Maryland 2023 Regular Session

Maryland House Bill HB1104 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2
3	3	EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
4	4	[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
5	5	hb1104
6	6
7	7	HOUSE BILL 1104
8	8	G1 EMERGENCY BILL 3lr2549
9	9	CF SB 878
10	10	By: Delegate Smith
11	11	Introduced and read first time: February 10, 2023
12	12	Assigned to: Ways and Means
13	13
14	14	A BILL ENTITLED
15	15
16	16	AN ACT concerning 1
17	17
18	18	Voting Rights Act of 2023 – Counties and Municipalities 2
19	19
20	20	FOR the purpose of prohibiting local governments from impairing or diminishing the right 3
21	21	of a protected class member to vote or influence election outcomes; establishing 4
22	22	requirements on local governments regarding proposals for shifting methods of 5
23	23	election and districting plans; requiring the Civil Rights Division of the Office of the 6
24	24	Attorney General to approve or deny proposed local government remedies to address 7
25	25	certain violations; establishing requirements on the State Board of Elections and 8
26	26	local governments related to the provision of language–related assistance in local 9
27	27	government elections; requiring the Civil Rights Division or the Circuit Court for 10
28	28	Anne Arundel County to review and grant preclearance to certain policies before 11
29	29	enactment or implementation; establishing the Statewide Election Database and 12
30	30	Information Office to maintain and administer election–related data; prohibiting 13
31	31	acts of intimidation or obstruction that interfere with the right to vote; and generally 14
32	32	relating to voting rights in counties and municipalities. 15
33	33
34	34	BY adding to 16
35	35	Article – Election Law 17
36	36	Section 15.5–101 through 15.5–801 to be under the new title “Title 15.5. Voting 18
37	37	Rights Act – Counties and Municipalities” 19
38	38	Annotated Code of Maryland 20
39	39	(2022 Replacement Volume and 2022 Supplement) 21
40	40
41	41	SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 22
42	42	That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 23
43	43
44	44	Article – Election Law 24
45	45
46	46	TITLE 15.5. VOTING RIGHTS ACT – COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES. 25
47	47	2 HOUSE BILL 1104
48	48
49	49
50	50	SUBTITLE 1. DEFINITIONS AND GENERAL PROVISIONS. 1
51	51
52	52	15.5–101. 2
53	53
54	54	(A) IN THIS TITLE THE FOL LOWING WORDS HAVE TH E MEANINGS 3
55	55	INDICATED UNLESS A D IFFERENT MEANING IS CLEARLY INTENDED FRO M THE 4
56	56	CONTEXT. 5
57	57
58	58	(B) (1) “ALTERNATIVE METHOD OF ELECTION ” MEANS A METHOD OF 6
59	59	ELECTING CANDIDATES TO THE LEGISLATIVE B ODY OF A LOCAL GOVER NMENT 7
60	60	OTHER THAN AN AT –LARGE METHOD OF ELEC TION OR A DISTRICT –BASED METHOD 8
61	61	OF ELECTION. 9
62	62
63	63	(2) “ALTERNATIVE METHOD OF ELECTION” INCLUDES 10
64	64	PROPORTIONAL RANKED –CHOICE VOTING , CUMULATIVE VOTING , AND LIMITED 11
65	65	VOTING. 12
66	66
67	67	(C) (1) “AT–LARGE METHOD OF ELEC TION” MEANS A METHOD OF 13
68	68	ELECTING CANDIDATES TO THE LEGISLATIVE B ODY OF A LOCAL GOVER NMENT IN 14
69	69	WHICH THE CANDIDATES ARE VOTED ON BY ALL VOTERS OF THE LOCAL 15
70	70	GOVERNMENT . 16
71	71
72	72	(2) “AT–LARGE METHOD OF ELEC TION” DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY 17
73	73	ALTERNATIVE METHOD O F ELECTION. 18
74	74
75	75	(D) “CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION” MEANS THE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION OF THE 19
76	76	OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL. 20
77	77
78	78	(E) “COURT” MEANS THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY. 21
