Election Administration Commission to study voting procedures and election administration, to provide grants to modernize voting procedures and election administration, and for other purposes.

National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2002 (S-1416) (pdf version)

Sponsor: Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI)
Status: 9/12/2001 - Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 155.
Summary: An original bill to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2002 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe personnel strengths for such fiscal year for the Armed Forces, and for other purposes.

Leading legislation in the House

Help America Vote Act of 2001 (HR-3295) (pdf version)

Sponsors: Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD), Rep. Bob Ney (R-OH)
Status: 12/5/2001 - House Judiciary Committee Hearings Held
Summary: "To establish a program to provide funds to States to replace punch card voting systems, to establish the Election Assistance Commission to assist in the administration of Federal elections and to otherwise provide assistance with the administration of certain Federal election laws and programs, to establish minimum election administration standards for States and units of local government with responsibility for the administration of Federal elections, and for other purposes."

Election Voting Systems Act of 2001 (HR-1165) (pdf version)

Sponsor: Jim Barcia (D-MI)
Status: 4/3/2001 - Referred to House subcommittee
Summary: "To provide for the establishment of an Election Voting Systems Standards Commission, and for other purposes."

Equal Protection of Voting Rights Act of 2001 (HR-1170) (pdf version)

Sponsor: John Conyers (D-MI)
Status: 4/3/2001 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Environment, Technology, and Standards.
Summary: To provide for the establishment of an Election Voting Systems Standards Commission, and for other purposes.

(c) 2001, University of Virginia Center for Governmental Studies.