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John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2025

Introduced Mar 5, 2025 · Last action Mar 5, 2025 Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

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Summary

This legislation is called the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2025. Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Full bill text

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 14 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 H. R. 14

   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.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 5, 2025

Ms. Sewell (for herself, Mr. Jeffries, Ms. Clark of Massachusetts, Mr.
 Aguilar, Mr. Lieu, Mr. Neguse, Ms. Clarke of New York, Mr. Espaillat,
 Ms. Meng, Mr. Raskin, Mr. Morelle, Mr. Veasey, Mr. Scott of Virginia,
 Ms. Williams of Georgia, Mr. Figures, Ms. Adams, Mr. Amo, Ms. Ansari,
 Mr. Auchincloss, Ms. Balint, Ms. Barragan, Mrs. Beatty, Mr. Bell, Mr.
 Bera, Mr. Beyer, Mr. Bishop, Ms. Bonamici, Mr. Boyle of Pennsylvania,
 Ms. Brown, Ms. Brownley, Ms. Budzinski, Ms. Bynum, Mr. Carbajal, Mr.
 Carson, Mr. Carter of Louisiana, Mr. Casar, Mr. Case, Mr. Casten, Ms.
 Castor of Florida, Mr. Castro of Texas, Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormick, Ms.
 Chu, Mr. Cisneros, Mr. Cleaver, Mr. Clyburn, Mr. Cohen, Mr. Conaway,
   Mr. Connolly, Mr. Correa, Mr. Costa, Mr. Courtney, Ms. Craig, Ms.
  Crockett, Mr. Crow, Mr. Cuellar, Ms. Davids of Kansas, Mr. Davis of
 Illinois, Mr. Davis of North Carolina, Ms. Dean of Pennsylvania, Ms.
  DeGette, Ms. DeLauro, Ms. DelBene, Mr. Deluzio, Mr. DeSaulnier, Ms.
Dexter, Mrs. Dingell, Mr. Doggett, Ms. Elfreth, Ms. Escobar, Mr. Evans
 of Pennsylvania, Mr. Fields, Mrs. Fletcher, Mr. Foster, Mrs. Foushee,
 Ms. Lois Frankel of Florida, Ms. Friedman, Mr. Frost, Mr. Garamendi,
Mr. Garcia of Illinois, Mr. Garcia of California, Ms. Garcia of Texas,
 Ms. Gillen, Mr. Golden of Maine, Mr. Goldman of New York, Mr. Gomez,
  Mr. Vicente Gonzalez of Texas, Ms. Goodlander, Mr. Gottheimer, Mr.
Gray, Mr. Green of Texas, Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Harder of California, Mrs.
Hayes, Mr. Hernandez, Mr. Himes, Mr. Horsford, Ms. Houlahan, Mr. Hoyer,
 Ms. Hoyle of Oregon, Mr. Huffman, Mr. Ivey, Mr. Jackson of Illinois,
Ms. Jacobs, Ms. Jayapal, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Ms. Johnson of Texas,
Ms. Kamlager-Dove, Ms. Kaptur, Mr. Keating, Ms. Kelly of Illinois, Mr.
Kennedy of New York, Mr. Khanna, Mr. Krishnamoorthi, Mr. Landsman, Mr.
 Larsen of Washington, Mr. Larson of Connecticut, Mr. Latimer, Ms. Lee
of Pennsylvania, Ms. Lee of Nevada, Ms. Leger Fernandez, Mr. Levin, Mr.
   Liccardo, Ms. Lofgren, Mr. Lynch, Mr. Magaziner, Mr. Mannion, Ms.
Matsui, Mrs. McBath, Ms. McBride, Mrs. McClain Delaney, Ms. McClellan,
  Ms. McCollum, Ms. McDonald Rivet, Mr. McGarvey, Mr. McGovern, Mrs.
   McIver, Mr. Meeks, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Mfume, Mr. Min, Ms. Moore of
  Wisconsin, Ms. Morrison, Mr. Moskowitz, Mr. Moulton, Mr. Mrvan, Mr.
  Mullin, Mr. Nadler, Mr. Neal, Mr. Norcross, Ms. Norton, Ms. Ocasio-
Cortez, Mr. Olszewski, Ms. Omar, Mr. Pallone, Mr. Panetta, Mr. Pappas,
  Ms. Pelosi, Ms. Perez, Mr. Peters, Ms. Pettersen, Ms. Pingree, Ms.
Plaskett, Mr. Pocan, Ms. Pou, Ms. Pressley, Mr. Quigley, Mrs. Ramirez,
Ms. Randall, Mr. Riley of New York, Ms. Rivas, Ms. Ross, Mr. Ruiz, Mr.
   Ryan, Ms. Salinas, Ms. Sanchez, Ms. Scanlon, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr.
 Schneider, Ms. Scholten, Ms. Schrier, Mr. David Scott of Georgia, Mr.
    Sherman, Ms. Sherrill, Ms. Simon, Mr. Smith of Washington, Mr.
   Sorensen, Mr. Soto, Ms. Stansbury, Mr. Stanton, Ms. Stevens, Ms.
Strickland, Mr. Subramanyam, Mr. Suozzi, Mr. Swalwell, Mrs. Sykes, Mr.
  Takano, Mr. Thanedar, Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, Mr. Thompson of
California, Ms. Titus, Ms. Tlaib, Ms. Tokuda, Mr. Tonko, Mrs. Torres of
    California, Mr. Torres of New York, Mrs. Trahan, Mr. Tran, Ms.
  Underwood, Mr. Vargas, Mr. Vasquez, Ms. Velazquez, Mr. Vindman, Ms.
Wasserman Schultz, Ms. Waters, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Mr. Whitesides, and
    Ms. Wilson of Florida) introduced the following bill; which was
               referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 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.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``John R. Lewis Voting Rights
Advancement Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. VOTE DILUTION, DENIAL, AND ABRIDGMENT CLAIMS.