79	79
80	80	(F) “DISTRICT–BASED METHOD OF ELEC TION” MEANS A METHOD OF 22
81	81	ELECTING CANDIDATES TO THE LEGISLATIVE B ODY OF A LOCAL GOVER NMENT IN 23
82	82	WHICH, FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT S DIVIDED INTO DISTR ICTS, A CANDIDATE FOR 24
83	83	ANY DISTRICT IS REQU IRED TO RESIDE IN TH E DISTRICT AND CANDI DATES 25
84	84	REPRESENTING OR SEEK ING TO REPRESENT THE DISTRICT ARE VOTED O N BY ONLY 26
85	85	THE VOTERS OF THE DI STRICT. 27
86	86
87	87	(G) “FEDERAL VOTING RIGHTS ACT” MEANS THE FEDERAL VOTING 28
88	88	RIGHTS ACT OF 1965. 29
89	89
90	90	(H) “LEGISLATIVE BODY ” MEANS: 30
91	91
92	92	(1) FOR BALTIMORE CITY, THE CITY COUNCIL OF BALTIMORE CITY; 31 HOUSE BILL 1104 3
93	93
94	94
95	95
96	96	(2) FOR A CHARTER COUNTY , THE COUNTY COUNCIL ; 1
97	97
98	98	(3) FOR A CODE HOME RULE COUNTY, THE COUNTY COMMISSIO NERS; 2
99	99
100	100	(4) FOR A COMMISSION COU NTY, THE COUNTY COMMISSIO NERS; 3
101	101
102	102	(5) FOR A MUNICIPALITY , THE REPRESENTATIVE B ODY PROVIDED 4
103	103	UNDER THE MUNICIPAL CHAR TER; AND 5
104	104
105	105	(6) FOR A COUNTY BOARD O F EDUCATION , THE ELECTED VOTING 6
106	106	MEMBERS OF THE COUNT Y BOARD OF EDUCATION . 7
107	107
108	108	(I) “LOCAL GOVERNMENT ” MEANS: 8
109	109
110	110	(1) A MUNICIPALITY OR CO UNTY, AS THOSE TERMS ARE D EFINED IN § 9
111	111	1–101 OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ARTICLE; OR 10
112	112
113	113	(2) A COUNTY BOARD OF ED UCATION, AS DEFINED § 1–101 OF THE 11
114	114	EDUCATION ARTICLE. 12
115	115
116	116	(J) “PROTECTED CLASS ” MEANS A CLASS OF CIT IZENS WHO ARE MEMBER S 13
117	117	OF A RACE, COLOR, OR LANGUAGE MINORITY GROUP, AS REFERENCED IN THE 14
118	118	FEDERAL VOTING RIGHTS ACT. 15
119	119
120	120	(K) “RACIALLY POLARIZED VO TING” MEANS VOTING IN WHIC H THERE IS A 16
121	121	DIVERGENCE BETWEEN T HE CANDIDATE OR ELEC TORAL CHOICE PREFERR ED BY 17
122	122	PROTECTED CLASS VOTE RS AND THE CANDIDATE OR ELECTORAL CHOICE 18
123	123	PREFERRED BY OTHER V OTERS. 19
124	124
125	125	(L) “VOTE” OR “VOTING” MEANS AN ACTION NECESSARY TO CAST A BALLOT 20
126	126	IN AN ELECTION, INCLUDING: 21
127	127
128	128	(1) REGISTRATION ; 22
129	129
130	130	(2) APPLYING FOR A BALLO T; AND 23
131	131
132	132	(3) ANY OTHER ACTION REQ UIRED BY LAW AS A PR EREQUISITE TO 24
133	133	CASTING A BALLOT AND HAVING THE BALLOT CO UNTED, CANVASSED, OR CERTIFIED 25
134	134	PROPERLY AND INCLUDED IN THE APPROPRIATE TOTA LS OF VOTES CAST IN AN 26
135	135	ELECTION. 27
136	136
137	137	15.5–102. 28 4 HOUSE BILL 1104
138	138
139	139
140	140
141	141	(A) THE PROVISIONS OF THI S TITLE APPLY TO A M UNICIPALITY IN THE 1
142	142	STATE IN WHICH THE MU NICIPAL OR CHARTER E LECTIONS ARE REGULAT ED BY THE 2
143	143	PUBLIC LOCAL LAWS OF THE STATE OR THE CHARTER OF THE M UNICIPALITY. 3
144	144
145	145	(B) STATUTES, RULES AND REGULATION S, AND LOCAL LAWS , TOWN 4
146	146	CHARTERS, OR ORDINANCES RELATE D TO THE RIGHT TO VO TE SHALL BE 5
147	147	CONSTRUED LIBERALLY IN FAVOR OF: 6
148	148
149	149	(1) PROTECTING THE RIGHT TO CAST A BALLOT ; 7
150	150
151	151	(2) ENSURING THAT ELIGIBLE VOTERS ARE NOT IMPAIRED IN 8
152	152	REGISTERING TO VOTE OR VOTING, INCLUDING HAVING THE IR VOTES COUNTED ; 9
153	153	AND 10
154	154
155	155	(3) ENSURING PROTECTED C LASS VOTERS EQUITABL E ACCESS TO 11
156	156	OPPORTUNITIES TO REG ISTER TO VOTE AND TO VOTE. 12
157	157
158	158	15.5–103. 13
159	159
160	160	IF ANY PROVISION OF T HIS TITLE OR ITS APPLICA TION TO ANY PERSON , LOCAL 14
161	161	GOVERNMENT , OR CIRCUMSTANCE IS H ELD TO BE INVALID BY A COURT OF 15
162	162	COMPETENT JURISDICTI ON, THE INVALIDITY DOES NOT AFFECT OTHER PRO VISIONS 16
163	163	OR APPLICATIONS OF T HIS TITLE THAT CAN B E GIVEN EFFECT WITHO UT THE 17
