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Safeguarding Election Infrastructure Act of 2019

USA116th CongressHR-378| House 
| Updated: 2/12/2019
Debbie Dingell

Debbie Dingell

Democratic Representative

Michigan

Committee on House Administration, Science, Space, and Technology Committee, Research and Technology Subcommittee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Safeguarding Election Infrastructure Act of 2019 This bill addresses the security of federal elections, including by requiring paper ballots, requiring audits of election results, and providing support for voting system security improvements. Voting systems must use individual, durable, voter-verified, paper ballots beginning one year after enactment of this bill. The ballots must be marked and made available for inspection and verification by the voter before the vote is cast and counted. The bill prohibits states or other jurisdictions from acquiring electronic voting systems for use in a federal election that do not produce a voter-verified paper record. States must audit election results in competitive races beginning in November 2022. Audits must consist of random hand counts of paper ballots. The Election Assistance Commission (EAC) must pay states to cover the costs of audits. The EAC must award grants to states to improve voting system security by updating or testing voting equipment, keeping offline backups of voter registration lists, providing a secure platform for disseminating vote totals, or taking other specified actions. If the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) determines that the security of a state's voting system or voter registration database was breached or is investigating whether a breach occurred, then DHS must report on the determination or investigation to specified congressional committees and the state election office. At the request of a state, DHS must collaborate with the state election office to help prevent and respond to threats to the security of the state's voting systems and voter registration databases.
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Timeline
Jan 9, 2019
Introduced in House
Jan 9, 2019
Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Feb 12, 2019
Referred to the Subcommittee on Research and Technology.
  • January 9, 2019
    Introduced in House


  • January 9, 2019
    Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.


  • February 12, 2019
    Referred to the Subcommittee on Research and Technology.

Government Operations and Politics

Accounting and auditingComputer security and identity theftCongressional oversightElections, voting, political campaign regulationGovernment information and archivesGovernment studies and investigationsIntergovernmental relationsPerformance measurementPublic contracts and procurementState and local government operations

Safeguarding Election Infrastructure Act of 2019

USA116th CongressHR-378| House 
| Updated: 2/12/2019
Safeguarding Election Infrastructure Act of 2019 This bill addresses the security of federal elections, including by requiring paper ballots, requiring audits of election results, and providing support for voting system security improvements. Voting systems must use individual, durable, voter-verified, paper ballots beginning one year after enactment of this bill. The ballots must be marked and made available for inspection and verification by the voter before the vote is cast and counted. The bill prohibits states or other jurisdictions from acquiring electronic voting systems for use in a federal election that do not produce a voter-verified paper record. States must audit election results in competitive races beginning in November 2022. Audits must consist of random hand counts of paper ballots. The Election Assistance Commission (EAC) must pay states to cover the costs of audits. The EAC must award grants to states to improve voting system security by updating or testing voting equipment, keeping offline backups of voter registration lists, providing a secure platform for disseminating vote totals, or taking other specified actions. If the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) determines that the security of a state's voting system or voter registration database was breached or is investigating whether a breach occurred, then DHS must report on the determination or investigation to specified congressional committees and the state election office. At the request of a state, DHS must collaborate with the state election office to help prevent and respond to threats to the security of the state's voting systems and voter registration databases.
View Full Text

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline
Jan 9, 2019
Introduced in House
Jan 9, 2019
Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Feb 12, 2019
Referred to the Subcommittee on Research and Technology.
  • January 9, 2019
    Introduced in House


  • January 9, 2019
    Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.


  • February 12, 2019
    Referred to the Subcommittee on Research and Technology.
Debbie Dingell

Debbie Dingell

Democratic Representative

Michigan

Committee on House Administration, Science, Space, and Technology Committee, Research and Technology Subcommittee

Government Operations and Politics

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Accounting and auditingComputer security and identity theftCongressional oversightElections, voting, political campaign regulationGovernment information and archivesGovernment studies and investigationsIntergovernmental relationsPerformance measurementPublic contracts and procurementState and local government operations