Bill > HR4911

This bill seeks to address long voting lines and voting access challenges by establishing new federal requirements for election administration. The People Over Long Lines (POLL) Act would require states to develop plans to ensure voters do not wait more than 30 minutes to cast a ballot, with special attention to preventing voter wait time disparities in communities of color. The bill mandates that states submit detailed plans to the Election Assistance Commission describing how they will equitably distribute voting resources and reduce waiting times, and creates a process for reviewing and addressing jurisdictions with excessive voter wait times. If wait times exceed 60 minutes, states would be required to develop remedial plans in coordination with the Attorney General. The legislation also establishes a private right of action, allowing individuals who experience unreasonable wait times to file civil lawsuits and potentially receive monetary damages. Additionally, the bill provides $500 million in federal funding to help states implement these new requirements, mandates minimum standards for voting systems and poll workers, prohibits chief state election officials from engaging in partisan campaign activities, and requires states to provide emergency paper ballots if voting equipment fails. The law would be phased in, with full implementation by 2027, and aims to address historical voting access inequities by creating more standardized and equitable election administration practices.

Government Affairs

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4911/all-info