164	164	INVALID PROVISION OR APPLICA TION, AND TO THIS END , THE PROVISIONS OF TH IS 18
165	165	TITLE ARE SEVERABLE . 19
166	166
167	167	SUBTITLE 2. PROTECTED CLASS MEMBERS. 20
168	168
169	169	15.5–201. 21
170	170
171	171	(A) A LOCAL GOVERNMENT MAY NOT DENY, IMPAIR, OR DIMINISH THE 22
172	172	RIGHT TO VOTE OF PRO TECTED CLASS MEMBERS THROUGH ANY : 23
173	173
174	174	(1) QUALIFICATION FOR EL IGIBILITY TO BE A VO TER OR OTHER 24
175	175	PREREQUISITE TO VOTI NG; OR 25
176	176
177	177	(2) ORDINANCE, REGULATION , OR OTHER LAW REGARDI NG THE 26
178	178	ADMINISTRATION OF EL ECTIONS, OR ANY STANDARD , PRACTICE, PROCEDURE , OR 27
179	179	POLICY. 28
180	180
181	181	(B) THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS BY A LOC AL GOVERNMENT SHALL 29
182	182	CONSTITUTE A VIOLATI ON OF SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION: 30 HOUSE BILL 1104 5
183	183
184	184
185	185
186	186	(1) IMPLEMENTATION OF A QUALIFICATION FOR EL IGIBILITY TO BE A 1
187	187	VOTER OR OTHER PRERE QUISITE TO VOTING , OR AN ORDINANCE , REGULATION , OR 2
188	188	OTHER LAW REGARDING THE ADMINISTRATION O F ELECTIONS, OR ANY STANDARD , 3
189	189	PRACTICE, PROCEDURE , OR POLICY THAT : 4
190	190
191	191	(I) RESULTS OR WILL RESU LT IN ANY DISPARITY OR 5
192	192	REDUCTION IN VOTER P ARTICIPATION, ACCESS TO VOTING OPP ORTUNITIES, OR 6
193	193	ABILITY TO PARTICIPA TE IN THE POLITICAL PROCESS AMONG PROTEC TED CLASS 7
194	194	MEMBERS IN A JURISDIC TION; OR 8
195	195
196	196	(II) BASED ON THE TOTALIT Y OF THE CIRCUMSTANC ES, 9
197	197	RESULTS IN ANY IMPAI RMENT OF THE OPPORTU NITY OR ABILITY OF P ROTECTED 10
198	198	CLASS MEMBERS TO PAR TICIPATE IN THE POLI TICAL PROCESS AND EL ECT 11
199	199	CANDIDATES OF THEIR CHOICE OR OTHERWISE INFLUENCE THE OUTCOM E OF 12
200	200	ELECTIONS; OR 13
201	201
202	202	(2) ENACTMENT OF A QUALI FICATION FOR ELIGIBI LITY TO BE A 14
203	203	VOTER OR OTHER PRERE QUISITE TO VOTING , OR AN ORDINANCE , REGULATION , OR 15
204	204	OTHER LAW REGARDING THE ADMINISTRATION O F ELECTIONS, OR ANY STANDARD , 16
205	205	PRACTICE, PROCEDURE, OR POLICY THAT HAS T HE PURPOSE OF , OR WILL HAVE THE 17
206	206	EFFECT OF, DIMINISHING THE ABIL ITY OF ANY PROTECTED CLASS VOTER TO 18
207	207	PARTICIPATE IN THE E LECTORAL PROCESS OR ELECT THE PREFERRED CANDIDATES 19
208	208	OF CHOICE OF THE PRO TECTED CLASS VOTER . 20
209	209
210	210	15.5–202. 21
211	211
212	212	(A) A LOCAL GOVERNMENT MAY N OT EMPLOY ANY METHOD OF ELECTION 22
213	213	THAT HAS THE EFFECT , OR IS MOTIVATED IN P ART BY THE INTENT , OF IMPAIRING 23
214	214	THE ABILITY OF PROTE CTED CLASS MEMBERS T O PARTICIPATE IN THE POLITICAL 24
215	215	PROCESS AND ELECT CA NDIDATES OF THEIR CH OICE OR OTHERWISE I NFLUENCE 25
216	216	THE OUTCOME OF ELECT IONS, AS A RESULT OF DILUT ING OR ABRIDGING THE VOTE 26
217	217	OF THE PROTECTED CLA SS MEMBERS. 27
218	218
219	219	(B) IMPLEMENTATION OF THE FOLLOWING ELECTION M ETHODS BY A LOCAL 28
220	220	GOVERNMENT SHALL CON STITUTE A VIOLATION OF SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS 29
221	221	SECTION: 30
222	222
223	223	(1) AN AT–LARGE METHOD OF ELEC TION WHERE: 31
224	224
225	225	(I) RACIALLY POLARIZED V OTING BY PROTECTED C LASS 32
226	226	VOTERS OCCURS ; OR 33
227	227	6 HOUSE BILL 1104
228	228
229	229
230	230	(II) BASED ON THE TOTALIT Y OF THE CIRCUMSTANC ES, THE 1
231	231	OPPORTUNITY OR ABILI TY OF PROTECTED CLAS S VOTERS TO PARTICIP ATE IN THE 2
232	232	POLITICAL PR OCESS AND ELECT CAND IDATES OF THEIR CHOI CE OR OTHERWISE 3
233	233	INFLUENCE THE OUTCOM E OF ELECTIONS IS IM PAIRED; 4
234	234
235	235	(2) A DISTRICT–BASED METHOD OF ELEC TION OR AN ALTERNATI VE 5
