Protecting Election Administration from Interference Act of 2025
Protecting Election Administration from Interference Act of 2025
Plain Language Summary
# Protecting Election Administration from Interference Act of 2025 - Summary **What the Bill Does:** This legislation would strengthen rules around how election records are preserved and protected. Currently, election officials must keep physical election records for 22 months after federal elections. The bill extends this requirement to include electronic records and voting equipment, and would have the federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) establish minimum standards for how these materials should be stored, secured, and transferred.
The bill also increases criminal penalties for mishandling election records, including situations involving "reckless disregard" for their proper care. **Who It Affects:** The bill primarily impacts election officials, election administrators, and voting equipment vendors who manage election records. It also involves the Department of Justice and political party representatives, who would have roles in overseeing the preservation of these records. Ultimately, the changes are intended to protect election integrity for all voters. **Current Status:** HR 2803 was introduced by Representative Marc Veasey (D-TX) in the 119th Congress and is currently in committee, meaning it has not yet been voted on by the full House of Representatives.
CRS Official Summary
Protecting Election Administration from Interference Act of 2025This 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 election 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 election 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 election equipment.Further, the bill allows DOJ to demand electronic records and election 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.
Latest Action
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on House Administration, 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.