S. 2703: Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, Coretta Scott King, and Cesar E. Chavez Voting Rights Act Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006

109th Congress · introduced 2006-05-03 · Government Operations and Politics · Latest: By Senator Specter from Committee on the Judiciary filed written report. Report No. 109-295. Additional views filed.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2006-05-03 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Specter, Arlen [R-PA] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: By Senator Specter from Committee on the Judiciary filed written report. Report No. 109-295. Additional views filed. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, Coretta Scott King, and Cesar E. Chavez Voting Rights Act Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006

Plain summary

Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, Coretta Scott King, and Cesar E. Chavez Voting Rights Act Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006 - (Sec. 3) Amends the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to revise requirements for the use of examiners and observers at federal elections. Requires the Director of the Office of Personnel (OPM) to assign an appropriate number of observers for any political subdivision in question if: (1) a court has authorized the appointment of observers for the subdivision; or (2) the Attorney General certifies that the assignment of observers is otherwise necessary to enforce the guarantees of the 14th and 15th Amendments because written meritorious complaints indicate that efforts to deny or abridge the right to vote under color of law on account of race or color are likely to occur. Repeals the requirement that federal examiners first be serving in such a political subdivision. Eliminates the position of federal voting examiner, and related requirements. Replaces examiners with federal voting observers with respect to: (1) proceedings to enforce the right to vote; and (2) suspension of the use of tests or devices in determining eligibility to vote. (Sec. 4) Extends: (1) the time for reconsideration of federal oversight of jurisdictions which once used suspended voting tests or devices until 15 years after the enactment of this Act; and (2) related requirements for such jurisdictions until 25 years after the enactment of this Act. (Sec. 5) Revises criteria for a declaratory judgment regarding the legality or constitutionality of voting rules changes. States that any voting qualification or prerequisite to voting, or standard, practice, or procedure with respect to voting denies or abridges the right to vote if its purpose is or its effect will be the diminishment of the ability of any U.S. citizens on account of race or color, or in contravention of certain guarantees, to elect their preferred candidates of choice. (Sec. 6) Authorizes the prevailing party in a civil voting rights enforcement proceeding to recover expert costs as part of recoverable attorney fees. (Sec. 7) Extends bilingual election requirements through August 5, 2032. (Sec. 8) Revises the requirements for determining states and political subdivisions covered by them to require use of 2010 American Community Survey census data.

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate with amendment(s)), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, Coretta Scott King, and Cesar E. Chavez Voting Rights Act Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate with amendment(s))

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Specter, Arlen [R-PA] · 57 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: S. 2703, Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, Coretta Scott King, and Cesar E. Chavez Voting Rights Act Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006 (2006-07-20); CBO cost estimate: S. 2703, Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, Coretta Scott King, and Cesar E. Chavez Voting Rights Act Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006 (2006-07-20)

Cosponsors on this site

Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Richard J. Durbin (D-IL), Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Jack Reed (D-RI), Patty Murray (D-WA), Susan M. Collins (R-ME)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (3)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate with amendment(s))
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-109s2703.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/109/s>

Record fed-us-cong109-s2703 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong109 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong109