A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relative to the fundamental right to vote.

Bill: 116-sjres-75
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Introduced: 2020-08-04
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Constitution and constitutional amendments

Elections, voting, political campaign regulation

Voting rights
Latest action: action_date: 2020-08-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S4734-4735; text: CR S4735)

Summaries:
action_date: 2020-08-04
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p>This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment related to the fundamental right to vote.</p> <p>Specifically, it grants every U.S. citizen of legal voting age the fundamental right to vote in any public election held in the jurisdiction in which the citizen resides.</p> <p>Next, it specifies that the fundamental right to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States, a state, or a political subdivision of a state, unless the denial or abridgment is in furtherance of a compelling governmental interest by the least restrictive means.</p> <p>Finally, it repeals a specific portion of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which allows for the denial of the right to vote based on crime. (Currently, some states disallow individuals from voting, either temporarily or indefinitely, after incarceration for a felony.)</p>

tv_txt: IIA 116th CONGRESS 2d Session S. J. RES. 75 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES August 4, 2020 Mr. Durbin (for himself, Ms. Warren , Mr. Sanders , Mr. Merkley , Ms. Hirono , Mr. Markey , Mr. Van Hollen , and Mr. Blumenthal ) introduced the following joint resolution; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary JOINT RESOLUTION Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relative to the fundamental right to vote.

That the following article is proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which shall be valid to all intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States: — 1. Every citizen of the United States, who is of legal voting age, shall have the fundamental right to vote in any public election held in the jurisdiction in which the citizen resides. 2. The fundamental right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State or political subdivision within a State unless such denial or abridgment is in furtherance of a compelling governmental interest and is the least restrictive means of furthering that compelling governmental interest. 3. The portion of section 2 of the fourteenth article of amendment to the Constitution of the United States that consists of the phrase or other crime, is repealed. 4. The Congress shall have the power to enforce this article and protect against any denial or abridgement of the fundamental right to vote by legislation. .