H.R. 1799 · 116th Congress
Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2019
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Never voted on. It didn't reach a floor vote before the 116th Congress ended, so it expired. A bill has to be introduced again to be considered in a new Congress.
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SensenbrennerSponsor20 cosponsors · 14 D, 6 R
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Beatty
JC
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Cooper
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Cole
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Cohen
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Crist
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Fitzpatrick
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Gallego
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Hurd
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Moore
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Peters
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Rice
JS
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Schakowsky
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Swalwell
MT
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Turner
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Nadler
JM
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McGovern
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Takano
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Lipinski
JK
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Katko
FU
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Upton14 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.
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.
What it does: CRS summary · Introduced in House · Mar 14, 2019
Voting Rights Amendment 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 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.
Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov
About this bill and sources
Official title: Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2019
Latest action (May 3, 2019): Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics · Origin: House · Introduced: Mar 14, 2019
Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)
No recorded floor vote found.