    (a) In General.--Section 2(a) of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52
U.S.C. 10301(a)) is amended--
            (1) by inserting after ``applied by any State or political
        subdivision'' the following: ``for the purpose of, or''; and
            (2) by striking ``as provided in subsection (b)'' and
        inserting ``as provided in subsection (b), (c), (d), or (f)''.
    (b) Vote Dilution.--Section 2(b) of such Act (52 U.S.C. 10301(b))
is amended--
            (1) by inserting after ``A violation of subsection (a)''
        the following: ``for vote dilution'';
            (2) by inserting after the period at the end the following:
        ``For the purposes of this subsection:'';
            (3) by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:
            ``(1) To prevail in demonstrating that a representational,
        districting, or apportionment scheme results in vote dilution,
        a plaintiff shall, as a threshold matter, establish that--
                    ``(A) the members of the protected class are
                sufficiently numerous and geographically compact to
                constitute a majority in a single-member district;
                    ``(B) the members of the protected class are
                politically cohesive; and
                    ``(C) the residents of that district who are not
                the members of the protected class usually vote
                sufficiently as a bloc to enable them to defeat the
                preferred candidates of the members of the protected
                class.
            ``(2) Upon a plaintiff establishing the required threshold
        showing under paragraph (1), a court shall conduct a totality
        of the circumstances analysis with respect to a claim of vote
        dilution to determine whether there was a violation of
        subsection (a), which shall include the following factors:
                    ``(A) The extent of any history of official voting
                discrimination in the State or political subdivision
                that affected the right of members of the protected
                class to register, to vote, or otherwise to participate
                in the political process.
                    ``(B) The extent to which voting in the elections
                of the State or political subdivision is racially
                polarized.
                    ``(C) The extent to which the State or political
                subdivision has used voting practices or procedures
                that tend to enhance the opportunity for discrimination
                against the members of the protected class, such as
                unusually large election districts, majority vote
                requirements, anti-single shot provisions, or other
                qualifications, prerequisites, standards, practices, or
                procedures that may enhance the opportunity for
                discrimination against the members of the protected
                class.
                    ``(D) If there is a candidate slating process,
                whether the members of the protected class have been
                denied access to that process.
                    ``(E) The extent to which members of the protected
                class in the State or political subdivision bear the
                effects of discrimination, both public or private, in
                such areas as education, employment, health, housing,
                and transportation, which hinder their ability to
                participate effectively in the political process.
                    ``(F) Whether political campaigns have been
                characterized by overt or subtle racial appeals.
                    ``(G) The extent to which members of the protected
                class have been elected to public office in the
                jurisdiction.
            ``(3) In conducting a totality of the circumstances
        analysis under paragraph (2), a court may consider such other
        factors as the court may determine to be relevant, including--
                    ``(A) whether there is a significant lack of
                responsiveness on the part of elected officials to the
                particularized needs of the members of the protected
                class, including a lack of concern for or
                responsiveness to the requests and proposals of the
                members of the protected class, except that compliance
                with a court order may not be considered evidence of
                responsiveness on the part of the jurisdiction; and
                    ``(B) whether the policy underlying the State or
                political subdivision's use of such voting
                qualification, prerequisite to voting, or standard,
                practice or procedure is tenuous.
        In making this determination, a court shall consider whether
        the qualification, prerequisite, standard, practice, or
        procedure in question was designed to advance and materially
        advances a valid and substantiated State interest.
            ``(4) A class of citizens protected by subsection (a) may
        include a cohesive coalition of members of different racial or
        language minority groups.''; and
            (4) Vote denial or abridgement.--Section 2 of such Act (52
        U.S.C. 10301), as amended by subsections (a) and (b), is
        further amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(c)(1) A violation of subsection (a) resulting in vote denial or
abridgment is established if the challenged qualification,
prerequisite, standard, practice, or procedure--
            ``(A) results or will result in members of a protected
        class facing greater costs or burdens in participating in the
        political process than other voters; and
            ``(B) the greater costs or burdens are, at least in part,
        caused by or linked to social and historical conditions that
        have produced or produce on the date of such challenge
        discrimination against members of the protected class.
        In determining the existence of a burden for purposes of
        subparagraph (A), the absolute number or the percent of voters
        affected or the presence of voters who are not members of a
        protected class in the affected area shall not be dispositive,
        and the affected area may be smaller than the jurisdiction to
        which the qualification, prerequisite, standard, practice, or
        procedure applies.
    ``(2) The challenged qualification, prerequisite, standard,
practice, or procedure need only be a but-for cause of the
discriminatory result described in paragraph (1) or perpetuate a pre-
existing burdens or costs.
    ``(3)(A) The factors that are relevant to a totality of the
circumstances analysis with respect to a claim of vote denial or
abridgement pursuant to this subsection include the following:
            ``(i) The extent of any history of official voting-related
        discrimination in the State or political subdivision that
        affected the right of members of the protected class to
        register, to vote, or otherwise to participate in the political
        process.
            ``(ii) The extent to which voting in the elections of the
        State or political subdivision is racially polarized.
            ``(iii) The extent to which the State or political
        subdivision has used photographic voter identification
        requirements, documentary proof of citizenship requirements,
        documentary proof of residence requirements, or other voting
        practices or procedures, beyond those required by Federal law,
        that impair the ability of members of the minority group to
        participate fully in the political process.
            ``(iv) The extent to which minority group members bear the
        effects of discrimination, both public or private, in areas
        such as education, employment, health, housing, and
        transportation, which hinder their ability to participate
        effectively in the political process.
            ``(v) The use of overt or subtle racial appeals either in
        political campaigns or surrounding adoption or maintenance of
        the challenged practice.
            ``(vi) The extent to which members of the minority group
        have been elected to public office in the jurisdiction,
        provided that the fact that the minority group is too small to
        elect candidates of its choice shall not defeat a claim of vote
        denial or abridgment.
            ``(vii) Whether there is a lack of responsiveness on the
        part of elected officials to the particularized needs of
        minority group members, including a lack of concern for or
        responsiveness to the requests and proposals of the group,
        except that compliance with a court order may not be considered
        evidence of responsiveness on the part of the jurisdiction.
            ``(viii) Whether the policy underlying the State or
        political subdivision's use of the challenged qualification,
        prerequisite, standard, practice, or procedure is tenuous. In
        making a determination under this clause, a court shall
        consider whether the qualification, prerequisite, standard,
        practice, or procedure in question was designed to advance and
        materially advances a valid and substantiated State interest.
            ``(ix) Subject to paragraph (4), such other factors as the
        court may determine to be relevant.
    ``(B) The factors described in subparagraph (A), individually and
collectively, shall be considered as a means of establishing that a
voting practice amplifies the effects of past or present discrimination
in violation in subsection (a).
    ``(C) A plaintiff need not show any particular combination or
number of factors to establish a violation of subsection (a).
    ``(4) The factors that are relevant to a totality of the
circumstances analysis with respect to a claim of vote denial or
abridgement do not include the following:
            ``(A) The degree to which the challenged qualification,
        prerequisite, standard, practice, or procedure has a long
        pedigree or was in widespread use at some earlier date.
            ``(B) The use of an identical or similar qualification,
        prerequisite, standard, practice, or procedure in other States
        or jurisdictions.
            ``(C) The availability of other forms of voting unimpacted
        by the challenged qualification, prerequisite, standard,
        practice, or procedure to all members of the electorate,
        including members of the protected class, unless the
        jurisdiction is simultaneously expanding such other practices
        to eliminate any disproportionate burden imposed by the
        challenged qualification, prerequisite, standard, practice, or
        procedure.
            ``(D) Unsubstantiated defenses that the qualification,
        prerequisite, standard, practice, or procedure is necessary to
        address criminal activity.
    ``(d)(1) A violation of subsection (a) for the purpose of vote
denial or abridgement is established if the challenged qualification,
prerequisite, standard, practice, or procedure is intended, at least in
part, to dilute minority voting strength or to deny or abridge the
right of any citizen of the United States to vote on account of race,
color, or in contravention of the guarantees set forth in section
4(f)(2).
    ``(2) Discrimination on account of race, color, or in contravention
of the guarantees set forth in section 4(f)(2) need only be one purpose
of a qualification, prerequisite, standard, practice, or procedure to
demonstrate a violation of subsection (a).
    ``(3) A qualification, prerequisite, standard, practice, or
procedure intended to dilute minority voting strength or to make it
more difficult for minority voters to cast a ballot that will be
counted violates this subsection even if an additional purpose of the
qualification, prerequisite, standard, practice, or procedure is to
benefit a particular political party or group.
    ``(4) The context for the adoption of the challenged qualification,
prerequisite, standard, practice, or procedure, including actions by
official decisionmakers before the challenged qualification,
prerequisite, standard, practice, or procedure, may be relevant to a
violation of this subsection.
    ``(5) Claims under this subsection require proof of a
discriminatory impact but do not require proof of a violation pursuant
to subsection (b) or (c).
    ``(e) For purposes of this section, the term `affected area' means
any geographic area, in which members of a protected class are affected
by a qualification, prerequisite, standard, practice, or procedure
allegedly in violation of this section, within a State (including any
Indian lands).''.

SEC. 3. RETROGRESSION.

    Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. 10301 et
seq.), as amended by section 2 of this Act, is further amended by
adding at the end the following:
    ``(f) A violation of subsection (a) is established when a State or
political subdivision enacts or seeks to administer any qualification
or prerequisite to voting or standard, practice, or procedure with
respect to voting in any election that has the purpose of or will have
the effect of diminishing the ability of any citizens of the United
States on account of race or color, or in contravention of the
guarantees set forth in section 4(f)(2), to participate in the
electoral process or elect their preferred candidates of choice. This
subsection applies to any action taken on or after January 1, 2021, by
a State or political subdivision to enact or seek to administer any
such qualification or prerequisite to voting or standard, practice or
procedure.
    ``(g) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (f), final
decisions of the United States District Court of the District of
Columbia on applications or petitions by States or political
subdivisions for preclearance under section 5 of any changes in voting
prerequisites, standards, practices, or procedures, supersede the
provisions of subsection (f).''.

SEC. 4. VIOLATIONS TRIGGERING AUTHORITY OF COURT TO RETAIN
              JURISDICTION.

    (a) Types of Violations.--Section 3(c) of the Voting Rights Act of
1965 (52 U.S.C. 10302(c)) is amended by striking ``violations of the
fourteenth or fifteenth amendment'' and inserting ``violations of the
14th or 15th Amendment, violations of this Act, or violations of any
Federal law that prohibits discrimination in voting on the basis of
race, color, or membership in a language minority group,''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 3(a) of such Act (52 U.S.C.
10302(a)) is amended by striking ``violations of the fourteenth or
fifteenth amendment'' and inserting ``violations of the 14th or 15th
Amendment, violations of this Act, or violations of any Federal law
that prohibits discrimination in voting on the basis of race, color, or
membership in a language minority group,''.

SEC. 5. CRITERIA FOR COVERAGE OF STATES AND POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS.

