This legislation, known as the Protecting American Voters' Rights Act , seeks to expand the ability of individuals to file civil lawsuits against government officials. Its primary purpose is to allow Americans to sue federal officials for constitutional violations pertaining to voting rights and election law. The bill achieves this by amending 42 U.S.C. 1983, which currently permits civil actions against individuals acting under color of state law for depriving others of their constitutional rights. The amendment specifically extends this provision to include persons acting under the authority of any Federal election or election enforcement authority . This change creates a new legal pathway for citizens to seek redress and hold federal actors accountable for actions that infringe upon their fundamental voting rights.
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Timeline
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Government Operations and Politics
Protecting American Voters’ Rights Act
USA119th CongressHR-8858| House
| Updated: 5/15/2026
This legislation, known as the Protecting American Voters' Rights Act , seeks to expand the ability of individuals to file civil lawsuits against government officials. Its primary purpose is to allow Americans to sue federal officials for constitutional violations pertaining to voting rights and election law. The bill achieves this by amending 42 U.S.C. 1983, which currently permits civil actions against individuals acting under color of state law for depriving others of their constitutional rights. The amendment specifically extends this provision to include persons acting under the authority of any Federal election or election enforcement authority . This change creates a new legal pathway for citizens to seek redress and hold federal actors accountable for actions that infringe upon their fundamental voting rights.