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[DOCID: f:s729is.txt]






107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 729

    To provide grant money to States to enable States to expand the 
          opportunity for citizens to vote over the Internet.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 6, 2001

  Mr. Nelson of Florida introduced the following bill; which was read 
    twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To provide grant money to States to enable States to expand the 
          opportunity for citizens to vote over the Internet.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Internet Voting Expansion Act of 
2001''.

SEC. 2. GRANT PROGRAM TO EXPAND INTERNET VOTING.

    (a) Grants Authorized.--The Attorney General, in consultation with 
the Federal Election Commission, is authorized to award grants up until 
August 2, 2004, to States to enable States to expand the opportunity 
for citizens to vote over the Internet.
    (b) Criteria.--The Attorney General shall establish criteria for 
approval of State plans submitted under subsection (d).
    (c) Uses of Funds.--
            (1) Expansion of internet voting.--
                    (A) In general.--A State shall use payments 
                received under this Act to expand the opportunity for 
                citizens to vote over the Internet.
                    (B) Military personnel voting.--A State shall use a 
                portion of the payments received under this Act to 
                expand the opportunity for military personnel to vote 
                over the Internet.
            (2) Reports.--
                    (A) Quarterly reports.--A State shall submit 
                reports to the Attorney General not later than 90 days 
                after it is awarded a grant under this Act, and every 
                90 days thereafter until November 2, 2004, that 
                outline--
                            (i) actions taken by the State to expand 
                        the opportunity for citizens to vote over the 
                        Internet;
                            (ii) actions taken by the State to ensure 
                        the security of voting over the Internet; and
                            (iii) any obstacles the State has 
                        encountered in expanding the opportunity for 
                        citizens to vote over the Internet.
                    (B) Final reports.--A State awarded a grant under 
                this Act shall submit a final report to the Attorney 
                General not later than December 2, 2004 that assesses 
                the State's ability to expand the opportunity for 
                citizens to vote over the Internet.
    (d) State Plans.--
            (1) In general.--The chief executive officer of each State 
        desiring a grant under this Act shall submit a State plan to 
        the Attorney General at such time, in such manner, and 
        accompanied by such information as the Attorney General, in 
        consultation with the Federal Election Commission, may 
        reasonably require.
            (2) Contents.--Each State plan submitted under paragraph 
        (1) shall--
                    (A) describe actions already taken in the State to 
                expand the opportunity for citizens to vote over the 
                Internet;
                    (B) describe the activities for which assistance 
                under this Act is sought; and
                    (C) provide assurances as the Attorney General, in 
                consultation with the Federal Election Commission, 
                determines to be essential to ensure compliance with 
                the requirements of this Act.
    (e) Reports From Attorney General.--
            (1) Reports after awards.--
                    (A) In general.--The Attorney General shall submit 
                reports to the Congress not later than 30 days after 
                awarding any grant under this Act.
                    (B) Contents.--The reports submitted under 
                subparagraph (A) shall include--
                            (i) a copy of the State plan for the State 
                        awarded a grant under this Act; and
                            (ii) the Attorney General's assessment of 
                        the State plan.
            (2) Final report.--
                    (A) In general.--The Attorney General shall submit 
                a final report to the Congress not later than January 
                31, 2005.
                    (B) Contents.--The report submitted under 
                subparagraph (A) shall include recommendations for 
                amendments to Federal law that would expand the 
                opportunity for citizens to vote over the Internet.
    (f) State Defined.--In this Act, the term ``State'' means each of 
the several States and the District of Columbia.
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this Act $25,000,000 for the period of fiscal 
years 2001 through 2005.
                                 <all>

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