Listen: 🎧 https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/americandemocracyminute/episodes/2022-06-08T07_46_04-07_00

Today’s Links:  
Articles: 

Text of John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of New York
Bronx Times – “State Legislature passes John Lewis Voting Rights Act, awaits Hochul’s approval”
Legal Defense Fund – LDF Urges Governor Hochul to Immediately Sign the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of New York into Law
NY Senate Statement:    “Senate Passes John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of New York”

Organizations taking action:   Legal Defense Fund, Let NY Vote, League of Women Voters NY, Common Cause NY

You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.

In November 2021, pro-voter legislators tried to pass the “John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act in the U.S. Senate.   Among several reforms, the bill which would have restored some of the protections of the 1965 Voting Rights Act.  The bill failed to get the 60 votes needed to override the anti-democracy filibuster. 

But the State of New York may succeed where the U.S. Senate failed.  The Bronx Times reports that the NY State Senate and General Assembly have now passed the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of New York, which would institute dozens of voter protections, including:  Increasing state oversight to root out voter discrimination; expanded language assistance to voters with less proficiency in English; protections against voter intimidation & disinformation; guidance to courts to side with encouraging voter access and having votes counted; and centralizing election data to promote transparency and improve election best practices.

Civil rights advocacy organization Legal Defense Fund cheered the vote, and urged Governor Kathy Hochul to immediately sign the bill.   Legal Defense Fund director Lisa Cylar Barrett said, “It is greatly encouraging to see that lawmakers in the State of New York are responding to their own constituents by strengthening and securing every New Yorker’s right to vote — no matter where they live, what they look like, or where they came from.”

Granny D said, “Democracy is not something we have, it’s something we DO.” 

For the American Democracy Minute, I’m Brian Beihl.