    (a) Determination of States and Political Subdivisions Subject to
Section 4(a).--
            (1) In general.--Section 4(b) of the Voting Rights Act of
        1965 (52 U.S.C. 10303(b)) is amended to read as follows:
    ``(b) Determination of States and Political Subdivisions Subject to
Requirements.--
            ``(1) Existence of voting rights violations during previous
        25 years.--
                    ``(A) Statewide application.--Subsection (a)
                applies with respect to a State and all political
                subdivisions within the State during a calendar year
                if--
                            ``(i) fifteen or more voting rights
                        violations occurred in the State during the
                        previous 25 calendar years;
                            ``(ii) ten or more voting rights violations
                        occurred in the State during the previous 25
                        calendar years, at least one of which was
                        committed by the State itself (as opposed to a
                        political subdivision within the State); or
                            ``(iii) three or more voting rights
                        violations occurred in the State during the
                        previous 25 calendar years and the State itself
                        administers the elections in the State or
                        political subdivisions in which the voting
                        rights violations occurred.
                    ``(B) Application to specific political
                subdivisions.--Subsection (a) applies with respect to a
                political subdivision as a separate unit during a
                calendar year if three or more voting rights violations
                occurred in the subdivision during the previous 25
                calendar years.
            ``(2) Period of application.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Except as provided in
                subparagraph (B), if, pursuant to paragraph (1),
                subsection (a) applies with respect to a State or
                political subdivision during a calendar year,
                subsection (a) shall apply with respect to such State
                or political subdivision for the period--
                            ``(i) that begins on January 1 of the year
                        in which subsection (a) applies; and
                            ``(ii) that ends on the date which is 10
                        years after the date described in clause (i).
                    ``(B) No further application after declaratory
                judgment.--
                            ``(i) States.--If a State obtains a
                        declaratory judgment under subsection (a), and
                        the judgment remains in effect, subsection (a)
                        shall no longer apply to such State pursuant to
                        paragraph (1)(A) unless, after the issuance of
                        the declaratory judgment, paragraph (1)(A)
                        applies to the State solely on the basis of
                        voting rights violations occurring after the
                        issuance of the declaratory judgment.
                            ``(ii) Political subdivisions.--If a
                        political subdivision obtains a declaratory
                        judgment under subsection (a), and the judgment
                        remains in effect, subsection (a) shall no
                        longer apply to such political subdivision
                        pursuant to paragraph (1), including pursuant
                        to paragraph (1)(A) (relating to the statewide
                        application of subsection (a)), unless, after
                        the issuance of the declaratory judgment,
                        paragraph (1)(B) applies to the political
                        subdivision solely on the basis of voting
                        rights violations occurring after the issuance
                        of the declaratory judgment.
            ``(3) Determination of voting rights violation.--For
        purposes of paragraph (1), a voting rights violation occurred
        in a State or political subdivision if any of the following
        applies:
                    ``(A) Judicial relief; violation of the 14th or
                15th amendment.--Any final judgment, or any
                preliminary, temporary, or declaratory relief (that was
                not reversed on appeal), in which the plaintiff
                prevailed or a court of the United States found that
                the plaintiff demonstrated a likelihood of success on
                the merits or raised a serious question with regard to
                race discrimination, in which any court of the United
                States determined that a denial or abridgement of the
                right of any citizen of the United States to vote on
                account of race, color, or membership in a language
                minority group occurred, or that a voting qualification
                or prerequisite to voting or standard, practice, or
                procedure with respect to voting created an undue
                burden on the right to vote in connection with a claim
                that the law unduly burdened voters of a particular
                race, color, or language minority group, in violation
                of the 14th or 15th Amendment, anywhere within the
                State or subdivision.
                    ``(B) Judicial relief; violations of this act.--Any
                final judgment, or any preliminary, temporary, or
                declaratory relief (that was not reversed on appeal) in
                which the plaintiff prevailed or a court of the United
                States found that the plaintiff demonstrated a
                likelihood of success on the merits or raised a serious
                question with regard to race discrimination, in which
                any court of the United States determined that a voting
                qualification or prerequisite to voting or standard,
                practice, or procedure with respect to voting was
                imposed or applied or would have been imposed or
                applied anywhere within the State or subdivision in a
                manner that resulted or would have resulted in a denial
                or abridgement of the right of any citizen of the
                United States to vote on account of race, color, or
                membership in a language minority group, in violation
                of subsection 4(e) or 4(f) or section 2, 201, or 203 of
                this Act.
                    ``(C) Final judgment; denial of declaratory
                judgment.--In a final judgment (that was not been
                reversed on appeal), any court of the United States has
                denied the request of the State or subdivision for a
                declaratory judgment under section 3(c) or section 5,
                and thereby prevented a voting qualification or
                prerequisite to voting or standard, practice, or
                procedure with respect to voting from being enforced
                anywhere within the State or subdivision.
                    ``(D) Objection by the attorney general.--The
                Attorney General has interposed an objection under
                section 3(c) or section 5, and thereby prevented a
                voting qualification or prerequisite to voting or
                standard, practice, or procedure with respect to voting
                from being enforced anywhere within the State or
                subdivision. A violation per this subsection has not
                occurred where an objection has been withdrawn by the
                Attorney General, unless the withdrawal was in response
                to a change in the law or practice that served as the
                basis of the objection. A violation under this
                subsection has not occurred where the objection is
                based solely on a State or political subdivision's
                failure to comply with a procedural process that would
                not otherwise constitute an independent violation of
                this act.
                    ``(E) Consent decree, settlement, or other
                agreement.--A consent decree, settlement, or other
                agreement was adopted or entered by a court of the
                United States or contained an admission of liability by
                the defendants, which resulted in the alteration or
                abandonment of a voting practice anywhere in the
                territory of such State or subdivision that was
                challenged on the ground that the practice denied or
                abridged the right of any citizen of the United States
                to vote on account of race, color, or membership in a
                language minority group in violation of subsection 4(e)
                or 4(f) or section 2, 201, or 203 of this Act, or the
                14th or 15th Amendment. An extension or modification of
                an agreement as defined by this subsection that has
                been in place for ten years or longer shall count as an
                independent violation. If a court of the United States
                finds that an agreement itself as defined by this
                subsection denied or abridged the right of any citizen
                of the United States to vote on account of race, color,
                or membership in a language minority group, violated
                subsection 4(e) or 4(f) or section 2, 201, or 203 of
                this Act, or created an undue burden on the right to
                vote in connection with a claim that the consent
                decree, settlement, or other agreement unduly burdened
                voters of a particular race, color, or language
                minority group, that finding shall count as an
                independent violation.
                    ``(F) Multiple violations.--Each voting
                qualification or prerequisite to voting or standard,
                practice, or procedure with respect to voting,
                including each redistricting plan, found to be a
                violation by a court of the United States pursuant to
                subsection (a) or (b), or prevented from enforcement
                pursuant to subsection (c) or (d), or altered or
                abandoned pursuant to subsection (e) shall count as an
                independent violation. Within a redistricting plan,
                each violation found to discriminate against any group
                of voters based on race, color, or language minority
                group shall count as an independent violation.
            ``(4) Timing of determinations.--
                    ``(A) Determinations of voting rights violations.--
                As early as practicable during each calendar year, the
                Attorney General shall make the determinations required
                by this subsection, including updating the list of
                voting rights violations occurring in each State and
                political subdivision for the previous calendar year.
                    ``(B) Effective upon publication in federal
                register.--A determination or certification of the
                Attorney General under this section or under section 8
                or 13 shall be effective upon publication in the
                Federal Register.''.
            (2) Conforming amendments.--Section 4(a) of such Act (52
        U.S.C. 10303(a)) is amended--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), in the first sentence of the
                matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking ``any
                State with respect to which'' and all that follows
                through ``unless'' and inserting ``any State to which
                this subsection applies during a calendar year pursuant
                to determinations made under subsection (b), or in any
                political subdivision of such State (as such
                subdivision existed on the date such determinations
                were made with respect to such State), though such
                determinations were not made with respect to such
                subdivision as a separate unit, or in any political
                subdivision with respect to which this subsection
                applies during a calendar year pursuant to
                determinations made with respect to such subdivision as
