BOM15680 S.L.C.
114
TH
CONGRESS 1
ST
S
ESSION
S.
ll
To protect the rights of Indian and Native Alaskan voters.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
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introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
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A BILL
To protect the rights of Indian and Native Alaskan voters.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
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tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
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This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Native American Vot-
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ing Rights Act of 2015’’.
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SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
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In this Act:
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(1) I
NDIAN RESERVATION
.—The term ‘‘Indian
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reservation’’ shall have the meaning given the term
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in section 203 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52
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U.S.C. 10503).
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BOM15680 S.L.C.
(2) I
NDIAN TRIBE
.—The term ‘‘Indian tribe’’
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has the meaning given the term in section 4 of the
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Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance
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Act (25 U.S.C. 450b).
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SEC. 3. TRIBAL ACCESS TO POLLING PLACES AND VOTER
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REGISTRATION.
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(a) A
CTIONS
R
EQUIRING
P
RECLEARANCE
.—No State
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or political subdivision may, unless that State or political
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subdivision meets the requirements of subsection (b)—
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(1) eliminate the only polling place or voter reg-
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istration site on an Indian reservation;
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(2) move or consolidate a polling place or voter
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registration site that is located on an Indian reserva-
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tion to a location 1 mile or further from the existing
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location of the polling place or voter registration
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site;
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(3) move or consolidate a polling place on an
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Indian reservation to a location across a river, lake,
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mountain, or other natural boundary such that it
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makes travel difficult for a voter, regardless of dis-
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tance;
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(4) eliminate in-person voting on an Indian res-
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ervation by designating an Indian reservation as a
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permanent absentee voting location, unless—
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BOM15680 S.L.C.
(A) the entire State is or becomes a per-
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manent absentee voting State; or
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(B) the Indian tribe requests such a des-
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ignation in accordance with section 3(c);
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(5) remove an early voting location or otherwise
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diminish early voting opportunities on an Indian res-
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ervation; or
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(6) decrease the number of days or hours that
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an in-person or early voting location is open on an
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Indian reservation or change the dates of in-person
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or early voting on an Indian reservation.
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(b) P
RECLEARANCE
.—
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(1) I
N GENERAL
.—A State or political subdivi-
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sion meets the requirements of this subsection if the
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State or political subdivision—
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(A) institutes an action in the United
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States District Court for the District of Colum-
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bia for a declaratory judgment that the speci-
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fied activity described in subsection (a) that the
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State or political subdivision desires to carry
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out neither has the purpose nor will have the
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effect of denying or abridging the right to vote
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on account of race or color, or membership in
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a language minority group, and unless and until
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the court enters such judgment the State or po-
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