Protect American Voters Act

2/9/2022, 12:28 AM

Protect American Voters Act

This bill establishes a specified technology committee and unit within the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to address the security of election technology.

Specifically, the bill establishes the Emerging Election Technology Committee to advise the EAC on voluntary guidelines for election officials on the use of nonvoting election technology. Nonvoting election technology refers to the technology used in the administration of federal elections which is not used directly in the casting, counting, tabulating, or collecting of ballots or votes (e.g., electronic pollbooks or election result reporting systems). The EAC must (1) take into account the recommendations of the technology committee and adopt such voluntary guidelines, and (2) review and update such guidelines every two years.

The bill also establishes the Election Cyber Assistance Unit to provide state and local election officials with access to risk management, resiliency, and technical support services provided by election administration and cybersecurity experts.

Congress
116

Number
HR - 5707

Introduced on
2020-01-29

# Amendments
0

Sponsors
+5

Cosponsors
+5

Variations and Revisions

1/29/2020

Status of Legislation

Bill Introduced
Introduced to House
House to Vote
Introduced to Senate
Senate to Vote

Purpose and Summary

Protect American Voters Act

This bill establishes a specified technology committee and unit within the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to address the security of election technology.

Specifically, the bill establishes the Emerging Election Technology Committee to advise the EAC on voluntary guidelines for election officials on the use of nonvoting election technology. Nonvoting election technology refers to the technology used in the administration of federal elections which is not used directly in the casting, counting, tabulating, or collecting of ballots or votes (e.g., electronic pollbooks or election result reporting systems). The EAC must (1) take into account the recommendations of the technology committee and adopt such voluntary guidelines, and (2) review and update such guidelines every two years.

The bill also establishes the Election Cyber Assistance Unit to provide state and local election officials with access to risk management, resiliency, and technical support services provided by election administration and cybersecurity experts.

Alternative Names
Official Title as IntroducedTo amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to direct the Election Assistance Commission to adopt voluntary guidelines for the use of nonvoting election technology, to require the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology to submit annual status reports on the extent to which the Director has carried out the Director's responsibilities under such Act and carried out projects requested by the Election Assistance Commission, to establish an Election Cyber Assistance Unit in the Election Assistance Commission, and for other purposes.

Policy Areas
Government Operations and Politics

Potential Impact
Advisory bodies•
Computer security and identity theft•
Congressional elections•
Congressional oversight•
Election Assistance Commission•
Elections, voting, political campaign regulation•
Executive agency funding and structure•
Government information and archives•
Intergovernmental relations•
Internet and video services•
Internet, web applications, social media•
Public participation and lobbying

Comments

Recent Activity

Latest Summary8/21/2020

Protect American Voters Act

This bill establishes a specified technology committee and unit within the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to address the security of election technology.

Specifically, the bill establishes th...


Latest Action1/29/2020
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 jur...