                a separate unit under subsection (b), unless'';
                    (B) in paragraph (1) in the matter preceding
                subparagraph (A), by striking the second sentence;
                    (C) in paragraph (1)(A), by striking ``(in the case
                of a State or subdivision seeking a declaratory
                judgment under the second sentence of this
                subsection)'';
                    (D) in paragraph (1)(B), by striking ``(in the case
                of a State or subdivision seeking a declaratory
                judgment under the second sentence of this
                subsection)'';
                    (E) in paragraph (3), by striking ``(in the case of
                a State or subdivision seeking a declaratory judgment
                under the second sentence of this subsection)'';
                    (F) in paragraph (5), by striking ``(in the case of
                a State or subdivision which sought a declaratory
                judgment under the second sentence of this
                subsection)'';
                    (G) by striking paragraphs (7) and (8); and
                    (H) by redesignating paragraph (9) as paragraph
                (7).
    (b) Clarification of Treatment of Members of Language Minority
Groups.--Section 4(a)(1) of such Act (52 U.S.C. 10303(a)(1)) is amended
by striking ``race or color,'' and inserting ``race, color, or in
contravention of the guarantees of subsection (f)(2),''.
    (c) Administrative Bailout.--
            (1) In general.--Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965
        (52 U.S.C. 10303) is amended by adding at the end the
        following:
    ``(g) Administrative Bailout.--
            ``(1) Determination of eligibility.--
                    ``(A) In general.--After making a determination
                under subsection (b)(1)(A) that the provisions of
                subsection (a) apply with respect to a State and all
                political subdivisions within the State, the Attorney
                General shall determine if any political subdivision of
                the State is eligible for an exemption under this
                subsection, and shall publish, in the Federal Register,
                a list of all such political subdivisions. Any
                political subdivision included on such list is not
                subject to any requirement under section 5 until the
                date on which any application under this section has
                been finally disposed of or no such application may be
                made.
                    ``(B) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this
                subsection may be construed to provide--
                            ``(i) that the determinations made pursuant
                        to the creation of the list shall have any
                        binding or preclusive effect; or
                            ``(ii) that inclusion on the list--
                                    ``(I) constitutes a final
                                determination by the Attorney General
                                that the listee is eligible for an
                                exemption pursuant to this subsection
                                or that, in the case of the listee, the
                                provisions of subparagraphs (A) through
                                (F) of subsection (a)(1) are satisfied;
                                or
                                    ``(II) entitles the listee to any
                                exemption pursuant to this subsection.
            ``(2) Eligibility.--A political subdivision that submits an
        application under paragraph (3) shall be eligible for an
        exemption under this subsection only if, during the ten years
        preceding the filing of the application, and during the
        pendency of such application--
                    ``(A) no test or device referred to in subsection
                (a)(1) has been used within such political subdivision
                for the purpose or with the effect of denying or
                abridging the right to vote on account of race or color
                or in contravention of the guarantees of subsection
                (f)(2);
                    ``(B) no final judgment of any court of the United
                States, other than the denial of declaratory judgment
                under this section, has determined that denials or
                abridgements of the right to vote on account of race or
                color have occurred anywhere in the territory of such
                political subdivision or that denials or abridgements
                of the right to vote in contravention of the guarantees
                of subsection (f)(2) have occurred anywhere in the
                territory of such subdivision and no consent decree,
                settlement, or agreement has been entered into
                resulting in any abandonment of a voting practice
                challenged on such grounds; and no declaratory judgment
                under this section shall be entered during the pendency
                of an action commenced before the filing of an action
                under this section and alleging such denials or
                abridgements of the right to vote;
                    ``(C) no Federal examiners or observers under this
                Act have been assigned to such political subdivision;
                    ``(D) such political subdivision and all
                governmental units within its territory have complied
                with section 5 of this Act, including compliance with
                the requirement that no change covered by section 5 has
                been enforced without preclearance under section 5, and
                have repealed all changes covered by section 5 to which
                the Attorney General has successfully objected or as to
                which the United States District Court for the District
                of Columbia has denied a declaratory judgment;
                    ``(E) the Attorney General has not interposed any
                objection (that has not been overturned by a final
                judgment of a court) and no declaratory judgment has
                been denied under section 5, with respect to any
                submission by or on behalf of the plaintiff or any
                governmental unit within its territory under section 5,
                and no such submissions or declaratory judgment actions
                are pending; and
                    ``(F) such political subdivision and all
                governmental units within its territory--
                            ``(i) have eliminated voting procedures and
                        methods of election which inhibit or dilute
                        equal access to the electoral process;
                            ``(ii) have engaged in constructive efforts
                        to eliminate intimidation and harassment of
                        persons exercising rights protected under this
                        Act; and
                            ``(iii) have engaged in other constructive
                        efforts, such as expanded opportunity for
                        convenient registration and voting for every
                        person of voting age and the appointment of
                        minority persons as election officials
                        throughout the jurisdiction and at all stages
                        of the election and registration process.
            ``(3) Application period.--Not later than 90 days after the
        publication of the list under paragraph (1), a political
        subdivision included on such list may submit an application,
        containing such information as the Attorney General may
        require, for an exemption under this subsection. The Attorney
        General shall provide notice in the Federal Register of such
        application.
            ``(4) Comment period.--During the 90-day period beginning
        on the date that notice is published under paragraph (3), the
        Attorney General shall give interested persons an opportunity
        to submit objections to the issuance of an exemption under this
        subsection to a political subdivision on the basis that the
        political subdivision is not eligible under paragraph (2) to
        the Attorney General. During the 1 year period beginning on the
        effective date of this subsection, such 90-day period shall be
        extended by an additional 30 days. The Attorney General shall
        notify the political subdivision of each objection submitted
        and afford the political subdivision an opportunity to respond.
            ``(5) Determination as to objections.--In the case of a
        political subdivision with respect to which an objection has
        been submitted under paragraph (4), the following shall apply:
                    ``(A) Consideration of objections.--The Attorney
                General shall consider and respond to each such
                objection (and any response of the political
                subdivision thereto) during the 60-day period beginning
                on the day after the comment period under paragraph (4)
                concludes.
                    ``(B) Justified objections.--If the Attorney
                General determines that any such objection is
                justified, the Attorney General shall publish notice in
                the Federal Register denying the application for an
                exemption under this subsection.
                    ``(C) Unjustified objections.--If the Attorney
                General determines that no objection submitted is
                justified, each person that submitted such an objection
                may, not later than 90 days after the end of the period
                established under subparagraph (A), file, in the
                District Court of the District of Columbia, an action
                for judicial review of such determination in accordance
                with chapter 7 of title 5, United States Code.
            ``(6) Exemption.--The Attorney General may issue an
        exemption, by publication in the Federal Register, from the
        application of the provisions of subsection (a) with respect to
        a political subdivision that--
                    ``(A) is eligible under paragraph (2); and
                    ``(B) with respect to which no objection under was
                submitted under paragraph (4) or determined to be
                justified under paragraph (5).
            ``(7) Judicial review.--Except as otherwise explicitly
        provided in this subsection, no determination under this
        subsection shall be subject to review by any court, and all
        determinations under this subsection are committed to the
        discretion of the Attorney General.
            ``(8) Savings clause.--If a political subdivision was not
        subject to the application of the provisions of subsection (a)
        by reason of a declaratory judgment entered prior to the
        effective date of this subsection, and such political
        subdivision has not violated any eligibility requirement set
        forth in paragraph (2) at any time thereafter, then that
        political subdivision shall not be subject to the requirements
        of subsection (a).''.
            (2) Conforming amendment.--
                    (A) In general.--Section 4(a)(1) of the Voting
                Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. 10303(a)(1)), as amended
                by this Act, is further amended by inserting after
                ``the United States District Court for the District of
                Columbia issues a declaratory judgment under this
                section'' the following: ``, or, in the case of a
                political subdivision, the Attorney General issues an
                exemption under subsection (g)''.
                    (B) Expiration of time limit.--On the date that is
                1 year after the effective date of this subsection,
                section 4(g)(3) of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52
                U.S.C. 10303(g)(3)) is amended by striking ``During the
                1 year period beginning on the effective date of this
                subsection, such 90-day period shall be extended by an
                additional 30 days.''. For purposes of any periods
                under such section commenced as of such date, the 90-
                day period shall remain extended by an additional 30
                days.