236	236	METHOD OF ELECTION W HERE THE CANDIDATES OR ELECTORAL CHOICES 6
237	237	PREFERRED BY PROTECT ED CLASS MEMBERS WOULD USUALL Y BE DEFEATED AND 7
238	238	WHERE: 8
239	239
240	240	(I) RACIALLY POLARIZED V OTING BY PROTECTED C LASS 9
241	241	VOTERS OCCURS ; OR 10
242	242
243	243	(II) BASED ON THE TOTALIT Y OF THE CIRCUMSTANC ES, THE 11
244	244	ABILITY OF THE VOTER S TO PARTICIPATE IN THE POLITICAL PROCES S AND ELECT 12
245	245	CANDIDATES OF THEIR CHOICE OR O THERWISE INFLUENCE T HE OUTCOME OF 13
246	246	ELECTIONS IS IMPAIRE D; OR 14
247	247
248	248	(3) ANY METHOD OF ELECTI ON THAT HAS THE PURP OSE OF, OR WILL 15
249	249	HAVE THE EFFECT OF , DIMINISHING THE ABIL ITY OF ANY PROTECTED CLASS VOTER 16
250	250	TO PARTICIPATE IN TH E ELECTORAL PROCES S OR ELECT THE PREFE RRED 17
251	251	CANDIDATES OF CHOICE OF THE PROTECTED CLA SS VOTER. 18
252	252
253	253	(C) (1) SUBJECT TO PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION , TO 19
254	254	DETERMINE WHETHER RA CIALLY POLARIZED VOT ING BY PROTECTED CLA SS 20
255	255	VOTERS IN A LOCAL GO VERNMENT ELECTION OC CURS OR IF CANDIDAT ES OR 21
256	256	ELECTORAL CHOICES PR EFERRED BY PROTECTED CLASS MEMBERS WOULD 22
257	257	USUALLY BE DEFEATED , THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY SHALL: 23
258	258
259	259	(I) CONSIDER ELECTIONS H ELD BEFORE THE FILIN G OF AN 24
260	260	ACTION AS MORE PROBA TIVE THAN ELECTIONS CONDUCTED AFTER THE FILING; 25
261	261
262	262	(II) CONSIDER EVIDENCE CO NCERNING ELECTIONS F OR ANY 26
263	263	OFFICE IN THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT , INCLUDING EXECUTIVE , LEGISLATIVE, 27
264	264	JUDICIAL, AND OTHER OFFICES OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT , AS MORE PROBATIVE 28
265	265	THAN EVIDENCE CONCER NING ELECTIONS FOR O THER OFFICES; 29
266	266
267	267	(III) CONSIDER STATISTICAL EVIDENCE AS MORE PRO BATIVE 30
268	268	THAN NONSTATISTICAL EVIDENCE; AND 31
269	269
270	270	(IV) IN THE CASE OF CLAIM S BROUGHT ON BEHALF OF TWO OR 32
271	271	MORE PROTECTED CLASS ES THAT ARE POLITICA LLY COHESIVE WITHIN THE 33
272	272	ELECTION DISTRICT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT , COMBINE VOTERS OF THE 34 HOUSE BILL 1104 7
273	273
274	274
275	275	PROTECTED CLASSES TO DETERMINE WHETHER VO TING BY MEMBERS OF T HE 1
276	276	COMBINED PROTECTED C LASSES IS POLARIZED FROM OTHER VOTERS AN D WITHOUT 2
277	277	REQUIRING EVIDENCE T HAT EACH PROTECTED C LASS IS SEPARATELY P OLARIZED 3
278	278	FROM OTHER VOTERS . 4
279	279
280	280	(2) IN DETERMINING WHETHER RACIALLY POLARIZED V OTING BY 5
281	281	PROTECTED CLASS VOTE RS IN A LOCAL GOVERN MENT ELECTION OCCURS , THE 6
282	282	CIRCUIT COURT FOR ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY MAY NOT : 7
283	283
284	284	(I) REQUIRE EVIDENCE CON CERNING THE INTENT O F VOTERS, 8
285	285	ELECTED OFFICIALS , OR THE LOCAL GOVE RNMENT TO DISCRIMINA TE AGAINST 9
286	286	PROTECTED CLASS VOTE RS; 10
287	287
288	288	(II) REQUIRE EVIDENCE OF EXPLANATIONS FOR VOT ING 11
289	289	PATTERNS AND ELECTIO N OUTCOMES TO PROVE THE EXISTENCE OF RAC IALLY 12
290	290	POLARIZED VOTING , INCLUDING PARTISANSH IP; 13
291	291
292	292	(III) CONSIDER EVIDENCE TH AT SUBGROU PS OF PROTECTED 14
293	293	CLASS ELECTORS HAVE DIFFERENT VOTING PAT TERNS; 15
294	294
295	295	(IV) CONSIDER EVIDENCE CO NCERNING WHETHER PRO TECTED 16
296	296	CLASS VOTERS ARE GEO GRAPHICALLY COMPACT OR CONCENTRATED , BUT MAY USE 17
297	297	THE EVIDENCE TO APPR OPRIATELY REMEDY A V IOLATION UNDER THIS SECTION; OR 18
298	298
299	299	(V) CONSIDER EVIDENCE CO NCERNING PROJECTED C HANGES 19
300	300	IN POPULATION OR DEM OGRAPHICS, BUT MAY USE THE EVID ENCE TO 20
301	301	APPROPRIATELY REMEDY A VIOLATION UNDER TH IS SECTION. 21
