Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2015
Sponsored By: Representative Sewell
Unknown
Summary
Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2015 This bill amends the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to allow a representative official of an Indian tribe, with authorization from the governing body of the tribe, to request one or more polling places to be located on tribal lands. The state or political subdivision shall provide each requested polling place at no expense to the Indian tribe if certain criteria are met. A federal court shall retain jurisdiction to enforce constitutional voting guarantees, but also certain violations of the Act as well as of any federal prohibition against discrimination on the basis of race, color, or membership in a language minority group, for an appropriate period to prevent commencement of new devices to deny or abridge the right to vote. Requirements are revised for determining which states and political subdivisions are or are not covered by criteria for declaratory judgments that they have not used devices to deny or abridge the right to vote. Any state (and all of its political subdivisions) shall be subject to such requirements for a 10-year period if: 15 or more voting rights violations occurred there during the previous 25 years; or 10 or more violations occurred during the previous 25 years, at least one of which was committed by the state itself (as opposed to a political subdivision within it). Any specific political subdivision of a state shall also be subject to those requirements for a 10-year period if 3 or more violations occurred in it during the previous 25 calendar years. A state or political subdivision that obtains a declaratory judgment that it has not used a device to deny or abridge the right to vote shall be exempt from such requirements unless new violations occur after the declaratory judgment was issued. Each state and each political subdivision shall: (1) identify any newly enacted or adopted law, regulation, or policy that includes a voting qualification or prerequisite to voting, or a voting-related standard, practice, or procedure (covered practice); and (2) ensure that no such covered practice is implemented unless or until the state or political subdivision complies with certain preclearance requirements. This bill prescribes transparency requirements, including reasonable public notice, regarding any changes to: (1) voting prerequisites, standards, or procedures; (2) polling place resources; or (3) demographics and electoral districts. Department of Justice authority to assign observers receives new extensions, including authority to assign observers to enforce bilingual election requirements. Courts shall grant preliminary injunctive relief if a complainant raises a serious question whether the challenged covered practice violates the Act or the Constitution and, on balance, the hardship imposed upon the defendant by the relief will be less than the hardship on the plaintiff if the relief were not granted.
Your PRIA Score
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
No Economic Impacts Identified for this Bill
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Sewell
AL • D
Cosponsors
DeSaulnier
CA • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Rep. Hastings, Alcee L. [D-FL-20]
FL • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Rep. Butterfield, G. K. [D-NC-1]
NC • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Torres (CA)
CA • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Wilson (FL)
FL • D
Sponsored 7/7/2015
Rep. Takai, Mark [D-HI-1]
HI • D
Sponsored 7/7/2015
Larson (CT)
CT • D
Sponsored 7/7/2015
Rep. Sires, Albio [D-NJ-8]
NJ • D
Sponsored 7/7/2015
Rep. Cicilline, David N. [D-RI-1]
RI • D
Sponsored 7/7/2015
Rep. Napolitano, Grace F. [D-CA-32]
CA • D
Sponsored 7/7/2015
Rep. Levin, Sander M. [D-MI-9]
MI • D
Sponsored 7/7/2015
Rep. Polis, Jared [D-CO-2]
CO • D
Sponsored 7/8/2015
Rep. Serrano, Jose E. [D-NY-15]
NY • D
Sponsored 7/8/2015
DelBene
WA • D
Sponsored 7/8/2015
Rep. Kirkpatrick, Ann [D-AZ-1]
AZ • D
Sponsored 7/10/2015
Takano
CA • D
Sponsored 7/16/2015
Frankel, Lois
FL • D
Sponsored 7/16/2015
Rep. Engel, Eliot L. [D-NY-16]
NY • D
Sponsored 7/16/2015
Rep. Murphy, Patrick [D-FL-18]
FL • D
Sponsored 7/16/2015
Tonko
NY • D
Sponsored 7/16/2015
Adams
NC • D
Sponsored 7/16/2015
Meng
NY • D
Sponsored 7/16/2015
Aguilar
CA • D
Sponsored 7/29/2015
Rep. O'Rourke, Beto [D-TX-16]
TX • D
Sponsored 7/29/2015
Moulton
MA • D
Sponsored 9/8/2015
Rep. Cummings, Elijah E. [D-MD-7]
MD • D
Sponsored 9/8/2015
Moore (WI)
WI • D
Sponsored 9/8/2015
