,,ii #aah? ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #ciaf ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,! ,,unit$ ,,/ates ,m>* #ab1 #bjbd,mr4 ,oss(f 7= himself1 ,ms4 ,klobu*>1 ,mr4 ,w>nock1 ,mr4 ,padilla1 ,mr4 ,k+1 ,mr4 ,m]kley1 & ,mr4 ,wyd57 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,rules & ,adm9i/ration ,a ,,bill ,protect+ ! "r to vote 9 elections = ,f$]al (fice1 & = o!r purposes4 #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,"r to ,vote ,act4 #b4 ,undue burd5s on ! ability to vote 9 elections = ,f$]al (fice prohibit$ 7a7 ,9 g5]al ,e citiz5 ( legal vot+ age %all h ! fundam5tal "r to vote 9 elections = ,f$]al (fice4 7b7 ,retrogression ,a gov]nm5t may n dim9i% ! ability to vote 9 an election = ,f$]al (fice unless ! law1 rule1 /&>d1 practice1 proc$ure1 or o!r gov]nm5tal action caus+ ! dim9i%m5t is ! lea/ re/rictive means ( significantly fur!r+ an important1 p>ticul>iz$ gov]nm5t int]e/4 7c7 ,sub/antial impairm5t ,a gov]nm5t may n sub/antially impair ! ability to vote 9 an election = ,f$]al (fice unless ! law1 rule1 /&>d1 practice1 proc$ure1 or o!r gov]nm5tal action caus+ ! impairm5t significantly fur!rs an important1 p>ticul>iz$ gov]nm5tal int]e/4 ,a sub/antial impairm5t is a non-trivial impairm5t t makes x m difficult to vote ?an if ! law1 rule1 /&>d1 practice1 proc$ure1 or o!r gov]nm5tal action _h n be5 adopt$ or implem5t$4 ,an impairm5t may be sub/antial ev5 if ! vot] or o!r simil>ly situat$ vot]s are able to vote not)/&+ ! impairm5t4 #c4 ,judicial review 7a7 ,civil action ,an action *all5g+ a violation ( ! rights creat$ by ?is ,act may be br\ght 9 ! di/rict c\rt = ! ,di/rict ( ,columbia1 or ! di/rict c\rt = ! di/rict 9 :i* ! violation took place or :]e any def5dant resides or does bus9ess1 at ! selection ( ! pla9tiff1 to obta9 all appropriate relief1 :e!r decl>atory or injunctive1 or facial or z-appli$4 ,process may be s]v$ 9 any di/rict :]e a def5dant resides1 does bus9ess1 or may be f\nd4 7b7 ,/&>ds ,to be appli$ ,c\rts adjudicat+ actions br\ght to en=ce ! rights creat$ by ?is ,act %all apply ! foll[+ /&>ds3 7#a7 ,retrogression 7,a7 ,a pla9tiff e/abli%es a prima facie case ( retrogression by demon/rat+ by a prepond]ance ( ! evid5ce t a rule1 /&>d1 practice1 proc$ure1 or o!r gov]nm5tal action dim9i%es ! ability1 or o!rwise makes x m difficult1 to vote4 7,b7 ,once a pla9tiff e/abli%es a prima facie case z describ$ 9 subp>agraph 7,a71 ! gov]nm5t %all be provid$ an opportunity to demon/rate by cle> & conv9c+ evid5ce t ! dim9i%m5t is necess>y to significantly fur!r an important1 p>ticul>iz$ gov]nm5tal int]e/4 7,c7 ,if ! gov]nm5t meets its burd5 "u subp>agraph 7,b71 ! *all5g$ rule1 /&>d1 practice1 proc$ure1 or o!r gov]nm5tal action %all none!less be deem$ invalid if ! pla9tiff demon/rates by a prepond]ance ( ! evid5ce t ! gov]nm5t c\ld adopt or implem5t a less-re/rictive means ( fur!r+ ! p>ticul> important gov]nm5tal int]e/4 7#b7 ,sub/antial ,impairm5t 7,a7 ,a pla9tiff e/abli%es a prima facie case ( sub/antial impairm5t by demon/rat+ by a prepond]ance ( ! evid5ce t a rule1 /&>d1 practice1 proc$ure1 or o!r gov]nm5tal action sub/antially impairs ! ability1 or makes x sub/antially