302	302
303	303	15.5–203. 22
304	304
305	305	(A) (1) IN DETERMINING WHETHE R, BASED ON THE TOTALIT Y OF THE 23
306	306	CIRCUMSTANC ES, A DENIAL OR IMPAIRME NT OF THE RIGHT TO V OTE FOR ANY 24
307	307	PROTECTED CLASS HAS OCCURRED, OR THE OPPORTUNITY O R ABILITY OF 25
308	308	PROTECTED CLASS MEMB ERS TO PARTICIPATE I N THE POLITICAL PROC ESS AND 26
309	309	ELECT CANDIDATES OF THEIR CHOICE OR OTHE RWISE INFLUENCE THE OUTCOME 27
310	310	OF ELECTIONS IS IMPAI RED, THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY 28
311	311	MAY CONSIDER THE FOL LOWING FACTORS : 29
312	312
313	313	(I) THE HISTORY OF DISCR IMINATION IN OR AFFE CTING THE 30
314	314	STATE OR LOCAL GOVERN MENT; 31
315	315
316	316	(II) SUBJECT TO PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION , THE 32
317	317	EXTENT TO WHICH PROTECTED CLAS S VOTERS HAVE BEEN E LECTED TO OFFICE IN 33 8 HOUSE BILL 1104
318	318
319	319
320	320	THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ; 1
321	321
322	322	(III) THE USE OF ANY QUALI FICATION FOR ELIGIBI LITY TO BE A 2
323	323	VOTER OR OTHER PRERE QUISITE TO VOTING , OR ANY STATUTE , ORDINANCE, 3
324	324	REGULATION , OR OTHER LAW REGARDI NG THE ADMINI STRATION OF ELECTION S, OR 4
325	325	ANY RELATED STANDARD , PRACTICE, PROCEDURE , OR POLICY BY THE LOC AL 5
326	326	GOVERNMENT THAT MAY ENHANCE THE DILUTIVE EFFECTS OF A METHOD OF 6
327	327	ELECTION IN THE LOCA L GOVERNMENT ; 7
328	328
329	329	(IV) THE DENIAL OF ACCESS OF PROTECTED CLASS V OTERS OR 8
330	330	CANDIDATES TO ELECTION ADMI NISTRATION OR CAMPAI GN FINANCE PROCESSES 9
331	331	THAT DETERMINE WHICH CANDIDATES WILL RECE IVE ACCESS TO THE BA LLOT OR 10
332	332	FINANCIAL OR OTHER S UPPORT IN A GIVEN EL ECTION IN THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ; 11
333	333
334	334	(V) THE EXTENT TO WHICH PROTECTED CLASS INDI VIDUALS IN 12
335	335	THE STATE OR THE LOCAL GO VERNMENT CONTRIBUTE MONEY TO POLITICAL 13
336	336	CAMPAIGNS OR POLITIC AL CAUSES AT LOWER R ATES THAN OTHER INDI VIDUALS IN 14
337	337	THE STATE OR THE LOCAL GO VERNMENT; 15
338	338
339	339	(VI) THE EXTENT TO WHICH PROTECTED CLASS VOTE RS IN THE 16
340	340	STATE OR THE LOCAL GO VERNMENT VOTE AT LOWE R RATES THAN OTHER V OTERS 17
341	341	IN THE STATE OR THE LOCAL GO VERNMENT, AS APPLICABLE; 18
342	342
343	343	(VII) THE EXTENT TO WHICH PROTECTED CLASS INDI VIDUALS IN 19
344	344	THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BEAR THE EFFECTS OF DISCRIMINATION , PUBLIC OR 20
345	345	PRIVATE, IN AREAS SUCH AS EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT , HEALTH, CRIMINAL 21
346	346	JUSTICE, HOUSING, TRANSPORTATION , LAND USE , OR ENVIRONMENTAL 22
347	347	PROTECTION ; 23
348	348
349	349	(VIII) THE EXTENT TO WHICH PROTECTED CLASS INDI VIDUALS IN 24
350	350	THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ARE DISADVANTAGED IN OTHER AREAS THAT MAY 25
351	351	HINDER THEIR ABILI TY TO PARTICIPATE EF FECTIVELY IN THE POL ITICAL PROCESS; 26
352	352
353	353	(IX) THE USE OF OVERT OR SUBTLE RACIAL APPEAL S IN 27
354	354	POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS IN THE LOCAL GOVERNM ENT OR SURROUNDING A DOPTION 28
355	355	OR MAINTENANCE OF TH E CHALLENGED PRACTIC E; 29
356	356
357	357	(X) THE EXTENT TO WHICH CANDIDATES FACE HOSTILITY OR 30
358	358	BARRIERS ON ACCOUNT OF THEIR MEMBERSHIP IN A PROTECTED CLASS WHILE 31
359	359	CAMPAIGNING ; 32
360	360
361	361	(XI) A LACK OF RESPONSIVE NESS BY ELECTED OFFI CIALS OF 33
362	362	THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO THE PARTICULARIZE D NEEDS OF PROTECTED CLASS 34 HOUSE BILL 1104 9
363	363
364	364
365	365	INDIVIDUALS, INCLUDING A L ACK OF CONCERN FOR , OR RESPONSIVENESS TO , THE 1
