Equal Access to Voting Act of 1989

Summary

Equal Access to Voting Act of 1989 - Directs the Attorney General to establish an ongoing program to review the voter registration requirements of each State and to require the implementation of programs as necessary to increase voter registration where barriers to registration have had a discriminatory impact on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, or other factors, or have deprived persons of equal protection of the laws by denying them the opportunity to vote. Requires each State to make information available to the Attorney General as necessary. Requires the chief State election official of each State which the Attorney General determines has barriers to registration to submit for the Attorney General's approval a plan designed to eliminate the barriers. Deems a State to have barriers if the percentage of minority registration is less than a level established by the Attorney General by regulation. Requires the State to implement the plan for the first general election following approval and all elections thereafter, suspending it only if and so long as the State maintains the specified percentage. Sets forth criteria regarding: (1) approval of plans; (2) removal of voters from registration lists; and (3) challenges to voters and registrants. Directs the Attorney General to: (1) prepare a State plan if a State fails to submit an acceptable one; and (2) order compliance or bring a civil action for a permanent or temporary injunction against any person, State, or other governmental body that violates the plan or fails or refuses to comply with any such order. Authorizes: (1) courts to assess a civil penalty; and (2) an aggrieved person to intervene as a matter of right in certain circumstances. Provides for fines and imprisonment for false registration, intimidation, coercion, and other acts in connection with registration and voting. Requires Federal, State, county, and municipal agencies that serve the public directly, and any private agency that voluntarily agrees to register voters, to offer nonpartisan voter registration services during the entire year. Authorizes the Attorney General to: (1) make grants to the chief State election official of any State which has an approved plan in order to carry out the plan; and (2) establish an advisory council of State and local election officials to advise States about eliminating registration barriers. Authorizes appropriations for assistance to States. Directs the Attorney General to identify and develop such additional simultaneous applications for voter registration as may be feasible and appropriate where registration barriers have had a discriminatory impact or have operated to deprive persons of the equal protection of the laws by denying them their right to vote.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

1. 17 March 1989

   Introduced

   Read twice and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

   Source: IntroReferral

2. 17 March 1989

   Introduced

   Introduced in Senate

   Source: IntroReferral

3. 31 March 1989

   Referred

   Referred to Subcommittee on Constitution.

   Source: Committee

4. 10 May 1989

   Committee

   Subcommittee on Constitution. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 101-748.

   Source: Committee

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

• Introduced in Senate · undated · Official file

Documents

2 official files

• Introduced in Senate (text)

  Introduced in Senate · EN

  ViewDownloadOpen at official source

• Introduced in Senate

  summary · EN · 17 March 1989

  Open at official source

Sponsors

• Sen. Cranston, Alan [D-CA] · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Kennedy, Edward M. [D-MA] · D · Sponsor
• Rep. Simon, Paul [D-IL-24] · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Specter, Arlen [R-PA] · R · Sponsor
• Rep. Adams, Brock [D-WA-7] · D · Sponsor
• Rep. Jeffords, James M. [R-VT-At Large] · R · Sponsor
• Sen. Metzenbaum, Howard M. [D-OH] · D · Cosponsor
• Sen. Kohl, Herb [D-WI] · D · Cosponsor
• · ssju00 · Standing

Related records

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