For a new American voters grant program to ensure compliance with the language access mandate in section 203 of the federal Voting Rights Act, 52 U.S.C. section 10503; provided, that not less than $750,000 shall be expended for grants to support outreach efforts in the cities of Boston, Chelsea, Everett, Fitchburg, Holyoke, Lawrence, Leominster, Lowell, Lynn, Malden, Methuen, Quincy, Revere, Salem, Springfield and Worcester, the town of Clinton and the cities known as the towns of Randolph and Southbridge to provide, pursuant to the Voting Rights Act, election materials, including ballots, in languages spoken by more than 5 per cent of the populations in those municipalities or as otherwise required by the Voting Rights Act; provided further, that the grant program shall be administered by the secretary of the commonwealth, who shall issue a request for proposals to provide grants to the municipalities listed in this item; provided further, that the secretary of the commonwealth shall use not more than $125,000 of the grant funding under this item for necessary administrative costs related to grant administration, technical assistance and training for municipalities and statewide professional translation and interpretation services; provided further, that not less than $250,000 shall be made available to the Massachusetts Voter Education Network, Inc. to administer a New American Voters Community Partnership grant program for community-based organizations to: (i) conduct nonpartisan voter education; (ii) advise and assist municipal elections officials in the aforementioned municipalities, including reviewing translations and identifying multilingual poll workers; and (iii) aid in collecting feedback from limited English proficiency voters; provided further, that the Massachusetts Voter Education Network, Inc. shall use not more than 10 per cent of the funds for activities related to grant administration; provided further, that the secretary of the commonwealth shall develop guidelines that outline periodic reporting requirements for grantees, including semi-annual and final reports; and provided further, that the secretary of the commonwealth shall submit a preliminary report not later than 6 months after the awarding of the funds and a final report not later than 12 months after the expenditure of all grant funds awarded to those community-based organizations by the New American Voters Community Partnership grant program on the efficacy of the grant programs to the house and senate committees on ways and means and the joint committee on election laws