SEC. 6. DETERMINATION OF STATES AND POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS SUBJECT TO
              PRECLEARANCE FOR COVERED PRACTICES.

    The Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. 10301 et seq.) is further
amended by inserting after section 4 the following:

``SEC. 4A. DETERMINATION OF STATES AND POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS SUBJECT
              TO PRECLEARANCE FOR COVERED PRACTICES.

    ``(a) Practice-Based Preclearance.--
            ``(1) In general.--Each State and each political
        subdivision shall--
                    ``(A) identify any newly enacted or adopted law,
                regulation, or policy that includes a voting
                qualification or prerequisite to voting, or a standard,
                practice, or procedure with respect to voting, that is
                a covered practice described in subsection (b); and
                    ``(B) ensure that no such covered practice is
                implemented unless or until the State or political
                subdivision, as the case may be, complies with
                subsection (c).
            ``(2) Determinations of characteristics of voting-age
        population.--
                    ``(A) In general.--As early as practicable during
                each calendar year, the Attorney General, in
                consultation with the Director of the Bureau of the
                Census and the heads of other relevant offices of the
                government, shall make the determinations required by
                this section regarding voting-age populations and the
                characteristics of such populations, and shall publish
                a list of the States and political subdivisions to
                which a voting-age population characteristic described
                in subsection (b) applies.
                    ``(B) Publication in the federal register.--A
                determination or certification of the Attorney General
                under this paragraph shall be effective upon
                publication in the Federal Register.
    ``(b) Covered Practices.--To assure that the right of citizens of
the United States to vote is not denied or abridged on account of race,
color, or membership in a language minority group as a result of the
implementation of certain qualifications or prerequisites to voting, or
standards, practices, or procedures with respect to voting newly
adopted in a State or political subdivision, the following shall be
covered practices subject to the requirements described in subsection
(a):
            ``(1) Changes to method of election.--Any change to the
        method of election--
                    ``(A) to add seats elected at-large in a State or
                political subdivision where--
                            ``(i) two or more racial groups or language
                        minority groups each represent 20 percent or
                        more of the political subdivision's voting-age
                        population; or
                            ``(ii) a single language minority group
                        represents 20 percent or more of the voting-age
                        population on Indian lands located in whole or
                        in part in the political subdivision; or
                    ``(B) to convert one or more seats elected from a
                single-member district to one or more at-large seats or
                seats from a multi-member district in a State or
                political subdivision where--
                            ``(i) two or more racial groups or language
                        minority groups each represent 20 percent or
                        more of the political subdivision's voting-age
                        population; or
                            ``(ii) a single language minority group
                        represents 20 percent or more of the voting-age
                        population on Indian lands located in whole or
                        in part in the political subdivision.
            ``(2) Changes to jurisdiction boundaries.--Any change or
        series of changes within a year to the boundaries of a
        jurisdiction that reduces by 3 or more percentage points the
        proportion of the jurisdiction's voting-age population that is
        comprised of members of a single racial group or language
        minority group in a State or political subdivision where--
                    ``(A) two or more racial groups or language
                minority groups each represent 20 percent or more of
                the political subdivision's voting-age population; or
                    ``(B) a single language minority group represents
                20 percent or more of the voting-age population on
                Indian lands located in whole or in part in the
                political subdivision.
            ``(3) Changes through redistricting.--Any change to the
        boundaries of election districts in a State or political
        subdivision where any racial group or language minority group
        that is not the largest racial group or language minority group
        in the jurisdiction and that represents 15 percent or more of
        the State or political subdivision's voting-age population
        experiences a population increase of at least 20 percent of its
        voting-age population, over the preceding decade (as calculated
        by the Bureau of the Census under the most recent decennial
        census), in the jurisdiction.
            ``(4) Changes in documentation or qualifications to vote.--
        Any change to requirements for documentation or proof of
        identity to vote or register to vote that will exceed or be
        more stringent than such requirements under State law on the
        day before the date of enactment of the John R. Lewis Voting
        Rights Advancement Act of 2025; and further, if a State has in
        effect a requirement that an individual present identification
        as a condition of receiving and casting a ballot in an election
        for Federal office, if the State does not permit the individual
        to meet the requirement and cast a ballot in the election in
        the same manner as an individual who presents identification--
                    ``(A) in the case of an individual who desires to
                vote in person, by presenting the appropriate State or
                local election official with a sworn written statement,
                signed by the individual under penalty of perjury,
                attesting to the individual's identity and attesting
                that the individual is eligible to vote in the
                election; and
                    ``(B) in the case of an individual who desires to
                vote by mail, by submitting with the ballot the
                statement described in subparagraph (A).
            ``(5) Changes to multilingual voting materials.--Any change
        that reduces multilingual voting materials or alters the manner
        in which such materials are provided or distributed, where no
        similar reduction or alteration occurs in materials provided in
        English for such election.
            ``(6) Changes that reduce, consolidate, or relocate voting
        locations, or reduce voting opportunities.--Any change that
        reduces, consolidates, or relocates voting locations, including
        early, absentee, and election-day voting locations, or reduces
        days or hours of in-person voting on any Sunday during a period
        occurring prior to the date of an election during which voters
        may cast ballots in such election, or prohibits the provision
        of food or non-alcoholic drink to persons waiting to vote in an
        election except where the provision would violate prohibitions
        on expenditures to influence voting--
                    ``(A) in one or more census tracts wherein two or
                more language minority groups or racial groups each
                represent 20 percent or more of the voting-age
                population of the political subdivision; or
                    ``(B) on Indian lands wherein at least 20 percent
                of the voting-age population belongs to a single
                language minority group.
            ``(7) New list maintenance process.--Any change to the
        maintenance of voter registration lists that adds a new basis
        for removal from the list of active registered voters or that
        incorporates new sources of information in determining a
        voter's eligibility to vote, wherein such a change would have a
        statistically significant disparate impact on the removal from
        voter rolls of members of racial groups or language minority
        groups that constitute greater than 5 percent of the voting-age
        population--
                    ``(A) in the case of a political subdivision
                imposing such change if--
                            ``(i) two or more racial groups or language
                        minority groups each represent 20 percent or
                        more of the voting-age population of the
                        political subdivision; or
                            ``(ii) a single language minority group
                        represents 20 percent or more of the voting-age
                        population on Indian lands located in whole or
                        in part in the political subdivision; or
                    ``(B) in the case of a State imposing such change,
                if two or more racial groups or language minority
                groups each represent 20 percent or more of the voting-
                age population of--
                            ``(i) the State; or
                            ``(ii) a political subdivision in the
                        State, except that the requirements under
                        subsections (a) and (c) shall apply only with
                        respect to each such political subdivision.
    ``(c) Preclearance.--
            ``(1) In general.--Whenever a State or political
        subdivision with respect to which the requirements set forth in
        subsection (a) are in effect shall enact, adopt, or seek to
        implement any covered practice described under subsection (b),
        such State or subdivision may institute an action in the United
        States District Court for the District of Columbia for a
        declaratory judgment that such covered practice neither has the
        purpose nor will have the effect of denying or abridging the
        right to vote on account of race, color, or membership in a
        language minority group, and unless and until the court enters
        such judgment such covered practice shall not be implemented.
        Notwithstanding the previous sentence, such covered practice
        may be implemented without such proceeding if the covered
        practice has been submitted by the chief legal officer or other
        appropriate official of such State or subdivision to the
        Attorney General and the Attorney General has not interposed an
        objection within 60 days after such submission, or upon good
        cause shown, to facilitate an expedited approval within 60 days
        after such submission, the Attorney General has affirmatively
        indicated that such objection will not be made. Neither an
        affirmative indication by the Attorney General that no
        objection will be made, nor the Attorney General's failure to
        object, nor a declaratory judgment entered under this section
        shall bar a subsequent action to enjoin implementation of such
        covered practice. In the event the Attorney General
        affirmatively indicates that no objection will be made within
        the 60-day period following receipt of a submission, the
        Attorney General may reserve the right to reexamine the
        submission if additional information comes to the Attorney
        General's attention during the remainder of the 60-day period
        which would otherwise require objection in accordance with this
        section. Any action under this section shall be heard and
        determined by a court of three judges in accordance with the
        provisions of section 2284 of title 28, United States Code, and
        any appeal shall lie to the Supreme Court.
            ``(2) Denying or abridging the right to vote.--Any covered
        practice described in subsection (b) that has the purpose of or
        will have the effect of diminishing the ability of any citizens
        of the United States on account of race, color, or membership
        in a language minority group, to elect their preferred
        candidates of choice denies or abridges the right to vote
        within the meaning of paragraph (1) of this subsection.
            ``(3) Purpose defined.--The term `purpose' in paragraphs
        (1) and (2) of this subsection shall include any discriminatory
        purpose.
            ``(4) Purpose of paragraph (2).--The purpose of paragraph
        (2) of this subsection is to protect the ability of such
        citizens to elect their preferred candidates of choice.
    ``(d) Enforcement.--The Attorney General or any aggrieved citizen
may file an action in a Federal district court to compel any State or
political subdivision to satisfy the obligations set forth in this
section. Such actions shall be heard and determined by a court of three
judges under section 2284 of title 28, United States Code. In any such
action, the court shall provide as a remedy that any voting
qualification or prerequisite to voting, or standard, practice, or
procedure with respect to voting, that is the subject of the action
under this subsection be enjoined unless the court determines that--
            ``(1) the voting qualification or prerequisite to voting,
        or standard, practice, or procedure with respect to voting, is
        not a covered practice described in subsection (b); or
            ``(2) the State or political subdivision has complied with
        subsection (c) with respect to the covered practice at issue.
    ``(e) Counting of Racial Groups and Language Minority Groups.--For
purposes of this section, the calculation of the population of a racial
group or a language minority group shall be carried out using the
methodology in the guidance promulgated in the Federal Register on
February 9, 2011 (76 Fed. Reg. 7470).
    ``(f) Special Rule.--For purposes of determinations under this
section, any data provided by the Bureau of the Census, whether based
on estimation from sample or actual enumeration, shall not be subject
to challenge or review in any court.
    ``(g) Multilingual Voting Materials.--In this section, the term
`multilingual voting materials' means registration or voting notices,
forms, instructions, assistance, or other materials or information
relating to the electoral process, including ballots, provided in the
language or languages of one or more language minority groups.''.

SEC. 7. PROMOTING TRANSPARENCY TO ENFORCE THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT.

    (a) Transparency.--
            (1) In general.--The Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C.
        10301 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 5 the
        following new section:

``SEC. 6. TRANSPARENCY REGARDING CHANGES TO PROTECT VOTING RIGHTS.

