EFFIE Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 8977
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Government Operations and Politics
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-05-21: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-08T17:40:54Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose The legislation aims to deter fraudulent actions in the process of qualifying candidates for federal elections by establishing criminal penalties for knowingly falsifying required ballot access documents.
Key Provisions
- The bill amends Section 324 of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to prohibit any person seeking federal office, or their employee or agent, from knowingly fraudulently signing materials or documentation needed for ballot access.
- Violations are classified as felonies, punishable by a fine of up to $250,000, imprisonment for up to 5 years, or both.
- The changes take effect immediately upon the bill's enactment.
Significant Changes to Existing Law This measure replaces the prior content of Section 324 with a new prohibition focused specifically on fraudulent ballot access filings. It introduces federal felony-level penalties where none previously existed for this targeted conduct under the Act.
Potential Impacts
- On government agencies: Election officials and federal prosecutors may see increased referrals or investigations related to ballot qualification fraud.
- On citizens and candidates: Individuals running for federal office and their staff face new criminal risks for improper document handling, which could influence campaign practices.
- No direct effects on international relations are outlined.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Federal candidates and their employees or agents.
- State and local election administrators responsible for ballot access reviews.
- Federal law enforcement and judicial systems handling related prosecutions.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications The bill creates a new specific federal crime tied to election processes, potentially raising issues around enforcement consistency across states. It emphasizes election administration integrity through criminal sanctions but does not alter voter qualifications or broader campaign finance rules.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17]
Recent Actions
- 2026-05-21: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2026-05-21: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2026-05-21: Introduced in House
- 2026-05-21: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- End Fraudulent Filings that Interfere with Elections Act — issued 2026-05-21 — PDF (2 pages)