Amendment #47 to H4700

New American Voters Grant Program

Representatives Ultrino of Malden and Donato of Medford Representatives Ultrino of Malden and Donato of Medford and move to amend the bill in section 2 by inserting after item 0521-0000 the following item:

"xxxx-xxxx........For a New American Voters grant program for the purpose of ensuring compliance with the federal Voting Rights Act Section 203 language access mandate; provided that $3,000,000 be expended to support outreach efforts in the municipalities of Boston, Chelsea, Clinton, Everett, Fitchburg, Holyoke, Lawrence, Leominster, Lowell, Lynn, Malden, Methuen, Quincy, Randolph, Revere, Salem, Southbridge, Springfield, and Worcester, which are required under the federal Voting Rights Act to provide election materials, including ballots, in languages spoken by more than… and provided further, that the grant program shall be administered by the secretary of the Commonwealth, who shall issue a request for proposals to provide grants to municipalities; provided further, that the secretary may use up to $500,000 of the total appropriation for necessary administrative costs related to grant administration, technical assistance and training for municipalities, and statewide professional translation and interpretation services; and provided further, that $1,000,000 shall be awarded to the Massachusetts Voter Education Network (MassVOTE) to administer a New American Voters Community Partnership grant program for community-based organizations to (i) conduct nonpartisan voter education (ii) advise and assist municipal elections officials in the VRA Section 203 jurisdictions, including reviewing translations, identifying multilingual poll workers, and (iii) aid in collecting feedback from Limited English Proficiency voters; provided further, that MassVOTE may use up to 10 percent of New American Voters Community Partnership grant program funds for activities related to grant administration; provided further, that the secretary shall develop guidelines which outline periodic reporting requirements for grantees, including semi-annual and final reports; and provided further, that the secretary shall submit a preliminary report not later than six months after the awarding of the funds, and a final report not later than twelve months after the completion of all grant activities on the efficacy of the grant programs, to the House and Senate Committees on Ways and Means and with the Joint Committee on Election Laws......................... $4,000,000”

Additional co-sponsor(s) added to Amendment #47 to H4700

New American Voters Grant Program