Bill Text: TX HCR6 | 2021 | 87th Legislature 2nd Special Session | Introduced

Texas House Concurrent Resolution 6 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Urging Congress to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-08-23 - Referred to Constitutional Rights & Remedies [HCR6 Detail]

Download: Texas-2021-HCR6-Introduced.html

	87S20767 BHH-D

	By: Reynolds	H.C.R. No. 6



	CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
	WHEREAS, The history of the United States has been tarnished
	by discriminatory policies that suppress minority voting rights and
	threaten the foundation of our democracy; and
	WHEREAS, On March 7, 1965, civil rights activists the
	Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and John Lewis led a peaceful
	march against voting inequality and were met with extreme violence;
	this event prompted a public outcry and inspired Congress to pass
	the Voting Rights Act later that year; the bipartisan legislation
	allowed direct federal oversight and protections of election
	processes to prevent states from suppressing minority voters; and
	WHEREAS, In 2013, a landmark Supreme Court decision weakened
	the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by ending the preclearance process,
	which required jurisdictions with a history of voting
	discrimination to submit changes to voting policies for federal
	approval before implementing them; this limited the federal
	government's ability to deter voter suppression, and North Carolina
	and Texas immediately passed voting changes that were previously
	rejected for preclearance; these laws remained during several
	elections before federal courts later determined that they were
	discriminatory; moreover, restrictive voting measures proliferated
	after the 2020 election, and as of June 21, 2021, 17 states enacted
	28 new laws that suppress access to the vote; and
	WHEREAS, U.S. Representatives Terri Sewell and John Lewis
	coauthored the Voting Rights Advancement Act, which was renamed in
	honor of Congressman Lewis after his passing; this bill would
	restore the protections of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 while
	updating the coverage criteria to reflect current conditions and
	apply to all states; furthermore, the bill focuses the preclearance
	process on a set of discriminatory measures, requires reasonable
	public notice for voting changes, and allows the Attorney General
	to request the presence of federal observers in places at risk of
	racial discrimination in voting; and
	WHEREAS, Congressman John Lewis dedicated his life to
	protecting Americans' right to vote, and Congress should pass his
	legislation to prevent voter suppression and uphold our nation's
	core value of equality; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the 87th Legislature of the State of Texas,
	2nd Called Session, hereby respectfully urge the Congress of the
	United States to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act;
	and, be it further
	RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official
	copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to
	the president of the Senate and the speaker of the House of
	Representatives of the United States Congress, and to all the
	members of the Texas delegation to Congress with the request that
	this resolution be entered in the Congressional Record as a
	memorial to the Congress of the United States of America.