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HR 1573 116th Congress House Government Operations and Politics Disability and health-based discrimination Disability and paralysis Elections, voting, political campaign regulation Government information and archives State and local government operations Voting rights

Disability Voting Rights Act

Introduced: March 6, 2019 Introduced by: Scanlon, Mary Gay Democratic · Pennsylvania See on congress.gov
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This bill died when the 116th Congress ended
It never became law before the 116th Congress (2019–2020) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Mar 6, 2019
Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.
Mar 6, 2019
Introduced in House
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Disability Voting Rights Act

This bill requires each state to allow individuals with disabilities to use absentee registration procedures and to vote by absentee ballot in federal elections.

Among other things, each state must

  • accept and process any otherwise valid voter registration and absentee ballot applications from individuals with disabilities if such applications are received within 30 days of the federal election;
  • establish procedures for individuals with disabilities to request, and for the state to send, voter registration and absentee ballot applications by mail and through electronic means;
  • create procedures for securely transmitting blank absentee ballots by mail and through electronic means to individuals with disabilities;
  • designate a single office to provide information on voter registration and absentee ballot procedures for individuals with disabilities; and
  • specify a means of electronic communication for individuals with disabilities to request, and for the state to send, voter registration and absentee ballot applications.

Further, each state must transmit a validly requested absentee ballot to an individual with a disability within 45 days of an election. However, the bill establishes a procedure for a state to apply to the Department of Justice for a waiver of this requirement.

The bill also permanently reauthorizes and expands a program under which the Department of Health and Human Services makes payments to eligible states and units of local government to assure voting access for individuals with disabilities.

What's happening now March 6, 2019

Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.

 Related & companion bills 5
  • HR 1 Related bill For the People Act of 2019
  • HR 1612 Related bill Nonpartisan Bill For the People Act of 2019
  • S 549 Related bill Voter Empowerment Act of 2019
  • S 949 Related bill For the People Act of 2019
  • HR 1275 Related bill Voter Empowerment Act of 2019
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
 Cosponsors 1
All 1 Democratic 1
D
Lieu, Ted
California · Nov 16, 2020
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 1573: Disability Voting Rights Act. 116th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-1573/
MLA
"H.R. 1573: Disability Voting Rights Act." 116th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-1573/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 1573, 116th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-1573/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 1573: Disability Voting Rights Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-1573/)
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