366	366	REQUESTS AND PROPOSA LS OF THE GROUP , WITHOUT CONSIDERING COMPLIANCE 2
367	367	WITH A COURT ORDER A S EVIDENCE OF RESPON SIVENESS ON THE PART OF THE 3
368	368	JURISDICTION; 4
369	369
370	370	(XII) WHETHER THE PARTICUL AR METHOD OF ELECTIO N, 5
371	371	ORDINANCE, REGULATION , OR OTHER LAW , OR RELATED STANDARD , PRACTICE, 6
372	372	PROCEDURE , OR POLICY WAS DESIGN ED TO ADVANCE AND MA TERIALLY ADVANCES 7
373	373	A VALID AND SUBSTANT IATED STATE INTEREST; AND 8
374	374
375	375	(XIII) OTHER FACTORS AS THE COURT MAY DETERMINE T O BE 9
376	376	RELEVANT. 10
377	377
378	378	(2) FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONSI DERING THE FACTOR LI STED IN 11
379	379	PARAGRAPH (1)(II) OF THIS SUBSECTION , IF A MINORITY GROUP IS TOO SMALL TO 12
380	380	ELECT CANDIDATES OF ITS CHOICE, THAT FACT ALONE MAY NOT DEFEAT A CLAIM 13
381	381	OF VOTE DENIAL OR AB RIDGMENT. 14
382	382
383	383	(B) THE FACTORS THAT ARE RELEVANT TO A TOTALITY OF THE 15
384	384	CIRCUMSTANCES ANALYS IS FOR A CLAIM OF VO TE DENIAL OR IMPAIRM ENT UNDER 16
385	385	SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION DO N OT INCLUDE THE FOLLO WING: 17
386	386
387	387	(1) THE NUMBER OF PROTEC TED CLASS MEMBERS UN AFFECTED BY 18
388	388	THE CHALLENGED QUALI FICATION, PREREQUISI TE, STANDARD, PRACTICE, OR 19
389	389	PROCEDURE ; 20
390	390
391	391	(2) THE DEGREE TO WHICH THE CHALLENGED QUALI FICATION, 21
392	392	PREREQUISITE , STANDARD, PRACTICE, OR PROCEDURE HAS A L ONG PEDIGREE OR 22
393	393	WAS IN WIDESPREAD US E AT SOME EARLIER DA TE; 23
394	394
395	395	(3) THE USE OF AN IDENTI CAL OR SIMILAR QUALIFICATION , 24
396	396	PREREQUISITE , STANDARD, PRACTICE, OR PROCEDURE IN OTHE R STATES OR 25
397	397	JURISDICTIONS; 26
398	398
399	399	(4) THE AVAILABILITY OF OTHER FORMS OF VOTIN G UNIMPACTED BY 27
400	400	THE CHALLENGED QUALI FICATION, PREREQUISITE , STANDARD, PRACTICE, OR 28
401	401	PROCEDURE TO ALL MEM BERS OF THE ELECTORATE , INCLUDING MEMBERS OF THE 29
402	402	PROTECTED CLASS , UNLESS THE JURISDICT ION IS SIMULTANEOUSL Y EXPANDING 30
403	403	THE OTHER PRACTICES TO ELIMINATE ANY DIS PROPORTIONATE BURDEN IMPOSED 31
404	404	BY THE CHALLENGED QU ALIFICATION, PREREQUISITE , STANDARD, PRACTICE, OR 32
405	405	PROCEDURE ; AND 33
406	406
407	407	(5) UNSUBSTANTIATED DEFE NSES THAT THE QUALIF ICATION, 34 10 HOUSE BILL 1104
408	408
409	409
410	410	PREREQUISITE , STANDARD, PRACTICE, OR PROCEDURE IS NECE SSARY TO ADDRESS 1
411	411	CRIMINAL ACTIVITY . 2
412	412
413	413	15.5–204. 3
414	414
415	415	(A) (1) THE FOLLOWING PERSONS MAY FILE AN ACTION U NDER THIS 4
416	416	SUBTITLE IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY: 5
417	417
418	418	(I) AN AGGRIEVED PERSON ; 6
419	419
420	420	(II) AN ORGANIZATION WHOS E MEMBERSHIP INCLUDE S OR IS 7
421	421	LIKELY TO INCLUDE AG GRIEVED PERSONS ; 8
422	422
423	423	(III) AN ORGANIZATION WHOS E MISSION WOULD BE 9
424	424	FRUSTRATED BY A VIOL ATION OF THIS SUBTIT LE; 10
425	425
426	426	(IV) AN ORGANIZATION THAT WOU LD EXPEND RESOURCES IN 11
427	427	ORDER TO FULFILL ITS MISSION AS A RESULT OF A VIOLATION OF TH IS SUBTITLE; 12
428	428	OR 13
429	429
430	430	(V) THE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION. 14
431	431
432	432	(2) MEMBERS OF TWO OR MOR E PROTECTED CLASSES OF VOTERS 15
433	433	THAT ARE POLITICALLY COHESIVE IN A LOCAL GOVERNMENT MAY FILE AN ACTION 16
434	434	JOINTLY UNDER THIS S UBTITLE. 17
435	435
436	436	(B) (1) NOTWITHSTANDING ANY O THER LAW, IF THE COURT FINDS A 18
437	437	VIOLATION OF THIS SU BTITLE, THE COURT SHALL ORDER APP ROPRIATE REMEDIES 19
438	438	THAT ARE TAILORED TO ADDRESS THE VIOLATIO N IN THE LOCAL GOVER NMENT AND 20
