To prohibit States from denying any individual the right to register to vote for an election for Federal office, or the right to vote in an election for Federal office, on the grounds that the individual has been convicted of a Federal crime, and to amend title 5, United States Code, to establish election day as a legal public holiday by moving the legal public holiday known as Veterans Day to election day in such years.

July 31, 2001

Mr. HILLIARD introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Government Reform, 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

To prohibit States from denying any individual the right to register to vote for an election for Federal office, or the right to vote in an election for Federal office, on the grounds that the individual has been convicted of a Federal crime, and to amend title 5, United States Code, to establish election day as a legal public holiday by moving the legal public holiday known as Veterans Day to election day in such years.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Voter Registration Protection Act of 2001'.

SEC. 2. PROHIBITING DENIAL OF RIGHT TO VOTE IN FEDERAL ELECTIONS ON BASIS OF CONVICTION OF FEDERAL CRIME.

(a) IN GENERAL- Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no State may prohibit any individual from registering to vote for an election for Federal office, or from voting in an election for Federal office, on the grounds that the individual has been convicted of a Federal crime (except as provided in subsection (b)).

(b) EXCEPTION FOR INDIVIDUALS REMAINING IN GOVERNMENT CUSTODY OR SUPERVISION- Subsection (a) shall not apply with respect to any individual who is in the custody of, or subject to supervision by, the State or the Federal government as a result of the individual's conviction of a Federal crime at the time the individual seeks to register to vote or vote.

(c) DEFINITIONS-

(1) FEDERAL CRIME- In this section, the term `Federal crime' means--

(A) any offense under title 18, United States Code; or

(B) any offense under chapter 47 of title 10, United States Code (the Uniform Code of Military Justice).

(2) OTHER DEFINITIONS- In this section, the terms `election' and `Federal office' have the meaning given such terms in section 301 of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 431).

(d) EFFECTIVE DATE- This section shall apply with respect to elections occurring after December 31, 2000.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF ELECTION DAY IN FEDERAL ELECTION YEARS AS A LEGAL PUBLIC HOLIDAY.

Section 6103(a) of title 5, United States Code, is amended--

(1) by inserting `the Tuesday next after the first Monday in November in 2002 and each second year thereafter, and' after `Veterans Day,'; and

(2) by inserting `in any other year' after `November 11'.

END