Rep. Slaughter, Louise McIntosh [D-NY-25]
NY • D
Sponsored 9/8/2015
Rep. DeFazio, Peter A. [D-OR-4]
OR • D
Sponsored 9/8/2015
Rep. Langevin, James R. [D-RI-2]
RI • D
Sponsored 9/8/2015
Rep. Maloney, Carolyn B. [D-NY-12]
NY • D
Sponsored 9/8/2015
Rep. Delaney, John K. [D-MD-6]
MD • D
Sponsored 9/8/2015
Foster
IL • D
Sponsored 9/8/2015
Castor (FL)
FL • D
Sponsored 9/16/2015
Rep. Johnson, Eddie Bernice [D-TX-30]
TX • D
Sponsored 9/16/2015
Neal
MA • D
Sponsored 9/16/2015
Rep. Crowley, Joseph [D-NY-14]
NY • D
Sponsored 9/17/2015
Beyer
VA • D
Sponsored 9/18/2015
Rep. Kildee, Daniel T. [D-MI-5]
MI • D
Sponsored 9/18/2015
Rep. Hinojosa, Ruben [D-TX-15]
TX • D
Sponsored 9/18/2015
Rep. Lowey, Nita M. [D-NY-17]
NY • D
Sponsored 9/18/2015
Rep. Gutierrez, Luis V. [D-IL-4]
IL • D
Sponsored 9/29/2015
Chu
CA • D
Sponsored 6/24/2015
Sanchez
CA • D
Sponsored 6/24/2015
Rep. Lewis, John [D-GA-5]
GA • D
Sponsored 6/24/2015
Veasey
TX • D
Sponsored 6/24/2015
Rep. Bustos, Cheri [D-IL-17]
IL • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Rep. Brady, Robert A. [D-PA-1]
PA • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Beatty
OH • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Chris Van Hollen
MD • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Clyburn
SC • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Pelosi
CA • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Boyle (PA)
PA • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Nadler
NY • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Rep. Honda, Michael M. [D-CA-17]
CA • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Rep. Lee, Barbara [D-CA-13]
CA • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Kaptur
OH • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Rep. Edwards, Donna F. [D-MD-4]
MD • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Doggett
TX • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Rep. Conyers, John, Jr. [D-MI-13]
MI • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Rep. Richmond, Cedric L. [D-LA-2]
LA • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Schakowsky
IL • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Peter Welch
VT • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Rep. Ellison, Keith [D-MN-5]
MN • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Rep. Price, David E. [D-NC-4]
NC • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Rep. Perlmutter, Ed [D-CO-7]
CO • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Waters
CA • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Rep. Fattah, Chaka [D-PA-2]
PA • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Rep. Green, Gene [D-TX-29]
TX • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Castro (TX)
TX • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
DeGette
CO • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Norcross
NJ • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Rep. Lawrence, Brenda L. [D-MI-14]
MI • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Rep. Nolan, Richard M. [D-MN-8]
MN • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
DeLauro
CT • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Rep. Carney, John C., Jr. [D-DE-At Large]
DE • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Huffman
CA • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Rep. Maloney, Sean Patrick [D-NY-18]
NY • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Rep. Tsongas, Niki [D-MA-3]
MA • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Matsui
CA • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Lieu
CA • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
McCollum
MN • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Thompson (CA)
CA • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Rep. Kilmer, Derek [D-WA-6]
WA • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Rep. Kind, Ron [D-WI-3]
WI • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Rep. Roybal-Allard, Lucille [D-CA-40]
CA • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Courtney
CT • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Rep. Yarmuth, John A. [D-KY-3]
KY • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Himes
CT • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Quigley
IL • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Pallone
NJ • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Rep. Bass, Karen [D-CA-37]
CA • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Rep. Ruppersberger, C. A. Dutch [D-MD-2]
MD • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Kelly (IL)
IL • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Cohen