439	439	ENSURE THAT PROTECTE D CLASS VOTERS HAVE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO FULLY 21
440	440	PARTICIPATE IN THE E LECTORAL PROCESS , WHICH MAY INCLUDE : 22
441	441
442	442	(I) A DISTRICT–BASED METHOD OF ELEC TION; 23
443	443
444	444	(II) AN ALTERNATIVE METHO D OF ELECTION , INCLUDING 24
445	445	PROPORTIONAL RANKED –CHOICE VOTING, CUMULATIVE VOTING , OR LIMITED 25
446	446	VOTING; 26
447	447
448	448	(III) NEW OR REVISED DISTR ICTING PLANS; 27
449	449
450	450	(IV) ELIMINATION OF STAGG ERED ELECTIONS SO TH AT ALL 28
451	451	MEMBERS OF THE LEGIS LATIVE BODY ARE ELEC TED AT THE SAME TIME ; 29
452	452	HOUSE BILL 1104 11
453	453
454	454
455	455	(V) REASONABLY INCREASIN G THE SIZE OF THE LEGISLATIVE 1
456	456	BODY; 2
457	457
458	458	(VI) ADDITIONAL VOTING HO URS OR DAYS; 3
459	459
460	460	(VII) ADDITIONAL POLLING L OCATIONS; 4
461	461
462	462	(VIII) ADDITIONAL MEANS OF VOTING, SUCH AS VOTING BY MA IL 5
463	463	OR ADDITIONAL OPPORT UNITIES TO RETURN BA LLOTS; 6
464	464
465	465	(IX) ORDERING OF SPECIAL ELECTIONS; 7
466	466
467	467	(X) REQUIRING EXPANDED O PPORTUNITIES FOR THE 8
468	468	ADMISSION OF VOTERS ; 9
469	469
470	470	(XI) REQUIRING ADDITIONAL VOTER EDUCATION ; 10
471	471
472	472	(XII) THE RESTORATION OR A DDITION OF PERSONS T O A VOTER 11
473	473	REGISTRY; OR 12
474	474
475	475	(XIII) SUBJECT TO PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION , 13
476	476	RETAINING JURIS DICTION FOR WHATEVER PERIOD OF TIME THE COURT MAY 14
477	477	DETERMINE IS APPROPR IATE. 15
478	478
479	479	(2) IF THE COURT RETAINS JURISDI CTION UNDER PARAGRAP H 16
480	480	(1)(XIII) OF THIS SUBSECTION , DURING THE TIME THAT JURISDICTION IS RETA INED, 17
481	481	A VOTING QUALIFICATI ON OR PREREQUISITE T O VOTING OR STANDARD , PRACTICE, 18
482	482	OR PROCEDURE WITH RE SPECT TO VOTING MAY NOT BE IMPOSED IF DO ING SO 19
483	483	WOULD BE DIFFERENT F ROM WHAT WAS IN EFFE CT AT THE TIME THE P ROCEEDING 20
484	484	WAS COMMENCED , UNLESS THE COURT FINDS THAT THE QUALIFICATION , 21
485	485	PREREQUISITE , STANDARD, PRACTICE, OR PROCEDURE DOES NO T HAVE THE 22
486	486	PURPOSE AND WILL NOT HAVE THE EFFECT OF I MPAIRING OR DIMINISH ING THE 23
487	487	RIGHT TO VOTE ON THE BASIS OF PROTECTED C LASS MEMBERSHIP . 24
488	488
489	489	(3) (I) THE COURT MAY TAKE ACTION OR ORDER A REMEDY UN DER 25
490	490	THIS SECTION ONLY IF THE ACTION OR REMEDY WILL NOT DIMI NISH THE ABILITY OF 26
491	491	PROTECTED CLASS VOTE RS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE POLITICAL PROCES S AND 27
492	492	ELECT THEIR PREFERRE D CANDIDATES OR OTHE RWISE INFLUENCE THE OUTCOME 28
493	493	OF ELECTIONS. 29
494	494
495	495	(II) THE COURT SHALL CONSIDER REMEDIES PROPOSED BY 30
496	496	ANY PARTIES TO AN ACTION FILED U NDER THIS SECTION . 31
497	497	12 HOUSE BILL 1104
498	498
499	499
500	500	(III) THE COURT MAY NOT GIVE DE FERENCE OR PRIORITY TO A 1
501	501	PROPOSED REMEDY BECA USE IT IS THE REMEDY PROPOSED BY THE LOCA L 2
502	502	GOVERNMENT . 3
503	503
504	504	(IV) THE COURT SHALL HAVE THE POWER TO REQUIRE A L OCAL 4
505	505	GOVERNMENT TO IMPLEMENT REMEDIES T HAT ARE INCONSISTENT WITH ANY 5
506	506	OTHER PROVISION OF STATE OR LOCAL LAW WH ERE THE INCONSISTENT PROVISION 6
507	507	OF LAW WOULD OTHERWI SE PRECLUDE THE COURT FROM ORDERING A N 7
508	508	APPROPRIATE REMEDY I N THE MATTER . 8
509	509
510	510	15.5–205. 9
511	511
512	512	(A) (1) A PROPOSAL BY A LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO ENACT AND 10
513	513	IMPLEMENT THE FOLLOW ING SHALL BE SUBJECT TO PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS 11
514	514	SUBSECTION: 12
515	515
516	516	(I) A NEW METHOD OF ELEC TION TO REPLACE THE AT–LARGE 13
517	517	METHOD OF ELECTION O F THE LOCAL GOVERNME NT WITH EITHER A 14
