Voting Rights Reauthorization bill

(This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the House on July 13, 2006. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, and Coretta Scott King Voting Rights Act Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006 - (Sec. 3) Amends the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to revise requirements for the use of examiners and observers at federal elections. Requires the Director of the Office of Personnel (OPM) to assign an appropriate number of observers for any political subdivision in question if: (1) a court has authorized the appointment of observers for the subdivision; or (2) the Attorney General certifies that the assignment of observers is otherwise necessary to enforce the guarantees of the 14th and 15th Amendments because written meritorious complaints indicate that efforts to deny or abridge the right to vote under color of law on account of race or color are likely to occur. Repeals the requirement that federal examiners first be serving in such a political subdivision.

Eliminates the position of federal voting examiner, and related requirements.

Replaces examiners with federal voting observers with respect to: (1) proceedings to enforce the right to vote; and (2) suspension of the use of tests or devices in determining eligibility to vote.

(Sec. 4) Extends: (1) the time for reconsideration of federal oversight of jurisdictions which once used suspended voting tests or devices until 15 years after the enactment of this Act; and (2) related requirements for such jurisdictions until 25 years after the enactment of this Act.

(Sec. 5) Revises criteria for a declaratory judgment regarding the legality or constitutionality of voting rules changes. States that any voting qualification or prerequisite to voting, or standard, practice, or procedure with respect to voting denies or abridges the right to vote if its purpose is or its effect will be the diminishment of the ability of any U.S. citizens on account of race or color, or in contravention of certain guarantees, to elect their preferred candidates of choice.

(Sec. 6) Authorizes the prevailing party in a civil voting rights enforcement proceeding to recover expert costs as part of recoverable attorney fees.

(Sec. 7) Extends bilingual election requirements through August 5, 2032.

(Sec. 8) Revises the requirements for determining states and political subdivisions covered by them to require use of 2010 American Community Survey census data.

(Sec. 9) Directs the Comptroller General to study and report to Congress on the implementation, effectiveness, and efficiency of the bilingual voting materials requirement of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and alternatives to the current implementation consistent with such requirement.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov