Official Text and Analysis.

Creates a state voting rights act to protect the equal opportunity for minority groups to participate in local elections and elect candidates of choice. ? Creates a cause of action and authorizes courts to order appropriate remedies for a violation of the voting rights act, including redistricting within a political subdivision. ? Authorizes local governments to change their election systems to remedy potential violations of the act.

Aligns the criteria to demonstrate a violation under this act with those under federal voting rights act of 1965 case law.

Clarifies that an electoral system created as a result of this act may not favor or disfavor any racial group or political party.

Eliminates cause of action and associated court procedures in certain political subdivisions where local elections exhibit polarized voting between members of a protected class and other voters and members of a protected class do not have an equal opportunity to elect preferred candidates as a result of dilution or abridgement of their rights.

Removes references to alternative proportional voting methods. Removes explicit authority for imposition of alternative proportional voting methods. Removes reference to influence districts.

Allows the court to award attorneys' fees, court costs, and witness fees to either prevailing party, rather than just the prevailing plaintiff.

Requires that if any provision of this act is found unconstitutional, the remainder of the act is null and void.

Removes the rebuttable presumption against a subdivision's proposed remedy submitted for court approval.

Changes internal references to the permissive authority for subdivisions to change their election systems. Provides that only voters who reside within the subdivision may file an action.

(1) Changes the requirements for establishing a violation to be consistent with the federal voting rights act. (2) Requires a violation to show the protected class: (a) Is large and compact enough to be a majority in a district;(b) is Code Rev/CL:akl 2 H-4176.2/18 2nd draft politically cohesive; and (c) prefers candidates that are defeated by a majority voting bloc. (3) Requires courts to analyze elections with at least one candidate who is a member of a protected class and limits consideration to elections prior to filing court action. (4) Provides consideration of factors by a totality of circumstances standard.

(1) Changes the requirements for establishing a violation to be consistent with the federal voting rights act. (2) Requires a violation to show the protected class: (a) Is large and compact enough to be a majority in a district;(b) is politically cohesive; and (c) prefers candidates that are defeated by a majority voting bloc. (3) Requires courts to analyze elections with at least one candidate who is a member of a protected class and limits consideration to elections prior to filing court action. (4) Provides consideration of factors by a totality of circumstances standard.

Removes reference in legislative intent for remedies to be provided through the drawing of crossover and coalition districts.

Removes the severability clause and provides that if any provision of the act is held invalid, then the remainder of the act also is invalid.

Requires a subdivision to publish on its web site the outcome, summary, and legal costs of any court action.

Removes the provision that beginning in 2021 the period for a subdivision to remedy a violation before a court action is filed is reduced to ninety days after notice is received.

Provides that any prevailing party may be awarded attorneys' fees, costs, and expert witness fees.

Prohibits district based election systems created under this act that include more than three districts within the subdivision.

Requires the person providing notice of a violation to be a member of the identified protected class.

Exempts any political subdivision under 10,000 people from the act in regards to the liability and court remedy provisions.

Passed Legislature.