text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Absentee Ballot Track, Receive, and 
  Confirm Act''.
  
  SEC. 2. REIMBURSEMENT FOR COSTS INCURRED IN ESTABLISHING PROGRAM TO 
                TRACK AND CONFIRM RECEIPT OF ABSENTEE BALLOTS.
  
      (a) Reimbursement.--Subtitle D of title II of the Help America Vote 
  Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 15401 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 
  the following new part:
  
       ``PART 7--PAYMENTS TO REIMBURSE STATES FOR COSTS INCURRED IN 
   ESTABLISHING PROGRAM TO TRACK AND CONFIRM RECEIPT OF ABSENTEE BALLOTS
  
  ``SEC. 297. PAYMENTS TO STATES.
  
      ``(a) Payments For Costs of Establishing Program.--In accordance 
  with this section, the Commission shall make a payment to a State to 
  reimburse the State for the costs incurred in establishing, if the 
  State so chooses to establish, an absentee ballot tracking program with 
  respect to elections for Federal office held in the State (including 
  costs incurred prior to the date of the enactment of this part).
      ``(b) Absentee Ballot Tracking Program Described.--
              ``(1) Program described.--
                      ``(A) In general.--In this part, an `absentee 
                  ballot tracking program' is a program to track and 
                  confirm the receipt of absentee ballots in an election 
                  for Federal office under which the State or local 
                  election official responsible for the receipt of voted 
                  absentee ballots in the election carries out procedures 
                  to track and confirm the receipt of such ballots, and 
                  makes information on the receipt of such ballots 
                  available to the individual who cast the ballot, by 
                  means of online access using the Internet site of the 
                  official's office.
                      ``(B) Information on whether vote was counted.--The 
                  information referred to under subparagraph (A) with 
                  respect to the receipt of an absentee ballot shall 
                  include information regarding whether the vote cast on 
                  the ballot was counted, and, in the case of a vote 
                  which was not counted, the reasons therefor.
              ``(2) Use of toll-free telephone number by officials 
          without internet site.--A program established by a State or 
          local election official whose office does not have an Internet 
          site may meet the description of a program under paragraph (1) 
          if the official has established a toll-free telephone number 
          that may be used by an individual who cast an absentee ballot 
          to obtain the information on the receipt of the voted absentee 
          ballot as provided under such paragraph.
      ``(c) Certification of Compliance and Costs.--
              ``(1) Certification required.--In order to receive a 
          payment under this section, a State shall submit to the 
          Commission a statement containing--
                      ``(A) a certification that the State has 
                  established an absentee ballot tracking program with 
                  respect to elections for Federal office held in the 
                  State; and
                      ``(B) a statement of the costs incurred by the 
                  State in establishing the program.
              ``(2) Amount of payment.--The amount of a payment made to a 
          State under this section shall be equal to the costs incurred 
          by the State in establishing the absentee ballot tracking 
          program, as set forth in the statement submitted under 
          paragraph (1), except that such amount may not exceed the 
          product of--
                      ``(A) the number of jurisdictions in the State 
                  which are responsible for operating the program; and
                      ``(B) $3,000.
              ``(3) Limit on number of payments received.--A State may 
          not receive more than one payment under this part.
  
  ``SEC. 297A. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
  
      ``(a) Authorization.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
  the Commission for fiscal year 2010 and each succeeding fiscal year 
  such sums as may be necessary for payments under this part.
      ``(b) Continuing Availability of Funds.--Any amounts appropriated 
  pursuant to the authorization under this section shall remain available 
  until expended.''.
      (b) Clerical Amendment.--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:
  
       ``Part 7--Payments To Reimburse States for Costs Incurred in 
   Establishing Program To Track and Confirm Receipt of Absentee Ballots
  
  ``Sec. 297. Payments to States.
  ``Sec. 297A. Authorization of appropriations.''.
  
              Passed the House of Representatives July 30, 2009.
  
              Attest:
  
                                              LORRAINE C. MILLER,
  
                                                                   Clerk.
target: Absentee Ballot Track, Receive, and Confirm Act - Amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to direct the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to make a payment to reimburse a state for the costs incurred in establishing, if the state so chooses, an absentee ballot tracking program for federal elections.
feat_title: To amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to reimburse States for the costs incurred in establishing a program to track and confirm the receipt of voted absentee ballots in elections for Federal office and make information on the receipt of such ballots available by means of online access, and for other purposes.