,,ii #aacth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #bcii ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,may #bb1 #bjad ,mr4 ,begich 7for himself1 ,ms4 ,hirono1 ,mr4 ,tester1 ,mr4 ,walsh1 ,mr4 ,johnson of ,south ,dakota1 and ,ms4 ,heitkamp7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on the ,judiciary ,a ,,bill ,to safeguard the voting rights of ,native ,american and ,alaska ,native voters and to provide the resources and oversight necessary to ensure equal access to the electoral process4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,native ,voting ,rights ,act of #bjad4 #b4 ,tribal identification2 ,actions for a disparity in availability of polling places ,section #b of the ,voting ,rights ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aigc7 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7c7 ,if a ,state or political subdivision requires an individual to present a valid form of identification for the purposes of voting1 including registering to vote1 an individual's unexpired tribal identification document issued by an ,indian tribe 7including a tribal identification document issued by a ,native ,corporation1 as defined in section #c of the ,alaska ,native ,claims ,settlement ,act 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #afjb77 shall be treated as a valid form of identification for such purposes4 7d7 7#a7 7,a7 ,the ,attorney ,general may institute in the name of the ,united ,states actions1 including actions against ,states or political subdivisions1 for declaratory judgment or injunctive relief if the ,attorney ,general finds1 at the discretion of the ,attorney ,general1 a disparity between in-person voting opportunities for members of an ,indian tribe as compared to in-person voting opportunities for individuals who are not members of an ,indian tribe4 7,b7 ,such injunctive relief shall include measures to reduce such disparity by increasing the availability of polling places4 7#b7 ,the district courts of the ,united ,states shall have jurisdiction of such actions which shall be heard and determined by a court of three judges in accordance with the provisions of section #bbhd of title #bh of the ,united ,states ,code and any appeal shall lie to the ,supreme ,court4 ,it shall be the duty of the judges designated to hear the case to assign the case for hearing at the earliest practicable date1 to participate in the hearing and determination thereof1 and to cause the case to be in every way expedited4 ,there shall be a presumption that such disparity results in a denial or abridgement of the right of any citizen of the ,united ,states to vote on account of race or color1 or in contravention of the guarantees set forth in section #d7;f77#b74 7#c7 ,notwithstanding paragraphs 7#a7 and 7#b71 an aggrieved person may bring an action described in paragraph 7#a77;,a74 ,the provisions of paragraph 7#b7 shall apply to such action4 4 #c4 ,protections relating to polling places on ,indian reservations 7a7 ,section #d of the ,voting ,rights ,act of #aife 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aigc;b7 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7g7 ,protections relating to ,indian reservations 7#a7 ,in ,general ,no ,state or political subdivision shall carry out any of the following activities unless that ,state or political subdivision obtains the approval of the court or the nonobjection of the ,attorney ,general under section #e7;a73 7,a7 ,eliminating the only polling place or voter registration site on an ,indian reservation4 7,b7 ,moving or consolidating a polling place or voter registration site #a mile or further from the existing location of the polling place or voter registration site on an ,indian reservation4 7,c7 ,moving or consolidating a polling place on an ,indian reservation across a river1 lake1 mountain1 or other natural boundary such that it makes travel difficult for a voter1 regardless of distance4 7,d7 ,eliminating in-person voting on an ,indian reservation by designating an ,indian reservation as a permanent absentee voting location1 unless the entire ,state is or becomes a permanent absentee voting ,state4 7,e7 ,removing an early voting location or otherwise diminishing early voting opportunities on an ,indian reservation4 7,f7 ,decreasing the number of days or hours that an in-person or early voting location is open on an ,indian reservation or changing the dates of in-person or early voting on an ,indian reservation4 7#b7 ,definition ,for purposes of this subsection1 the term ,indian reservation shall have the meaning given such term under section #bjc7;b77#c74 4 7b7 ,section #e7;a7 of the ,voting ,rights ,act of #aife 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aigc;c7a77 is amended-- 7#a7 in the first sentence1 by inserting or whenever a ,state or political subdivision shall enact or seek to administer any of the activities described in subsection 7g7 of section #d after ,november #a1 #aigb12 and 7#b7 by striking or procedure and inserting procedure1 or activity each place the term appears4 #d4 ,federal election oversight on ,indian reservations ,section #h of the ,voting ,rights ,act of #aife 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aigc;f7 is amended-- 7#a7 by redesignating subsections 7b7 through 7e7 as subsections 7c7 through 7f71 respectively2 7#b7 in subsection 7c71 as redesignated by paragraph 7#a7 of this section1 by striking subsection 7c71 such observers and inserting subsection 7d71 the observers described in this section2 and 7#c7 by inserting after subsection 7a7 the following3 7b7 ,the ,attorney ,general may authorize ,federal observers for elections that occur on an ,indian reservation1 as defined under section #bjc1 if the ,attorney ,general has received from a tribal organization-- 7#a7 a written complaint that efforts to deny or abridge the right to vote under the color of law on account of race or color1 or in contravention of the guarantees set forth in section #d7;f77#b71 may occur on an ,indian reservation2 and 7#b7 a request for the authorization of ,federal observers for elections that occur on that ,indian reservation4 4 #e4 ,termination of ,election ,observers ,section #ac7;a7 of the ,voting ,rights ,act of #aife 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aigck7a77 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#a7-- 7,a7 by striking section #h and inserting subsection 7a7 of section #h2 and 7,b7 by striking and after the semicolon2 7#b7 in paragraph 7#b71 by striking the period at the end and inserting 2 and2 and 7#c7 by adding at the end the following3 7#c7 with respect to observers appointed pursuant to subsection 7b7 of section #h1 after the end of the next general election for the office of ,president4 4 #f4 ,definitions ,section #ad7;c7 of the ,voting ,rights ,act of #aife 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aigcl7c77 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7#d7 ,the terms ,indian tribe and tribal organization have the meaning given such terms under section #d of the ,indian ,self-,determination and ,education ,assistance ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #dej;b74 7#e7 ,the term member of an ,indian tribe means an individual who is a member of an ,indian tribe1 as defined under section #d of the ,indian ,self-,determination and ,education ,assistance ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #dej;b7 and includes a member of a ,native ,corporation1 as defined in section #c of the ,alaska ,native ,claims ,settlement ,act 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #afjb74 4 #g4 ,bilingual election requirements2 ,definition of ,indian reservation ,section #bjc of the ,voting ,rights ,act of #aife 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aigc;aa-#a;a7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7b77#c77;,c71 by striking #aiij and inserting #bjaj2 and 7#b7 in subsection 7c71 by striking or in the case of ,alaskan natives and ,american ,indians1 if the predominant language is historically unwritten and inserting 7as of the date on which the materials or information is provided74 #h4 ,election observer transparency ,the ,attorney ,general shall make publicly available the reports of ,federal election observers appointed in accordance with section #h of the ,voting ,rights ,act of #aife 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aigc;f71 not later than #f months after the date that such reports are submitted to the ,attorney ,general4 #i4 ,tribal voting consultation ,the ,attorney ,general shall1 to the extent practicable1 consult annually with tribal organizations regarding issues relating to voting for members of an ,indian tribe4