difficult1 to vote4 7,b7 ,once a pla9tiff e/abli%es a prima facie case z describ$ 9 subp>agraph 7,a71 ! gov]nm5t %all be provid$ an opportunity to demon/rate by cle> & conv9c+ evid5ce t ! impairm5t significantly fur!rs an important1 p>ticul>iz$ gov]nm5tal int]e/4 7c7 ,duty ,to exp$ite ,x %all be ! duty ( ! c\rt to advance on ! docket & to exp$ite to ! greate/ reasonable ext5t ! disposition ( ! action & appeal "u ?is section4 7d7 ,attorney's fees ,section #gbb7;b7 ( ! ,revis$ ,/atutes 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aihh7;b77 is am5d$-- 7#a7 by /rik+ or section #djcjb & ins]t+ section #djcjb2 & 7#b7 by /rik+ 1 ! c\rt & ins]t+ 1 or ! ,"r to ,vote ,act1 ! c\rt4 #d4 ,def9itions ,9 ?is ,act-- 7#a7 ! t]m cov]$ entity means ! ,di/rict ( ,columbia1 ! ,commonweal? ( ,pu]to ,rico1 & ea* t]ritory & possession ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates2 7#b7 ! t]ms election & ,f$]al (fice h ! mean+s giv5 su* t]ms 9 section #cja ( ! ,f$]al ,election ,campaign ,act ( #aiga 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #cjaja72 7#c7 ! t]m gov]nm5t includes a bran*1 dep>tm5t1 ag5cy1 in/rum5tality1 & (ficial 7or o!r p]son act+ "u color ( law7 ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 ( any ,/ate1 ( any cov]$ entity1 or ( any political subdivision ( any ,/ate or cov]$ entity2 & 7#d7 ! t]m vote means all actions necess>y to make a vote effective1 includ+ regi/ration or o!r action requir$ by law z a pr]equisite to vot+1 ca/+ a ballot1 & hav+ su* ballot c\nt$ & includ$ 9 ! appropriate totals ( votes ca/ ) respect to c&idates = public (fice = :i* votes are receiv$ 9 an election4 #e4 ,rules ( con/ruction 7a7 ,burd5s n au?oriz$ ,no?+ 9 ?is ,act may be con/ru$ to au?orize a gov]nm5t to burd5 ! "r to vote 9 elections = ,f$]al (fice4 7b7 ,o!r rights & rem$ies ,no?+ 9 ?is ,act %all be con/ru$ z indicat+ an int5t on ! "p ( ,congress to alt] any rights exi/+ "u a ,/ate con/itution or ! ,con/itution ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 or to limit any rem$ies = any o!r violations ( ,f$]al1 ,/ate1 or local law4 7c7 ,o!r provision ,no?+ 9 ?is ,act %all be con/ru$ z conflict+ ) section #agjc 78,rights ( ,citiz5s07 ( ,s4#a ( ! #aah? ,congress4 #f4 ,sev]ability ,if any provision ( ?is ,act or ! application ( su* provision to any citiz5 or circum/ance is held to be uncon/itutional1 ! rema9d] ( ?is ,act & ! application ( ! provisions ( su* to any citiz5 or circum/ance %all n be affect$ !reby4 #g4 ,effective dates 7a7 ,actions br\ght = retrogression ,subsection 7b7 ( section #b %all apply to any law1 rule1 /&>d1 practice1 proc$ure1 or o!r gov]nm5tal action t 0 n 9 effect dur+ ! ,novemb] #bjbb g5]al election = ,f$]al (fice b t w be 9 effect ) respect to elections = ,f$]al (fice occurr+ on or aft] ,septemb] #a1 #bjbd1 ev5 if su* law1 rule1 /&>d1 practice1 proc$ure1 or o!r gov]nm5tal action is already 9 effect z ( ! date ( enactm5t ( ?is ,act4 7b7 ,actions br\ght = sub/antial impairm5t ,subsection 7c7 ( section #b %all apply to any law1 rule1 /&>d1 practice1 proc$ure1 or o!r gov]nm5tal action 9 effect ) respect to elections = ,f$]al (fice occurr+ on or aft] ,septemb] #a1 #bjbd4