Loading chat...
MS SB2582
Bill
AI Summary
- Establishes the Robert G. Clark, Jr., Voting Rights Act of Mississippi, named after the first Black member of the Mississippi Legislature elected after Reconstruction, prohibiting voter suppression and vote dilution based on race, color, or language minority group membership
- Creates the Mississippi Voting Rights Commission with five commissioners serving staggered five-year terms, selected from a qualified candidate pool maintained by a nominating committee of certified nonprofit organizations focused on voting rights
- Requires preclearance from the Commission before covered political subdivisions can implement changes to election policies, methods of election, or redistricting plans, with coverage triggered by prior voting rights violations, registration/turnout disparities of at least 10 percentage points, or other socioeconomic indicators
- Mandates language assistance programs for political subdivisions where more than 2% (minimum 200 individuals) of the voting-eligible population are limited English proficient members of a language minority group
- Establishes enforcement mechanisms allowing courts to fashion equitable relief for violations, including altering methods of election, and specifies that factors like historical discrimination, racially polarized voting, and disparities in political participation may be considered in evaluating violations
Legislative Description
Robert G. Clark, Jr., Voting Rights Act of Mississippi; enact.
Last Action
Died In Committee
2/3/2026
Committee Referrals
Elections1/19/2026
Full Bill Text
No bill text available