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A bill 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.

USA115th CongressS-1419| Senate 
| Updated: 6/22/2017
Patrick J. Leahy

Patrick J. Leahy

Democratic Senator

Vermont

Cosponsors (49)
Jeanne Shaheen (Democratic)Mazie K. Hirono (Democratic)Tammy Duckworth (Democratic)Margaret Wood Hassan (Democratic)Tom Udall (Democratic)Dianne Feinstein (Democratic)Catherine Cortez Masto (Democratic)Richard J. Durbin (Democratic)Edward J. Markey (Democratic)Charles E. Schumer (Democratic)Jack Reed (Democratic)Kirsten E. Gillibrand (Democratic)Elizabeth Warren (Democratic)Christopher A. Coons (Democratic)Kamala D. Harris (Democratic)Thomas R. Carper (Democratic)Joe Donnelly (Democratic)Mark R. Warner (Democratic)Angus S. King (Independent)Amy Klobuchar (Democratic)Heidi Heitkamp (Democratic)Doug Jones (Democratic)Robert P. Casey (Democratic)Tim Kaine (Democratic)Sheldon Whitehouse (Democratic)Chris Van Hollen (Democratic)Christopher Murphy (Democratic)Jon Tester (Democratic)Debbie Stabenow (Democratic)Bill Nelson (Democratic)Claire McCaskill (Democratic)Martin Heinrich (Democratic)Michael F. Bennet (Democratic)Patty Murray (Democratic)Tina Smith (Democratic)Sherrod Brown (Democratic)Bernard Sanders (Independent)Brian Schatz (Democratic)Al Franken (Democratic)Maria Cantwell (Democratic)Tammy Baldwin (Democratic)Cory A. Booker (Democratic)Benjamin L. Cardin (Democratic)Robert Menendez (Democratic)Jeff Merkley (Democratic)Gary C. Peters (Democratic)Ron Wyden (Democratic)Richard Blumenthal (Democratic)Lisa Murkowski (Republican)

Judiciary Committee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2017 This bill amends the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to allow a representative official of an Indian tribe, with authorization from the governing body of the tribe, to request one or more polling places to be located on tribal lands. The state or political subdivision shall provide each requested polling place at no expense to the Indian tribe if certain criteria are met. A federal court shall retain jurisdiction to enforce constitutional voting guarantees, but also certain violations of the Act as well as of any federal prohibition against discrimination on the basis of race, color, or membership in a language minority group, for an appropriate period to prevent commencement of new devices to deny or abridge the right to vote. Any state (and all of its political subdivisions) shall be subject to certain requirements for a 10-year period if: 15 or more voting rights violations occurred there during the previous 25 years; or 10 or more violations occurred during the previous 25 years, at least one of which was committed by the state itself (as opposed to a political subdivision within it). A state or political subdivision that obtains a declaratory judgment that it has not used a device to deny or abridge the right to vote shall be exempt from such requirements unless as specified. This bill prescribes transparency requirements regarding any changes to specified matters. Department of Justice authority to assign observers receives new extensions. Courts shall grant preliminary injunctive relief if a complainant raises a serious question whether the challenged covered practice violates the Act or the Constitution and, on balance, the hardship imposed upon the defendant by the relief will be less than the hardship on the plaintiff if the relief were not granted.
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Timeline
Jun 22, 2017
Introduced in Senate
Jun 22, 2017
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S3733-3734)
Jul 17, 2017

Latest Companion Bill Action

HR 115-2978
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E999-1000)
  • June 22, 2017
    Introduced in Senate


  • June 22, 2017
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S3733-3734)


  • July 17, 2017

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    HR 115-2978
    Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E999-1000)

Government Operations and Politics

Related Bills

  • HR 115-3239: 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.
  • HR 115-2978: 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.
Civil actions and liabilityElections, voting, political campaign regulationFederal-Indian relationsJurisdiction and venueRacial and ethnic relationsState and local government operationsVoting rights

A bill 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.

