§21061 Payments for protection and advocacy systems

Summary

The Secretary of Health and Human Services must pay each State’s protection and advocacy system so people with disabilities can fully take part in elections. That includes help with registering, casting a ballot, and getting into polling places. These protection and advocacy systems get the same powers they have under subtitle C of title I of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act. Grant minimums are set by parts of 29 U.S.C. 794e, but certain systems must get at least $70,000 and others at least $35,000. "State" is defined as in section 102 of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000. A system serving the American Indian consortium reserved under 29 U.S.C. 794e(c)(1)(B) is eligible the same as a State system. Within 90 days after the first annual appropriation under section 21062, the Secretary must set aside 7% of that money for training and technical help. Recipients may train and test voting systems and technology for people with disabilities, including blindness, and at least one recipient must provide nonvisual access training. Eligible recipients are public or private nonprofts with voting experience for people with disabilities, whose boards are mostly people with disabilities, family members, or blind individuals, and who apply as the Secretary requires.