TN • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Rep. Blumenauer, Earl [D-OR-3]
OR • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Hoyer
MD • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Rep. Hahn, Janice [D-CA-44]
CA • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Del. Plaskett, Stacey E. [D-VI-At Large]
VI • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Davis (IL)
IL • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Rep. Jackson Lee, Sheila [D-TX-18]
TX • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Rep. Israel, Steve [D-NY-3]
NY • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Johnson (GA)
GA • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Sen. Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM]
NM • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
McGovern
MA • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Wasserman Schultz
FL • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Meeks
NY • D
Sponsored 6/25/2015
Scott (VA)
VA • D
Sponsored 11/2/2015
Rep. Kuster, Ann M. [D-NH-2]
NH • D
Sponsored 11/3/2015
Garamendi
CA • D
Sponsored 9/29/2015
Lofgren
CA • D
Sponsored 10/7/2015
Rep. Walz, Timothy J. [D-MN-1]
MN • D
Sponsored 10/7/2015
Rep. Visclosky, Peter J. [D-IN-1]
IN • D
Sponsored 10/7/2015
Rep. Rice, Kathleen M. [D-NY-4]
NY • D
Sponsored 10/20/2015
Rep. Speier, Jackie [D-CA-14]
CA • D
Sponsored 10/20/2015
Rep. Becerra, Xavier [D-CA-34]
CA • D
Sponsored 10/26/2015
Rep. Heck, Denny [D-WA-10]
WA • D
Sponsored 10/26/2015
Titus
NV • D
Sponsored 10/26/2015
Rep. Sarbanes, John P. [D-MD-3]
MD • D
Sponsored 10/26/2015
Green, Al (TX)
TX • D
Sponsored 10/26/2015
Cleaver
MO • D
Sponsored 11/2/2015
Bishop
GA • D
Sponsored 11/2/2015
Rep. Brown, Corrine [D-FL-5]
FL • D
Sponsored 11/2/2015
Carson
IN • D
Sponsored 11/2/2015
Clarke (NY)
NY • D
Sponsored 11/2/2015
Rep. Clay, Wm. Lacy [D-MO-1]
MO • D
Sponsored 11/2/2015
Watson Coleman
NJ • D
Sponsored 11/2/2015
Rep. Fudge, Marcia L. [D-OH-11]
OH • D
Sponsored 11/2/2015
Jeffries
NY • D
Sponsored 11/2/2015
Rep. Payne, Donald M., Jr. [D-NJ-10]
NJ • D
Sponsored 11/2/2015
Thompson (MS)
MS • D
Sponsored 11/2/2015
Rep. Rush, Bobby L. [D-IL-1]
IL • D
Sponsored 11/2/2015
Rep. Rangel, Charles B. [D-NY-13]
NY • D
Sponsored 11/2/2015
Rep. Sanchez, Loretta [D-CA-46]
CA • D
Sponsored 11/3/2015
Rep. Davis, Susan A. [D-CA-53]
CA • D
Sponsored 11/3/2015
Smith (WA)
WA • D
Sponsored 11/3/2015
Rep. McNerney, Jerry [D-CA-9]
CA • D
Sponsored 11/16/2015
Rep. Cartwright, Matt [D-PA-17]
PA • D
Sponsored 11/16/2015
Rep. Eshoo, Anna G. [D-CA-18]
CA • D
Sponsored 11/16/2015
Scott, David
GA • D
Sponsored 11/16/2015
Clark (MA)
MA • D
Sponsored 11/16/2015
Swalwell
CA • D
Sponsored 11/16/2015
Rep. Farr, Sam [D-CA-20]
CA • D
Sponsored 11/16/2015
Grijalva
AZ • D
Sponsored 11/16/2015
Pocan
WI • D
Sponsored 11/16/2015
Connolly
VA • D
Sponsored 11/16/2015
Rep. Lujan Grisham, Michelle [D-NM-1]
NM • D
Sponsored 11/16/2015
Rep. Capps, Lois [D-CA-24]
CA • D
Sponsored 11/16/2015
Rep. Deutch, Theodore E. [D-FL-22]
FL • D
Sponsored 11/16/2015
Vargas
CA • D
Sponsored 11/16/2015
Rep. Pascrell, Bill, Jr. [D-NJ-9]
NJ • D
Sponsored 11/16/2015
Rep. Cárdenas, Tony [D-CA-29]
CA • D
Sponsored 11/30/2015
Pingree
ME • D
Sponsored 11/30/2015
Brownley
CA • D
Sponsored 11/30/2015
Tammy Duckworth
IL • D
Sponsored 11/30/2015
Velazquez
NY • D
Sponsored 11/30/2015
Bonamici
OR • D
Sponsored 2/23/2016
Adam Schiff
CA • D
Sponsored 4/12/2016
Rep. McDermott, Jim [D-WA-7]
WA • D
Sponsored 4/12/2016
Ruben Gallego
AZ • D
Sponsored 4/12/2016
Larsen (WA)
WA • D
Sponsored 4/12/2016
Rep. Capuano, Michael E. [D-MA-7]
MA • D
Sponsored 4/12/2016
Rep. Doyle, Michael F. [D-PA-14]
PA • D
Sponsored 4/12/2016
Rep. Higgins, Brian [D-NY-26]
NY • D
Sponsored 4/12/2016
Keating
MA • D
Sponsored 4/12/2016
Rep. Esty, Elizabeth H. [D-CT-5]
CT • D
Sponsored 4/12/2016
Rep. Schrader, Kurt [D-OR-5]
OR • D
Sponsored 4/12/2016
Rep. Grayson, Alan [D-FL-9]
FL • D
Sponsored 5/10/2016
Rep. Ryan, Tim [D-OH-13]
OH • D
Sponsored 5/10/2016
Rep. Loebsack, David [D-IA-2]
IA • D
Sponsored 5/10/2016
Dingell
MI • D
Sponsored 6/9/2016
Bera
CA • D
Sponsored 6/9/2016
Sherman
CA • D
Sponsored 6/10/2016
Rep. Lowenthal, Alan S. [D-CA-47]
CA • D
Sponsored 6/16/2016
Lynch
MA • D
Sponsored 6/16/2016
Costa
CA • D
Sponsored 6/16/2016
Rep. Kennedy, Joseph P., III [D-MA-4]
MA • D
Sponsored 6/22/2016
Rep. Graham, Gwen [D-FL-2]
FL • D
Sponsored 11/14/2016
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.govTake It Personal
Get Your Personalized Policy View
Start a Free Government Policy Watch to see how policy affects your household, then upgrade to PRIA Full Coverage for year-round monitoring.
Already have an account? Sign in