USA115th CongressS-1419| Senate 
| Updated: 6/22/2017
Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2017 This bill amends the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to allow a representative official of an Indian tribe, with authorization from the governing body of the tribe, to request one or more polling places to be located on tribal lands. The state or political subdivision shall provide each requested polling place at no expense to the Indian tribe if certain criteria are met. A federal court shall retain jurisdiction to enforce constitutional voting guarantees, but also certain violations of the Act as well as of any federal prohibition against discrimination on the basis of race, color, or membership in a language minority group, for an appropriate period to prevent commencement of new devices to deny or abridge the right to vote. Any state (and all of its political subdivisions) shall be subject to certain requirements for a 10-year period if: 15 or more voting rights violations occurred there during the previous 25 years; or 10 or more violations occurred during the previous 25 years, at least one of which was committed by the state itself (as opposed to a political subdivision within it). A state or political subdivision that obtains a declaratory judgment that it has not used a device to deny or abridge the right to vote shall be exempt from such requirements unless as specified. This bill prescribes transparency requirements regarding any changes to specified matters. Department of Justice authority to assign observers receives new extensions. Courts shall grant preliminary injunctive relief if a complainant raises a serious question whether the challenged covered practice violates the Act or the Constitution and, on balance, the hardship imposed upon the defendant by the relief will be less than the hardship on the plaintiff if the relief were not granted.
View Full Text

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Timeline
Jun 22, 2017
Introduced in Senate
Jun 22, 2017
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S3733-3734)
Jul 17, 2017

Latest Companion Bill Action

HR 115-2978
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E999-1000)
  • June 22, 2017
    Introduced in Senate


  • June 22, 2017
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S3733-3734)


  • July 17, 2017

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    HR 115-2978
    Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E999-1000)
Patrick J. Leahy

Patrick J. Leahy

Democratic Senator

Vermont

Cosponsors (49)
Jeanne Shaheen (Democratic)Mazie K. Hirono (Democratic)Tammy Duckworth (Democratic)Margaret Wood Hassan (Democratic)Tom Udall (Democratic)Dianne Feinstein (Democratic)Catherine Cortez Masto (Democratic)Richard J. Durbin (Democratic)Edward J. Markey (Democratic)Charles E. Schumer (Democratic)Jack Reed (Democratic)Kirsten E. Gillibrand (Democratic)Elizabeth Warren (Democratic)Christopher A. Coons (Democratic)Kamala D. Harris (Democratic)Thomas R. Carper (Democratic)Joe Donnelly (Democratic)Mark R. Warner (Democratic)Angus S. King (Independent)Amy Klobuchar (Democratic)Heidi Heitkamp (Democratic)Doug Jones (Democratic)Robert P. Casey (Democratic)Tim Kaine (Democratic)Sheldon Whitehouse (Democratic)Chris Van Hollen (Democratic)Christopher Murphy (Democratic)Jon Tester (Democratic)Debbie Stabenow (Democratic)Bill Nelson (Democratic)Claire McCaskill (Democratic)Martin Heinrich (Democratic)Michael F. Bennet (Democratic)Patty Murray (Democratic)Tina Smith (Democratic)Sherrod Brown (Democratic)Bernard Sanders (Independent)Brian Schatz (Democratic)Al Franken (Democratic)Maria Cantwell (Democratic)Tammy Baldwin (Democratic)Cory A. Booker (Democratic)Benjamin L. Cardin (Democratic)Robert Menendez (Democratic)Jeff Merkley (Democratic)Gary C. Peters (Democratic)Ron Wyden (Democratic)Richard Blumenthal (Democratic)Lisa Murkowski (Republican)

Judiciary Committee

Government Operations and Politics

Related Bills

  • HR 115-3239: 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.
  • HR 115-2978: 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.
  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Civil actions and liabilityElections, voting, political campaign regulationFederal-Indian relationsJurisdiction and venueRacial and ethnic relationsState and local government operationsVoting rights