A bill to amend the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to provide for the application of preclearance provisions to all States and political subdivisions and to provide for submission of any changes under the preclearance provisions to the appropriate district court of the United States.
Voting Rights Amendments of 1981 - Amends the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to apply the preclearance requirements to all States (currently, only States covered by the triggering formula must preclear proposed electoral changes). Eliminates the administrative preclearance with the Department of Justice.
Permits a State or local government to apply for a declaratory judgment for preclearance to its local Federal district court (currently, such actions are limited to the District Court for the District of Columbia).
Provides that such an action shall name the United States as defendant, with process served upon the Attorney General. Permits enforcement of an electoral change 60 days after submission of the information to the court if neither the United States nor an interested person has raised objections.
Permits persons interested in the enforcement of voting rights to submit their names and addresses to a registry maintained by the district court. Requires a preclearance action to be served on all interested persons to the extent practicable.
Permits any resident or organization carrying on activities in a State or local government seeking preclearance to intervene in the action as a matter of right.
Provides for expedited judicial process for any preclearance action.
Introduced in Senate
Read second time and referred to Senate Committee on Judiciary.
Referred to Subcommittee on Constitution.
Subcommittee on Constitution. Hearings held.
Subcommittee on Constitution. Hearings held.
Subcommittee on Constitution. Hearings held.
Subcommittee on Constitution. Hearings held.
Subcommittee on Constitution. Hearings held.
Subcommittee on Constitution. Hearings held.
Subcommittee on Constitution. Hearings held.
Subcommittee on Constitution. Hearings held.
Subcommittee on Constitution. Hearings held.
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