Bill > HR1799

Introduced Session

To amend the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to revise the criteria for determining which States and political subdivisions are subject to section 4 of the Act, and for other purposes. This bill establishes new criteria for determining which states and political subdivisions must obtain preclearance before changes to voting practices in these areas may take effect. (Preclearance is the process of receiving preapproval from the Department of Justice or the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia before making legal changes that would affect voting rights.) A state and all of its political subdivisions shall be subject to preclearance of voting practice changes for a 10-year period if five or more voting rights violations occurred in the state during the previous 15 years, at least one of which was committed by the state itself. A political subdivision as a separate unit shall also be subject to preclearance for a 10-year period if, in the previous 15 years (1) three or more voting rights violations occurred there, or (2) one or more voting rights violations occurred there and the subdivision had minority voter turnout below certain thresholds. A state or political subdivision that obtains a declaratory judgment that it has not used a voting practice to deny or abridge the right to vote shall be exempt from preclearance. The bill expands the circumstances under which (1) a court may retain the authority to preclear voting changes made by a state or political subdivision, or (2) the Department of Justice may assign election observers. States and political subdivisions must notify the public of changes to voting practices. The bill revises the circumstances under which a court must grant preliminary injunctive relief in a challenge to voting practices.

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Committee Categories

F. James Sensenbrenner (R)*,  Joyce Beatty (D),  Steve Cohen (D),  Tom Cole (R),  Jim Cooper (D),  Charlie Crist (D),  Brian Fitzpatrick (R),  Ruben Gallego (D),  Will Hurd (R),  John Katko (R),  Daniel Lipinski (D),  Jim McGovern (D),  Gwen Moore (D),  Jerry Nadler (D),  Scott Peters (D),  Kathleen Rice (D),  Jan Schakowsky (D),  Eric Swalwell (D),  Mark Takano (D),  Mike Turner (R),  Fred Upton (R), 

Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties. (on 05/03/2019)

Official Document