S1609-118

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Support Our Election Workers Act.

2. Program for grants to support election workers Subtitle D of title II of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21001 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: The Commission shall establish and operate a program under which the Commission shall make payments to eligible States for providing increased pay for election workers, including individuals serving as election officials or poll workers on a temporary or unpaid basis. The amount of a payment made to a State under the program established under this part shall be equal to the greater of— the reasonable costs the State expects to incur in providing increased pay for election workers, as determined by the Commission taking into account the information provided by the State in the plan described in section 297A; or the minimum payment amount described in paragraph (2) with respect to the fiscal year. The minimum payment amount described in this paragraph with respect to a fiscal year is equal to one-half of 1 percent of the aggregate amount made available during the fiscal year for payments under the program established under this part. In order to be eligible to receive a payment under the program established under this part, a State shall submit to the Commission, at such time and in such form as the Commission may require, an application containing a description of a plan for how the State will use the payment to provide increased pay to election workers, as described in section 297A, together with such other information and assurances as the Commission may require. A State receiving a payment under the program established under this part shall submit to the Commission such reports on the State’s use of the payment as the Commission may require. A State’s plan for providing increased pay to election workers shall include the following elements: A description of how the State will use increased pay to retain qualified election workers and to recruit new election workers. The requirements an individual must meet in order to be eligible to receive increased pay under the plan. The amount of the reasonable costs the State expects to incur in providing increased pay for such eligible individuals. The procedures for carrying out the plan, including the extent to which State and local election officials will be responsible for carrying out the plan. Under the State’s plan, the State may not treat an election worker as ineligible to receive increased pay solely because the individual does not interact directly with voters, individuals attempting to vote, or individuals attempting to register to vote. In this part, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands shall be considered a State. There are authorized to be appropriated for payments under this part such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2024 and each succeeding fiscal year. The table of contents of such Act is amended by adding at the end of the items relating to subtitle D of title II the following: 7 Payments to help support election workers297.Establishment and operation of grant program(a)In generalThe Commission shall establish and operate a program under which the Commission shall make payments to eligible States for providing increased pay for election workers, including individuals serving as election officials or poll workers on a temporary or unpaid basis.(b)Amount of payment(1)AmountThe amount of a payment made to a State under the program established under this part shall be equal to the greater of—(A)the reasonable costs the State expects to incur in providing increased pay for election workers, as determined by the Commission taking into account the information provided by the State in the plan described in section 297A; or(B)the minimum payment amount described in paragraph (2) with respect to the fiscal year.(2)Minimum payment amountThe minimum payment amount described in this paragraph with respect to a fiscal year is equal to one-half of 1 percent of the aggregate amount made available during the fiscal year for payments under the program established under this part.(c)ApplicationIn order to be eligible to receive a payment under the program established under this part, a State shall submit to the Commission, at such time and in such form as the Commission may require, an application containing a description of a plan for how the State will use the payment to provide increased pay to election workers, as described in section 297A, together with such other information and assurances as the Commission may require.(d)ReportsA State receiving a payment under the program established under this part shall submit to the Commission such reports on the State’s use of the payment as the Commission may require.297A.State plan for providing increased pay to election workers(a)Elements of planA State’s plan for providing increased pay to election workers shall include the following elements:(1)A description of how the State will use increased pay to retain qualified election workers and to recruit new election workers.(2)The requirements an individual must meet in order to be eligible to receive increased pay under the plan.(3)The amount of the reasonable costs the State expects to incur in providing increased pay for such eligible individuals.(4)The procedures for carrying out the plan, including the extent to which State and local election officials will be responsible for carrying out the plan.(b)Opportunity of all election workers To receive payUnder the State’s plan, the State may not treat an election worker as ineligible to receive increased pay solely because the individual does not interact directly with voters, individuals attempting to vote, or individuals attempting to register to vote. 297B.Coverage of Commonwealth of Northern Mariana IslandsIn this part, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands shall be considered a State. 297C.Authorization of appropriationsThere are authorized to be appropriated for payments under this part such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2024 and each succeeding fiscal year.. PART 7— Payments to help support election workers Sec. 297. Establishment and operation of grant program. Sec. 297A. State plan for providing increased pay to election workers. Sec. 297B. Coverage of Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands. Sec. 297C. Authorization of appropriations..

297. Establishment and operation of grant program The Commission shall establish and operate a program under which the Commission shall make payments to eligible States for providing increased pay for election workers, including individuals serving as election officials or poll workers on a temporary or unpaid basis. The amount of a payment made to a State under the program established under this part shall be equal to the greater of— the reasonable costs the State expects to incur in providing increased pay for election workers, as determined by the Commission taking into account the information provided by the State in the plan described in section 297A; or the minimum payment amount described in paragraph (2) with respect to the fiscal year. The minimum payment amount described in this paragraph with respect to a fiscal year is equal to one-half of 1 percent of the aggregate amount made available during the fiscal year for payments under the program established under this part. In order to be eligible to receive a payment under the program established under this part, a State shall submit to the Commission, at such time and in such form as the Commission may require, an application containing a description of a plan for how the State will use the payment to provide increased pay to election workers, as described in section 297A, together with such other information and assurances as the Commission may require. A State receiving a payment under the program established under this part shall submit to the Commission such reports on the State’s use of the payment as the Commission may require.

297A. State plan for providing increased pay to election workers A State’s plan for providing increased pay to election workers shall include the following elements: A description of how the State will use increased pay to retain qualified election workers and to recruit new election workers. The requirements an individual must meet in order to be eligible to receive increased pay under the plan. The amount of the reasonable costs the State expects to incur in providing increased pay for such eligible individuals. The procedures for carrying out the plan, including the extent to which State and local election officials will be responsible for carrying out the plan. Under the State’s plan, the State may not treat an election worker as ineligible to receive increased pay solely because the individual does not interact directly with voters, individuals attempting to vote, or individuals attempting to register to vote.

297B. Coverage of Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands In this part, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands shall be considered a State.

297C. Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated for payments under this part such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2024 and each succeeding fiscal year.