Voting Rights Act awaits floor vote in the House.

AWC continues to engage with House legislators in efforts to improve this bill before it heads back to the Senate in an amended version. We continue to appreciate the policy intent behind this legislation, but are concerned about how pieces of the bill, as written, will be implemented once passed. We appreciate that the House version of SB 6002 clarifies the good faith requirements and requires an actual showing of lack of opportunity for a protected class, as we requested.

AWC has shared drafts of several possible floor amendments with legislators on both sides of the aisle that address the following areas:

• Presumptions/Review of facts (Sec. 303(2) lines27-31 and Sec. 304(2) lines 26-30)
• Notice period (90 to 180 days) (Sec. 304(1) 9-11)
• Voting age population (instead of overall population) (Sec. 501)
• Technical fix on standing to sue – local voter, not any person (Sec. 304(1))
• Additional time for two notices (270 days instead of 180) (Sec. 304(2))
• Non-English public notice requirements – TV and radio ads (Sec. 202(1)(a)(i-ii))

AWC has heard that cities large and small have reached out to their legislators to voice their support for the policy of the bill and those who are very concerned about how to implement certain portions of the bill, once it is law. We thank you for lending your voices to this important and historic piece of legislation.