S. 1912: Native American Voting Rights Act of 2015

114th Congress · introduced 2015-07-30 · Government Operations and Politics · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2015-07-30 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. 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

Native American Voting Rights Act of 2015

Plain summary

Native American Voting Rights Act of 2015 This bill prohibits states and local governments from: eliminating the only polling place or voter registration site on an Indian reservation; moving or consolidating a polling place or voter registration site located on an Indian reservation to a location one mile or further from the existing one; moving or consolidating a polling place on an Indian reservation to a location across a natural boundary if that makes travel difficult for a voter, regardless of distance; eliminating in-person voting on an Indian reservation by designating an Indian reservation as a permanent absentee voting location, unless the entire state is or becomes a permanent absentee voting state or the Indian tribe requests such a designation; removing an early voting location or otherwise diminishing early voting opportunities on an Indian reservation; or 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 reservation. Requirements for exceptions to such prohibitions are prescribed. Each of the states whose territory contains all or part of an Indian reservation shall designate, for each Indian tribe of each Indian reservation, an officer within that state responsible for compliance with this Act. Any state whose territory contains all or part of an Indian reservation shall provide one or more polling places for each Indian tribe satisfying certain obligations. In states that provide for early voting a state or local election official shall provide upon request at least one early voting location on an Indian reservation. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is amended to require the Office of Personnel Management to assign an appropriate number of observers whenever the Attorney General receives a written complaint from an Indian tribe that efforts to deny or abridge the right to vote under the color of law on account of race or color, or in contravention of specified guarantees, are likely to occur.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Native American Voting Rights Act of 2015

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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Alternatives

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT] · 4 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI)

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.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Obligation: A binding promise by a government agency to pay money, for example by signing a contract or awarding a grant. Spending data such as USAspending.gov counts money when it is obligated, which can be before it is actually paid out.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-114s1912.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/114/s>

Record fed-us-cong114-s1912 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114