Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2019

Bill: 116-hr-4
Sponsor: Rep. Sewell, Terri A. [D-AL-7]
Introduced: 2019-02-26 in the House
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Elections, voting, political campaign regulation
Federal-Indian relations
Jurisdiction and venue
Racial and ethnic relations
State and local government operations
Voting rights

Summary:
action_date: 2019-02-26
text: 

Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2019

 
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 (1) 15 or more voting rights violations occurred in the state during the previous 25 years; or (2) 10 or more violations occurred during the previous 25 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 three or more voting rights violations occurred there during the previous 25 years. 
 
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 specifies practices that all jurisdictions must preclear before implementing.
 
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.

action_date: 2019-11-29
text: 

Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2019

 
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 (1) 15 or more voting rights violations occurred in the state during the previous 25 years; or (2) 10 or more violations occurred during the previous 25 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 three or more voting rights violations occurred there during the previous 25 years. 
 
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 specifies practices that all jurisdictions must preclear before implementing.
 
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.

action_date: 2019-12-06
text: 

Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2019

 
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 (1) 15 or more voting rights violations occurred in the state during the previous 25 years; or (2) 10 or more violations occurred during the previous 25 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 three or more voting rights violations occurred there during the previous 25 years. 
 
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.
 
All jurisdictions must preclear changes to requirements for documentation to vote that make the requirements more stringent than federal requirements for voters who register by mail or state law.
 
The bill specifies practices jurisdictions meeting certain thresholds regarding racial minority groups, language minority groups, or minority groups on Indian land, must preclear before implementing. These practices include changes to methods of election, changes to jurisdiction boundaries, redistricting, changes to voting locations and opportunities, and changes to voter registration list maintenance.
 
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.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-07-27
text: Pursuant to the provisions of H. Con. Res. 107, enrollment corrections on H.R. 4 have been made.
action_date: 2019-12-09
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2019-12-06
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2019-12-06
text: On passage Passed by recorded vote: 228 - 187 (Roll no. 654). (text: CR H9308-9312)
action_date: 2019-12-06
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by recorded vote: 228 - 187 (Roll no. 654).(text: CR H9308-9312)
action_date: 2019-12-06
text: On motion to recommit with instructions Failed by recorded vote: 200 - 215 (Roll no. 653).
action_date: 2019-12-06
text: The previous question on the motion to recommit with instructions was ordered without objection.
action_date: 2019-12-06
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Rodney Davis (IL) motion to recommit with instructions. The instructions contained in the motion seek to require the bill to be reported back to the House with an amendment inserting a new section entitled rule of construction which states that nothing in this Act may be construed to allow fines or other amounts paid to the United States in connection with a violation of title I of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 including any amount paid pursuant to a settlement agreement, to be used to make a payment in support of a campaign for election for the office of Senator or Representative in, or Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, the Congress.
action_date: 2019-12-06
text: Mr. Davis, Rodney moved to recommit with instructions to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text: CR H9331)
action_date: 2019-12-06
text: Pursuant to clause 1(c) of Rule XIX proceedings on H.R. 4 resumed. (consideration: CR H9331-9334)
action_date: 2019-12-06
text: POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - Pursuant to clause 1(c) of rule XIX, the Chair postponed further proceedings on H.R. 4.
action_date: 2019-12-06
text: The previous question was ordered without objection.
action_date: 2019-12-06
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 4.
action_date: 2019-12-06
text: The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 4 under a closed rule with one hour of general debate. Also, the resolution provides for consideration of H. Res. 326 under a closed rule with one hour of general debate. The rule provides that the amendments to H. Res. 326 and preamble, modified by the amendments in Part B of the report are considered as adopted.
action_date: 2019-12-06
text: Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 741. (consideration: CR H9308-9330)
action_date: 2019-12-04
text: Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 741 Reported to House. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 4 under a closed rule with one hour of general debate. Also, the resolution provides for consideration of H. Res. 326 under a closed rule with one hour of general debate. The rule provides that the amendments to H. Res. 326 and preamble, modified by the amendments in Part B of the report are considered as adopted.
action_date: 2019-11-29
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 258.
action_date: 2019-11-29
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 116-317.
action_date: 2019-11-29
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 116-317.
action_date: 2019-10-23
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2019-10-23
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 19 - 6.
action_date: 2019-10-22
text: Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties Discharged.
action_date: 2019-03-25
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.
action_date: 2019-02-26
text: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2019-02-26
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2019-02-26
text: Introduced in House