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52 USC § 21061 - Payments for protection and advocacy systems

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t52/s21061"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "52 USC § 21061 - Payments for protection and advocacy systems"
title_number: 52
title_name: "VOTING AND ELECTIONS"
section_number: "21061"
section_name: "Payments for protection and advocacy systems"
chapter_number: 209
chapter_name: "ELECTION ADMINISTRATION IMPROVEMENT"
subchapter_number: "II"
subchapter_name: "COMMISSION"
part_number: "D"
part_name: "Election Assistance"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-03-26"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 107–252, title II, § 291, Oct. 29, 2002, 116 Stat. 1702; Pub. L. 117–182, § 2, Sept. 30, 2022, 136 Stat. 2178.)"
---

# § 21061. Payments for protection and advocacy systems

**(a)** **In general** 42 U.S.C. 1500242 U.S.C. 15041

In addition to any other payments made under this part, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall pay the protection and advocacy system (as defined in section 102 of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 ()) of each State to ensure full participation in the electoral process for individuals with disabilities, including registering to vote, casting a vote and accessing polling places. In providing such services, protection and advocacy systems shall have the same general authorities as they are afforded under subtitle C of title I of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 ( et seq.).

**1** **Minimum grant amount** section 794e of title 29[^1][^1]

The minimum amount of each grant to a protection and advocacy system shall be determined and allocated as set forth in subsections (c)(1)(B), (c)(3), (c)(4), (c)(5), (e), and (g) of , except that the amount of the grants to systems referred to in subsection (c)(3)(B)  shall not be less than $70,000, and the amount of the grants to systems referred to in subsections (c)(1)(B) and (c)(4)  shall not be less than $35,000.

So in original. Probably should be followed by “of that section”.

**(c)** **Eligible grant recipients**

**(1)** **Definition of State** 42 U.S.C. 15002

For the purposes of this section, the term “State” shall have the meaning given such term in section 102 of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 ().

**(2)** **American Indian consortium eligible** section 794e(c)(1)(B) of title 29

A system serving the American Indian consortium for which funds have been reserved under  shall be eligible for payments under subsection (a) in the same manner as a protection and advocacy system of a State.

**(d)** **Training and technical assistance program**

**(1)** **In general** section 21062 of this title

Not later than 90 days after the date on which the initial appropriation of funds for a fiscal year is made pursuant to the authorization under , the Secretary shall set aside 7 percent of the amount appropriated under such section and use such portion to make payments to eligible entities to provide training and technical assistance with respect to the activities carried out under this section.

**(2)** **Use of funds** A recipient of a payment under this subsection may use the payment to support training in the use of voting systems and technologies, and to demonstrate and evaluate the use of such systems and technologies, by individuals with disabilities (including blindness) in order to assess the availability and use of such systems and technologies for such individuals. At least one of the recipients under this subsection shall use the payment to provide training and technical assistance for nonvisual access.

**(3)** **Eligibility** An entity is eligible to receive a payment under this subsection if the entity—

**(A)** is a public or private nonprofit entity with demonstrated experience in voting issues for individuals with disabilities;

**(B)** is governed by a board with respect to which the majority of its members are individuals with disabilities or family members of such individuals or individuals who are blind; and

**(C)** submits to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.

---

**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 107–252, title II, § 291, Oct. 29, 2002, 116 Stat. 1702; Pub. L. 117–182, § 2, Sept. 30, 2022, 136 Stat. 2178.)

## Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000, referred to in subsec. (a), is , , . Subtitle C of title I of the Act is classified generally to part C (§ 15041 et seq.) of subchapter I of chapter 144 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under  and Tables.

### Codification

Section was formerly classified to , The Public Health and Welfare, prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.

### Amendments

2022—Subsec. (b). , inserted “(c)(1)(B),” after “as set forth in subsections” and substituted “subsection (c)(3)(B) shall not be less than $70,000, and the amount of the grants to systems referred to in subsections (c)(1)(B) and (c)(4) shall not be less than $35,000.” for “subsections (c)(3)(B) and (c)(4)(B) of that section shall be not less than $70,000 and $35,000, respectively.”

Subsecs. (c), (d). , added subsec. (c) and redesignated former subsec. (c) as (d).

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2022 Amendment

> “The amendments made by section 2 [amending this section] shall take effect at the start of the first fiscal year starting after the date of the enactment of this Act [
> 
> ].”

, , , provided that: