What does Preamble of Sustaining Our Democracy Act do?

This bill is formally titled 'To establish a democracy advancement and innovation program, and for other purposes.'

What does DEMOCRACY ADVANCEMENT AND INNOVATION PROGRAM. of Sustaining Our Democracy Act do?

This section establishes the Democracy Advancement and Innovation Program to provide allocations to states for democracy promotion activities. Eligible activities include promoting election administration efficiency, securing election infrastructure, recruiting and protecting election officials, and increasing access to voting for underserved communities. States can retain and reserve allocations for future use. To receive an allocation, states must submit a State plan 90 days before the fiscal year and have it approved by the Director, in consultation with the Election Assistance Commission, 45 days before the fiscal year. If a state's plan is not initially approved, it can submit a revised plan for review. States failing to submit a plan will have their election administration duties shifted to political subdivisions within the state, with adjusted timelines and allocation procedures. States must submit a report to the Director within 90 days after the fiscal year's end, detailing how the allocation was used. The Director will make State plans, approval notifications, and state reports publicly available on a website, with potential redactions for sensitive information. This section applies beginning with fiscal year 2026.

What does STATE PLAN. of Sustaining Our Democracy Act do?

A State plan must contain descriptions of democracy promotion activities The plan must include a statement on retaining payment for future activities The State must describe how resources will be distributed to address disparities Funds must be allocated for specific activities, including election administration A fund must be established in the State treasury for administering democracy promotion activities

What does PROHIBITIONS. of Sustaining Our Democracy Act do?

This section outlines prohibited uses of payments made under the Program. States may not use these payments to restrict voter participation or engage in activities like intimidating voters or removing election administrators improperly. Specific prohibited activities include restricting beverage distribution at polling places, removing election administrators without cause, and investigating voter fraud claims based solely on voter confidence. States must establish complaint procedures for individuals alleging violations of these prohibitions. The Director will review complaints and may uphold or reverse state decisions, with public availability of related materials except for legally protected information. Individuals dissatisfied with the Director's decision can petition the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. The Attorney General can bring civil actions against states to enforce the prohibitions outlined in this section.

What does AMOUNT OF STATE ALLOCATION. of Sustaining Our Democracy Act do?

This section establishes the method for allocating funds to states under the Program. The amount allocated to each state is determined by multiplying the Congressional district allocation amount by the number of Congressional districts in that state. The Congressional district allocation amount is calculated by dividing the total amount available for state allocations by the total number of Congressional districts across all states. The Director determines the aggregate amount available for allocations, considering Trust Fund balances and appropriations. The Director must notify each state of its allocation amount no later than 120 days before the start of each fiscal year. Payments under the Program are sourced solely from the Trust Fund.

What does PROCEDURES FOR DISBURSEMENTS OF PAYMENTS AND ALLOCATIONS. of Sustaining Our Democracy Act do?

The Director directs the Secretary of the Treasury to allocate funds to the Election Assistance Commission. The Election Assistance Commission makes payments to local election administrators and the State. Payments to States are available without fiscal year limitation.

What does OFFICE OF DEMOCRACY ADVANCEMENT AND INNOVATION. of Sustaining Our Democracy Act do?

This section establishes the Office of Democracy Advancement and Innovation as an independent establishment within the executive branch. The Office will be headed by a Director appointed by the President with Senate advice and consent, serving a 6-year term. The Director's compensation is equivalent to the annual rate for Level II of the Executive Schedule. The Director oversees the operation of the Trust Fund and monitors its balances, in consultation with the Election Assistance Commission and the Secretary of the Treasury. The Director must submit a report to Congress on the Program's activities and Trust Fund transactions every two years, starting in 2026. The Office is subject to audits and investigations under the Inspector General Act of 1978. The Director is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations to carry out the Office's duties. During a transition period, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget is authorized to perform the functions of the Office. Appropriations are authorized from the Trust Fund to carry out the Office’s activities.

What does STATE ELECTION ASSISTANCE AND INNOVATION TRUST FUND. of Sustaining Our Democracy Act do?

A State Election Assistance and Innovation Trust Fund is established in the Treasury. The Trust Fund will receive $2,500,000,000 annually from fiscal years 2026 through 2035. Funds in the Trust Fund will be used to make payments and allocations under a Program and to carry out the activities of an Office. The Office is authorized to accept gifts or bequests for deposit into the Trust Fund.

What does DEFINITIONS. of Sustaining Our Democracy Act do?

This section defines terms used in the Act. Definitions include 'chief State election official', 'Director', and 'Indian lands'. The section also defines 'Office', 'Program', 'State', and 'Trust Fund'.

What does RULE OF CONSTRUCTION REGARDING CALCULATION OF DEADLINES. of Sustaining Our Democracy Act do?

This section establishes a rule for calculating deadlines within the Act. The last day of a deadline period is included in the calculation. If the last day falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal public holiday, the deadline is extended to the next day that is not one of those days. A 'legal public holiday' is defined as a day described in section 6103(a) of title 5, United States Code.

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Sustaining Our Democracy Act

Last updated: 7/31/2025 · Introduced: 7/31/2025

Author: Alex Padilla (D-CA)

TL;DR (AI)

The bill establishes the Democracy Advancement and Innovation Program to provide allocations to states for democracy promotion activities, including election administration efficiency and voter access.
States are prohibited from using program payments to restrict voter participation or engage in activities that intimidate voters or improperly remove election administrators.
A State Election Assistance and Innovation Trust Fund is established with $2,500,000,000 in annual funding from 2026 to 2035 to support the program and office activities.
The Office of Democracy Advancement and Innovation is created as an independent establishment within the executive branch, headed by a Director appointed by the President with Senate advice and consent.
The bill requires states to submit a plan for democracy promotion activities and establishes a complaint procedure for individuals alleging violations of prohibited activities, with the Director and Attorney General playing key roles in enforcement.

119th Congressin committeeHR. 4910(In Committee)Official page

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Other Sections

Includes provisions on preamble, democracy advancement and innovation program., and 5 more.

7 sections

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TITLE II

-STATE ELECTION ASSISTANCE AND INNOVATION TRUST FUND

1 section

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TITLE III

-GENERAL PROVISIONS

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