    ``(a) Notice of Enacted Changes.--
            ``(1) Notice of changes.--If a State or political
        subdivision makes any change in any qualification or
        prerequisite to voting or standard, practice, or procedure with
        respect to voting in any election for Federal office that will
        result in the qualification or prerequisite, standard,
        practice, or procedure being different from that which was in
        effect as of 180 days before the date of the election for
        Federal office, the State or political subdivision shall
        provide reasonable public notice in such State or political
        subdivision and on the website of the State or political
        subdivision, of a concise description of the change, including
        the difference between the changed qualification or
        prerequisite, standard, practice, or procedure and the
        prerequisite, standard, practice, or procedure which was
        previously in effect. The public notice described in this
        paragraph, in such State or political subdivision and on the
        website of a State or political subdivision, shall be in a
        format that is reasonably convenient and accessible to persons
        with disabilities who are eligible to vote, including persons
        who have low vision or are blind.
            ``(2) Deadline for notice.--A State or political
        subdivision shall provide the public notice required under
        paragraph (1) not later than 48 hours after making the change
        involved.
    ``(b) Transparency Regarding Polling Place Resources.--
            ``(1) In general.--In order to identify any changes that
        may impact the right to vote of any person, prior to the 30th
        day before the date of an election for Federal office, each
        State or political subdivision with responsibility for
        allocating registered voters, voting machines, and official
        poll workers to particular precincts and polling places shall
        provide reasonable public notice in such State or political
        subdivision and on the website of a State or political
        subdivision, of the information described in paragraph (2) for
        precincts and polling places within such State or political
        subdivision. The public notice described in this paragraph, in
        such State or political subdivision and on the website of a
        State or political subdivision, shall be in a format that is
        reasonably convenient and accessible to persons with
        disabilities who are eligible to vote, including persons who
        have low vision or are blind.
            ``(2) Information described.--The information described in
        this paragraph with respect to a precinct or polling place is
        each of the following:
                    ``(A) The name or number.
                    ``(B) In the case of a polling place, the location,
                including the street address, and whether such polling
                place is accessible to persons with disabilities.
                    ``(C) The voting-age population of the area served
                by the precinct or polling place, broken down by
                demographic group if such breakdown is reasonably
                available to such State or political subdivision.
                    ``(D) The number of registered voters assigned to
                the precinct or polling place, broken down by
                demographic group if such breakdown is reasonably
                available to such State or political subdivision.
                    ``(E) The number of voting machines assigned,
                including the number of voting machines accessible to
                persons with disabilities who are eligible to vote,
                including persons who have low vision or are blind.
                    ``(F) The number of official paid poll workers
                assigned.
                    ``(G) The number of official volunteer poll workers
                assigned.
                    ``(H) In the case of a polling place, the dates and
                hours of operation.
            ``(3) Updates in information reported.--If a State or
        political subdivision makes any change in any of the
        information described in paragraph (2), the State or political
        subdivision shall provide reasonable public notice in such
        State or political subdivision and on the website of a State or
        political subdivision, of the change in the information not
        later than 48 hours after the change occurs or, if the change
        occurs fewer than 48 hours before the date of the election for
        Federal office, as soon as practicable after the change occurs.
        The public notice described in this paragraph and published on
        the website of a State or political subdivision shall be in a
        format that is reasonably convenient and accessible to persons
        with disabilities who are eligible to vote, including persons
        who have low vision or are blind.
    ``(c) Transparency of Changes Relating to Demographics and
Electoral Districts.--
            ``(1) Requiring public notice of changes.--Not later than
        10 days after making any change in the constituency that will
        participate in an election for Federal, State, or local office
        or the boundaries of a voting unit or electoral district in an
        election for Federal, State, or local office (including through
        redistricting, reapportionment, changing from at-large
        elections to district-based elections, or changing from
        district-based elections to at-large elections), a State or
        political subdivision shall provide reasonable public notice in
        such State or political subdivision and on the website of a
        State or political subdivision, of the demographic and
        electoral data described in paragraph (3) for each of the
        geographic areas described in paragraph (2).
            ``(2) Geographic areas described.--The geographic areas
        described in this paragraph are as follows:
                    ``(A) The State as a whole, if the change applies
                statewide, or the political subdivision as a whole, if
                the change applies across the entire political
                subdivision.
                    ``(B) If the change includes a plan to replace or
                eliminate voting units or electoral districts, each
                voting unit or electoral district that will be replaced
                or eliminated.
                    ``(C) If the change includes a plan to establish
                new voting units or electoral districts, each such new
                voting unit or electoral district.
            ``(3) Demographic and electoral data.--The demographic and
        electoral data described in this paragraph with respect to a
        geographic area described in paragraph (2) are each of the
        following:
                    ``(A) The voting-age population, broken down by
                demographic group.
                    ``(B) If it is reasonably available to the State or
                political subdivision involved, an estimate of the
                population of the area which consists of citizens of
                the United States who are 18 years of age or older,
                broken down by demographic group.
                    ``(C) The number of registered voters, broken down
                by demographic group if such breakdown is reasonably
                available to the State or political subdivision
                involved.
                    ``(D)(i) If the change applies to a State, the
                actual number of votes, or (if it is not reasonably
                practicable for the State to ascertain the actual
                number of votes) the estimated number of votes received
                by each candidate in each statewide election held
                during the 5-year period which ends on the date the
                change involved is made; and
                    ``(ii) if the change applies to only one political
                subdivision, the actual number of votes, or (if it is
                not reasonably practicable for the political
                subdivision to ascertain the actual number of votes) in
                each subdivision-wide election held during the 5-year
                period which ends on the date the change involved is
                made.
            ``(4) Voluntary compliance by smaller jurisdictions.--
        Compliance with this subsection shall be voluntary for a
        political subdivision of a State unless the subdivision is one
        of the following:
                    ``(A) A county or parish.
                    ``(B) A municipality with a population greater than
                10,000, as determined by the Bureau of the Census under
                the most recent decennial census.
                    ``(C) A school district with a population greater
                than 10,000, as determined by the Bureau of the Census
                under the most recent decennial census. For purposes of
                this subparagraph, the term `school district' means the
                geographic area under the jurisdiction of a local
                educational agency (as defined in section 9101 of the
                Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965).
    ``(d) Rules Regarding Format of Information.--The Attorney General
may issue rules specifying a reasonably convenient and accessible
format that States and political subdivisions shall use to provide
public notice of information under this section.
    ``(e) No Denial of Right To Vote.--The right to vote of any person
shall not be denied or abridged because the person failed to comply
with any change made by a State or political subdivision to a voting
qualification, prerequisite, standard, practice, or procedure if the
State or political subdivision involved did not meet the applicable
requirements of this section with respect to the change.
    ``(f) Definitions.--In this section--
            ``(1) the term `demographic group' means each group which
        section 2 protects from the denial or abridgement of the right
        to vote on account of race or color, or in contravention of the
        guarantees set forth in section 4(f)(2);
            ``(2) the term `election for Federal office' means any
        general, special, primary, or runoff election held solely or in
        part for the purpose of electing any candidate for the office
        of President, Vice President, Presidential elector, Senator,
        Member of the House of Representatives, or Delegate or Resident
        Commissioner to the Congress; and
            ``(3) the term `persons with disabilities', means
        individuals with a disability, as defined in section 3 of the
        Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.''.
            (2) Conforming amendment.--Section 3(a) of such Act (52
        U.S.C. 10302(a)) is amended by striking ``in accordance with
        section 6''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a)(1) shall
apply with respect to changes which are made on or after the expiration
of the 60-day period which begins on the date of the enactment of this
Act.

SEC. 8. AUTHORITY TO ASSIGN OBSERVERS.

    (a) Clarification of Authority in Political Subdivisions Subject to
Preclearance.--Section 8(a)(2)(B) of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52
U.S.C. 10305(a)(2)(B)) is amended to read as follows:
                    ``(B) in the Attorney General's judgment, the
                assignment of observers is otherwise necessary to
                enforce the guarantees of the 14th or 15th Amendment or
                any provision of this Act or any other Federal law
                protecting the right of citizens of the United States
                to vote; or''.
    (b) Assignment of Observers To Enforce Bilingual Election
Requirements.--Section 8(a) of such Act (52 U.S.C. 10305(a)) is
amended--
            (1) by striking ``or'' at the end of paragraph (1);
            (2) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:
            ``(3) the Attorney General certifies with respect to a
        political subdivision that--
                    ``(A) the Attorney General has received written
                meritorious complaints from residents, elected
                officials, or civic participation organizations that
                efforts to violate section 203 are likely to occur; or
                    ``(B) in the Attorney General's judgment, the
                assignment of observers is necessary to enforce the
                guarantees of section 203;''; and
            (3) by moving the margin for the continuation text
        following paragraph (3), as added by paragraph (2) of this
        subsection, 2 ems to the left.
    (c) Transferral of Authority Over Observers to the Attorney
General.--
            (1) Enforcement proceedings.--Section 3(a) of the Voting
        Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. 10302(a)) is amended by striking
        ``United States Civil Service Commission in accordance with
        section 6'' and inserting ``Attorney General in accordance with
        section 8''.
            (2) Observers; appointment and compensation.--Section 8 of
        the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. 10305) is amended--
                    (A) in subsection (a)(2), in the matter following
                subparagraph (B), by striking ``Director of the Office
                of Personnel Management shall assign as many observers
                for such subdivision as the Director'' and inserting
                ``Attorney General shall assign as many observers for
                such subdivision as the Attorney General''; and
                    (B) in subsection (c), by striking ``Director of
                the Office of Personnel Management'' and inserting
                ``Attorney General''.
            (3) Termination of certain appointments of observers.--
        Section 13(a)(1) of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C.
        10309(a)(1)) is amended by striking ``notifies the Director of
        the Office of Personnel Management,'' and inserting
        ``determines,''.

SEC. 9. CLARIFICATION OF AUTHORITY TO SEEK RELIEF.

