Bill Sponsor
Senate Bill 1487
118th Congress(2023-2024)
Protecting Election Administration from Interference Act of 2023
Introduced
Introduced
Introduced in Senate on May 9, 2023
Overview
Text
Introduced
May 9, 2023
Latest Action
May 9, 2023
Origin Chamber
Senate
Type
Bill
Bill
The primary form of legislative measure used to propose law. Depending on the chamber of origin, bills begin with a designation of either H.R. or S. Joint resolution is another form of legislative measure used to propose law.
Bill Number
1487
Congress
118
Policy Area
Government Operations and Politics
Government Operations and Politics
Primary focus of measure is government administration, including agency organization, contracting, facilities and property, information management and services; rulemaking and administrative law; elections and political activities; government employees and officials; Presidents; ethics and public participation; postal service. Measures concerning agency appropriations and the budget process may fall under Economics and Public Finance policy area.
Sponsorship by Party
Senate Votes (0)
House Votes (0)
No Senate votes have been held for this bill.
Summary

Protecting Election Administration from Interference Act of 2023

This bill revises preservation and retention requirements for federal election records. It also revises criminal penalties related to election records and the voting process.

Under current law, election officials must, for a period of 22 months from the federal election, retain and preserve all election-related records and papers. This bill extends the requirement to electronic records and electronic equipment.

Next, the bill directs the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to issue minimum standards and best practices for retaining and preserving records (including electronic records), papers, and electronic equipment, including protocols for observing their preservation, security, and transfer by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and a representative of each political party.

In addition, the bill revises the federal criminal offense related to election records or papers to include reckless disregard of election record requirements resulting in the theft, destruction, concealment, mutilation, or alteration of a record, paper, or electronic equipment.

Further, the bill allows DOJ to demand electronic records and electronic equipment be made available for inspection and generally prohibits DOJ from disclosing this information.

The bill allows DOJ and candidates for federal office to bring an action in a district court to compel compliance with election record requirements.

Finally, the bill extends criminal penalties related to voting interference to include intimidating, threatening, or coercing (or attempting to do so) an individual for processing or scanning ballots, tabulating, canvassing, or certifying voting results.

Text (1)
Actions (2)
05/09/2023
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.
05/09/2023
Introduced in Senate
Public Record
Record Updated
Apr 17, 2024 11:52:19 PM