    (a) Poll Tax.--Section 10(b) of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52
U.S.C. 10306(b)) is amended by striking ``the Attorney General is
authorized and directed to institute forthwith in the name of the
United States such actions'' and inserting ``an aggrieved person or (in
the name of the United States) the Attorney General may institute such
actions''.
    (b) Cause of Action.--Section 12(d) of the Voting Rights Act of
1965 (52 U.S.C. 10308(d)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``Whenever any person has engaged'' and all
        that follows through ``in the name of the United States'' and
        inserting ``(1) Whenever there are reasonable grounds to
        believe that any person has implemented or will implement any
        voting qualification or prerequisite to voting or standard,
        practice, or procedure that would (A) deny any citizen the
        right to vote in violation of the 14th, 15th, 19th, 24th, or
        26th Amendments, or (B) would violate this Act (except for
        section 4A) or any other Federal law that prohibits
        discrimination on the basis of race, color, or membership in a
        language minority group in the voting process, an aggrieved
        person or (in the name of the United States) the Attorney
        General may institute''; and
            (2) by striking ``, and including an order directed to the
        State and State or local election officials to require them (1)
        to permit persons listed under chapters 103 to 107 of this
        title to vote and (2) to count such votes''.
    (c) Judicial Relief.--Section 204 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965
(52 U.S.C. 10504) is amended by striking ``Whenever the Attorney
General has reason to believe'' and all that follows through ``as he
deems appropriate'' and inserting ``Whenever there are reasonable
grounds to believe that a State or political subdivision has engaged or
is about to engage in any act or practice prohibited by a provision of
title II, an aggrieved person or (in the name of the United States) the
Attorney General may institute an action in a district court of the
United States, for a restraining order, a preliminary or permanent
injunction, or such other order as may be appropriate''.
    (d) Enforcement of Twenty-Sixth Amendment.--Section 301(a)(1) of
the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. 10701) is amended by striking
``The Attorney General is directed to institute'' and all that follows
through ``Constitution of the United States'' and inserting ``An
aggrieved person or (in the name of the United States) the Attorney
General may institute an action in a district court of the United
States, for a restraining order, a preliminary or permanent injunction,
or such other order as may be appropriate to implement the twenty-sixth
amendment to the Constitution of the United States''.

SEC. 10. PREVENTIVE RELIEF.

    Section 12(d) of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C.
10308(d)), as amended by section 9, is further amended by adding at the
end the following:
    ``(2)(A) In considering any motion for preliminary relief in any
action for preventive relief described in this subsection, the court
shall grant the relief if the court determines that the complainant has
raised a serious question as to whether the challenged voting
qualification or prerequisite to voting or standard, practice, or
procedure violates this Act or the Constitution and, on balance, the
hardship imposed on the defendant by the grant of the relief will be
less than the hardship which would be imposed on the plaintiff if the
relief were not granted.
    ``(B) In making its determination under this paragraph with respect
to a change in any voting qualification, prerequisite to voting, or
standard, practice, or procedure with respect to voting, the court
shall consider all relevant factors and give due weight to the
following factors, if they are present:
            ``(i) Whether the qualification, prerequisite, standard,
        practice, or procedure in effect prior to the change was
        adopted as a remedy for a Federal court judgment, consent
        decree, or admission regarding--
                    ``(I) discrimination on the basis of race or color
                in violation of the 14th or 15th Amendment;
                    ``(II) a violation of the 19th, 24th, or 26th
                Amendments;
                    ``(III) a violation of this Act; or
                    ``(IV) voting discrimination on the basis of race,
                color, or membership in a language minority group in
                violation of any other Federal or State law.
            ``(ii) Whether the qualification, prerequisite, standard,
        practice, or procedure in effect prior to the change served as
        a ground for the dismissal or settlement of a claim alleging--
                    ``(I) discrimination on the basis of race or color
                in violation of the 14th or 15th Amendment;
                    ``(II) a violation of the 19th, 24th, or 26th
                Amendment;
                    ``(III) a violation of this Act; or
                    ``(IV) voting discrimination on the basis of race,
                color, or membership in a language minority group in
                violation of any other Federal or State law.
            ``(iii) Whether the change was adopted fewer than 180 days
        before the date of the election with respect to which the
        change is to take or takes effect.
            ``(iv) Whether the defendant has failed to provide timely
        or complete notice of the adoption of the change as required by
        applicable Federal or State law.
    ``(3) A jurisdiction's inability to enforce its voting or election
laws, regulations, policies, or redistricting plans, standing alone,
shall not be deemed to constitute irreparable harm to the public
interest or to the interests of a defendant in an action arising under
the Constitution or any Federal law that prohibits discrimination on
the basis of race, color, or membership in a language minority group in
the voting process, for the purposes of determining whether a stay of a
court's order or an interlocutory appeal under section 1253 of title
28, United States Code, is warranted.''.

SEC. 11. RELIEF FOR VIOLATIONS OF VOTING RIGHTS LAWS.

    (a) In General.--
            (1) Relief for violations of voting rights laws.--In this
        section, the term ``prohibited act or practice'' means--
                    (A) any act or practice--
                            (i) that creates an undue burden on the
                        fundamental right to vote in violation of the
                        14th Amendment to the Constitution of the
                        United States or violates the Equal Protection
                        Clause of the 14th Amendment to the
                        Constitution of the United States; or
                            (ii) that is prohibited by the 15th, 19th,
                        24th, or 26th Amendment to the Constitution of
                        the United States, section 2004 of the Revised
                        Statutes (52 U.S.C. 10101), the Voting Rights
                        Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. 10301 et seq.), the
                        National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (52
                        U.S.C. 20501 et seq.), the Uniformed and
                        Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (52
                        U.S.C. 20301 et seq.), the Help America Vote
                        Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 20901 et seq.), the
                        Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and
                        Handicapped Act (52 U.S.C. 20101 et seq.), or
                        section 2003 of the Revised Statutes (52 U.S.C.
                        10102); and
                    (B) any act or practice in violation of any Federal
                law that prohibits discrimination with respect to
                voting, including the Americans with Disabilities Act
                of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.).
            (2) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this section shall be
        construed to diminish the authority or scope of authority of
        any person to bring an action under any Federal law.
            (3) Attorney's fees.--Section 722(b) of the Revised
        Statutes (42 U.S.C. 1988(b)) is amended by inserting ``a
        provision described in section 2(a) of the John R. Lewis Voting
        Rights Advancement Act of 2025,'' after ``title VI of the Civil
        Rights Act of 1964,''.
    (b) Grounds for Equitable Relief.--In any action for equitable
relief pursuant to a law listed under subsection (a), proximity of the
action to an election shall not be a valid reason to deny such relief,
or stay the operation of or vacate the issuance of such relief, unless
the party opposing the issuance or continued operation of relief meets
the burden of proving by clear and convincing evidence that the
issuance of the relief would be so close in time to the election as to
cause irreparable harm to the public interest or that compliance with
such relief would impose serious burdens on the party opposing relief.
            (1) In general.--In considering whether to grant, deny,
        stay, or vacate any order of equitable relief, the court shall
        give substantial weight to the public's interest in expanding
        access to the right to vote. A State's generalized interest in
        enforcing its enacted laws shall not be a relevant
        consideration in determining whether equitable relief is
        warranted.
            (2) Presumptive safe harbor.--Where equitable relief is
        sought either within 30 days of the adoption or reasonable
        public notice of the challenged policy or practice, or more
        than 45 days before the date of an election to which the relief
        being sought will apply, proximity to the election will be
        presumed not to constitute a harm to the public interest or a
        burden on the party opposing relief.
    (c) Grounds for Stay or Vacatur in Federal Claims Involving Voting
Rights.--
            (1) Prospective effect.--In reviewing an application for a
        stay or vacatur of equitable relief granted pursuant to a law
        listed in subsection (a), a court shall give substantial weight
        to the reliance interests of citizens who acted pursuant to
        such order under review. In fashioning a stay or vacatur, a
        reviewing court shall not order relief that has the effect of
        denying or abridging the right to vote of any citizen who has
        acted in reliance on the order.
            (2) Written explanation.--No stay or vacatur under this
        subsection shall issue unless the reviewing court makes
        specific findings that the public interest, including the
        public's interest in expanding access to the ballot, will be
        harmed by the continuing operation of the equitable relief or
        that compliance with such relief will impose serious burdens on
        the party seeking such a stay or vacatur such that those
        burdens substantially outweigh the benefits to the public
        interest. In reviewing an application for a stay or vacatur of
        equitable relief, findings of fact made in issuing the order
        under review shall not be set aside unless clearly erroneous.

SEC. 12. ENFORCEMENT OF VOTING RIGHTS BY ATTORNEY GENERAL.

    Section 12 of the Voting Rights Act (52 U.S.C. 10308), as amended
by this Act, is further amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(g) Voting Rights Enforcement by Attorney General.--
            ``(1) In general.--In order to fulfill the Attorney
        General's responsibility to enforce the Voting Rights Act and
        other Federal civil rights statutes that protect the right to
        vote, the Attorney General (or upon designation by the Attorney
        General, the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights) is
        authorized, before commencing a civil action, to issue a demand
        for inspection and information in writing to any State or
        political subdivision, or other governmental representative or
        agent, with respect to any relevant documentary material that
        he has reason to believe is within their possession, custody,
        or control. A demand by the Attorney General under this section
        may require--
                    ``(A) the production of such documentary material
                for inspection and copying;
                    ``(B) answers in writing to written questions with
                respect to such documentary material; or
                    ``(C) both.
            ``(2) Contents of an attorney general demand.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Any demand issued under
                paragraph (1), shall include a sworn certificate to
                identify the voting qualification or prerequisite to
                voting or standard, practice, or procedure with respect
                to voting, or other voting related matter or issue,
                whose lawfulness the Attorney General is investigating
                and to identify the civil provisions of the Federal
                civil rights statute that protects the right to vote
                under which the investigation is being conducted. The
                demand shall be reasonably calculated to lead to the
                discovery of documentary material and information
                relevant to such civil rights investigation.
                Documentary material includes any material upon which
                relevant information is recorded, and includes written
                or printed materials, photographs, tapes, or materials
                upon which information is electronically or
                magnetically recorded. Such demands are aimed at the
                Attorney General having the ability to inspect and
                obtain copies of relevant materials (as well as obtain
                information) related to voting and are not aimed at the
                Attorney General taking possession of original records,
                particularly those that are required to be retained by
                State and local election officials under Federal or
                State law.
                    ``(B) No requirement for production.--Any demand
                issued under paragraph (1) may not require the
                production of any documentary material or the
                submission of any answers in writing to written
                questions if such material or answers would be
                protected from disclosure under the standards
                applicable to discovery requests under the Federal
                Rules of Civil Procedure in an action in which the
                Attorney General or the United States is a party.
                    ``(C) Documentary material.--If the demand issued
                under paragraph (1) requires the production of
                documentary material, it shall--
                            ``(i) identify the class of documentary
                        material to be produced with such definiteness
                        and certainty as to permit such material to be
                        fairly identified; and
                            ``(ii) prescribe a return date for
                        production of the documentary material at least
                        twenty days after issuance of the demand to
                        give the State or political subdivision, or
                        other governmental representative or agent, a
                        reasonable period of time for assembling the
                        documentary material and making it available
                        for inspection and copying.
                    ``(D) Answers to written questions.--If the demand
                issued under paragraph (1) requires answers in writing
                to written questions, it shall--
                            ``(i) set forth with specificity the
                        written question to be answered; and
                            ``(ii) prescribe a date at least twenty
                        days after the issuance of the demand for
                        submitting answers in writing to the written
                        questions.
                    ``(E) Service.--A demand issued under paragraph (1)
                may be served by a United States marshal or a deputy
                marshal, or by certified mail, at any place within the
                territorial jurisdiction of any court of the United
                States.
            ``(3) Responses to an attorney general demand.--A State or
        political subdivision, or other governmental representative or
        agent, must, with respect to any documentary material or any
        answer in writing produced under this subsection, provide a
        sworn certificate, in such form as the demand issued under
        paragraph (1) designates, by a person having knowledge of the
        facts and circumstances relating to such production or written
        answer, authorized to act on behalf of the State or political
        subdivision, or other governmental representative or agent,
        upon which the demand was served. The certificate--
                    ``(A) shall state that--
                            ``(i) all of the documentary material
                        required by the demand and in the possession,
                        custody, or control of the State or political
                        subdivision, or other governmental
                        representative or agent, has been produced;
                            ``(ii) that with respect to every answer in
                        writing to a written question, all information
                        required by the question and in the possession,
                        custody, control, or knowledge of the State or
                        political subdivision, or other governmental
                        representative or agent, has been submitted; or
                            ``(iii) both; or
                    ``(B) provide the basis for any objection to
                producing the documentary material or answering the
                written question.
        To the extent that any information is not furnished, the
        information shall be identified and reasons set forth with
        particularity regarding the reasons why the information was not
        furnished.
            ``(4) Judicial proceedings.--
                    ``(A) Petition for enforcement.--Whenever any State
                or political subdivision, or other governmental
                representative or agent, fails to comply with demand
                issued by the Attorney General under paragraph (1), the
                Attorney General may file, in a district court of the
                United States in which the State or political
                subdivision, or other governmental representative or
                agent, is located, a petition for a judicial order
                enforcing the Attorney General demand issued under
                paragraph (1).
                    ``(B) Petition to modify.--
                            ``(i) In general.--Any State or political
                        subdivision, or other governmental
                        representative or agent, that is served with a
                        demand issued by the Attorney General under
                        paragraph (1) may file in the United States
                        District Court for the District of Columbia a
                        petition for an order of the court to modify or
                        set aside the demand of the Attorney General.
                            ``(ii) Petition to modify.--Any petition to
                        modify or set aside a demand of the Attorney
                        General issued under paragraph (1) must be
                        filed within 20 days after the date of service
                        of the Attorney General's demand or at any time
                        before the return date specified in the
                        Attorney General's demand, whichever date is
                        earlier.
                            ``(iii) Contents of petition.--The petition
                        shall specify each ground upon which the
                        petitioner relies in seeking relief under
                        clause (i), and may be based upon any failure
                        of the Attorney General's demand to comply with
                        the provisions of this section or upon any
                        constitutional or other legal right or
                        privilege of the State or political
                        subdivision, or other governmental
                        representative or agent. During the pendency of
                        the petition in the court, the court may stay,
                        as it deems proper, the running of the time
                        allowed for compliance with the Attorney
                        General's demand, in whole or in part, except
                        that the State or political subdivision, or
                        other governmental representative or agent,
                        filing the petition shall comply with any
                        portions of the Attorney General's demand not
                        sought to be modified or set aside.''.

SEC. 13. DEFINITIONS.

    Title I of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. 10301) is
amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 21. DEFINITIONS.

    ``In this Act:
            ``(1) Indian.--The term `Indian' has the meaning given the
        term in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and
        Education Assistance Act.
            ``(2) Indian lands.--The term `Indian lands' means--
                    ``(A) any Indian country of an Indian tribe, as
                such term is defined in section 1151 of title 18,
                United States Code;
                    ``(B) any land in Alaska that is owned, pursuant to
                the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, by an Indian
                tribe that is a Native village (as such term is defined
                in section 3 of such Act), or by a Village Corporation
                that is associated with the Indian tribe (as such term
                is defined in section 3 of such Act);
                    ``(C) any land on which the seat of government of
                the Indian tribe is located; and
                    ``(D) any land that is part or all of a tribal
                designated statistical area associated with the Indian
                tribe, or is part or all of an Alaska Native village
                statistical area associated with the tribe, as defined
                by the Bureau of the Census for the purposes of the
                most recent decennial census.
            ``(3) Indian tribe.--The term `Indian tribe' or `tribe' has
        the meaning given the term `Indian tribe' in section 4 of the
        Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act.
            ``(4) Tribal government.--The term `Tribal Government'
        means the recognized governing body of an Indian Tribe.
            ``(5) Voting-age population.--The term `voting-age
        population' means the numerical size of the population within a
        State, within a political subdivision, or within a political
        subdivision that contains Indian lands, as the case may be,
        that consists of persons age 18 or older, as calculated by the
        Bureau of the Census under the most recent decennial census.''.

SEC. 14. ATTORNEYS' FEES.

    Section 14(c) of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. 10310(c))
is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(4) The term `prevailing party' means a party to an action that
receives at least some of the benefit sought by such action, states a
colorable claim, and can establish that the action was a significant
cause of a change to the status quo.''.

SEC. 15. OTHER TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.

    (a) Actions Covered Under Section 3.--Section 3(c) of the Voting
Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. 10302(c)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``any proceeding instituted by the Attorney
        General or an aggrieved person under any statute to enforce''
        and inserting ``any action under any statute in which a party
        (including the Attorney General) seeks to enforce''; and
            (2) by striking ``at the time the proceeding was
        commenced'' and inserting ``at the time the action was
        commenced''.
    (b) Clarification of Treatment of Members of Language Minority
Groups.--Section 4(f) of such Act (52 U.S.C. 10303(f)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), by striking the second sentence; and
            (2) by striking paragraphs (3) and (4).
    (c) Period During Which Changes in Voting Practices Are Subject to
Preclearance Under Section 5.--Section 5 of such Act (52 U.S.C. 10304)
is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a), by striking ``based upon
        determinations made under the first sentence of section 4(b)
        are in effect'' and inserting ``are in effect during a calendar
        year'';
            (2) in subsection (a), by striking ``November 1, 1964'' and
        all that follows through ``November 1, 1972'' and inserting
        ``the applicable date of coverage''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(e) The term `applicable date of coverage' means, with respect to
a State or political subdivision--
            ``(1) June 25, 2013, if the most recent determination for
        such State or subdivision under section 4(b) was made on or
        before December 31, 2025; or
            ``(2) the date on which the most recent determination for
        such State or subdivision under section 4(b) was made, if such
        determination was made after December 31, 2025.''.

SEC. 16. SEVERABILITY.

     If any provision of this Act or any amendment made by this Act, or
the application of such a provision or amendment to any person or
circumstance, is held to be unconstitutional or is otherwise enjoined
or unenforceable, the remainder of this Act and amendments made by this
Act, and the application of the provisions and amendment to any person
or circumstance, and any remaining provision of the Voting Rights Act
of 1965, shall not be affected by the holding.

SEC. 17. GRANTS TO ASSIST WITH NOTICE REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE VOTING
              RIGHTS ACT OF 1965.

    (a) In General.--The Attorney General shall make grants each fiscal
year to small jurisdictions who submit applications under subsection
(b) for purposes of assisting such small jurisdictions with compliance
with the requirements of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to submit or
publish notice of any change to a qualification, prerequisite,
standard, practice or procedure affecting voting.
    (b) Application.--To be eligible for a grant under this section, a
small jurisdiction shall submit an application to the Attorney General
in such form and containing such information as the Attorney General
may require regarding the compliance of such small jurisdiction with
the provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
    (c) Small Jurisdiction Defined.--For purposes of this section, the
term ``small jurisdiction'' means any political subdivision of a State
with a population of 10,000 or less.
                                 <all>

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Status

In Committee

  1. 1Introduced
  2. 2Committee
  3. 3Floor
  4. 4Passed
  5. 5Signed

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