518	518	DISTRICT–BASED OR AN ALTERNAT IVE METHOD OF ELECTION; OR 15
519	519
520	520	(II) A NEW DISTRICTING PL AN, IF A PROPOSAL WAS MA DE AFTER 16
521	521	THE RECEIPT OF A NOT IFICATION LETTER DES CRIBED IN SUBSECTION (B) OF THIS 17
522	522	SECTION OR AFTER THE FILING OF A CLAIM UN DER THIS SUBTITLE OR THE FEDERAL 18
523	523	VOTING RIGHTS ACT. 19
524	524
525	525	(2) (I) 1. BEFORE DRAWING A DRAF T DISTRICTING PLAN O R 20
526	526	PLANS OF SHIFTING TO A PROPOSED ALTERNATI VE METHOD OF ELECTIO N, THE 21
527	527	LOCAL GOVERNMENT SHA LL HOLD AT LEAST TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS , WITHIN 30 22
528	528	DAYS OF EACH OTHER , AT WHICH MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC MAY PROVI DE INPUT 23
529	529	REGARDING THE PROPOSED REMEDY, INCLUDING, IF APPLICABLE , THE 24
530	530	COMPOSITION OF ELECT ION DISTRICTS. 25
531	531
532	532	2. IN ADVANCE OF THE HEA RINGS REQUIRED UNDER 26
533	533	SUBSUBPARAGRAPH 1 OF THIS SUBPARAGRAPH , THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT SHALL 27
534	534	CONDUCT OUTREACH TO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLI C, INCLUDING TO LANGUAGE 28
535	535	MINORITY GROUPS , TO EXPLAIN THE DISTR ICTING PROCESS OR PR OCESS OF 29
536	536	SHIFTING TO A PROPOS ED ALTERNATIVE METHO D OF ELECTION. 30
537	537
538	538	(II) 1. AFTER DRAFT DISTRICTI NG PLANS ARE DRAWN O R 31
539	539	PLANS OF SHIFTING TO A PROPOSED ALTERNATI VE METHOD OF ELECT ION ARE 32
540	540	ESTABLISHED, THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT SHALL PUBLISH AND MA KE AVAILABLE 33
541	541	FOR PUBLIC DISSEMINA TION AT LEAST ONE PL AN AND AN EXPLANATIO N OF THE 34
542	542	POTENTIAL SEQUENCE O F ELECTIONS IN THE E VENT THE MEMBERS OF THE 35 HOUSE BILL 1104 13
543	543
544	544
545	545	LEGISLATIVE BODY OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT WOULD B E ELECTED FOR 1
546	546	STAGGERED TERMS UNDE R THE PLAN. 2
547	547
548	548	2. THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT SHALL HOLD AT LEAST 3
549	549	TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS , WITHIN 45 DAYS OF EACH OTHER , AT WHICH MEMBERS OF 4
550	550	THE PUBLIC MAY PROVI DE INPUT REGARDING T HE CONTENT OF THE PL AN OR PLANS 5
551	551	AND, IF APPLICABLE, THE POTENTIAL SEQUEN CE OF ELECTIONS . 6
552	552
553	553	3. THE PLAN OR PLANS SHA LL BE PUBLISHED AT L EAST 7
554	554	7 DAYS BEFORE CONSIDER ATION AT EACH OF THE PUBLIC HEARINGS . 8
555	555
556	556	4. IF THE PLAN OR PLANS ARE REVISED AT OR 9
557	557	FOLLOWING ANY HEARIN G, THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT SHALL PUB LISH AND MAKE 10
558	558	AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC DISSEMINATION THE RE VISED PLAN OR PLANS AT LEAST 7 11
559	559	DAYS BEFORE ANY ADOP TION OF THE REVISED PLAN OR PLANS . 12
560	560
561	561	(III) IN DETERMINING THE SE QUENCE OF ELECTIONS IN THE 13
562	562	EVENT THE MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE BODY OF A LOCAL GOV ERNMENT WOULD 14
563	563	BE ELECTED FOR STAGG ERED TERMS UNDER A D ISTRICTING PLAN OR P LANS OF 15
564	564	SHIFTING TO A PROPOS ED ALTERNATIVE METHO D OF ELECTION, THE LEGISLATIVE 16
565	565	BODY SHALL GIVE SPEC IAL CONSIDERATION TO THE PURPOSES OF THIS TITLE AND 17
566	566	TAKE INTO ACCOUNT TH E PREFERENC ES EXPRESSED BY VOTE RS IN THE DISTRICTS. 18
567	567
568	568	(B) (1) BEFORE FILING AN ACTI ON AGAINST A LOCAL G OVERNMENT 19
569	569	UNDER THIS SECTION , A PARTY DESCRIBED IN § 15.5–204 OF THIS SUBTITLE SHA LL 20
570	570	SEND BY CERTIFIED MA IL, RETURN RECEIPT REQUE STED, A NOTIFICATION LETTE R 21
571	571	TO THE CHIEF CLERK OF THE L OCAL GOVERNMENT ASSE RTING THAT THE LOCAL 22
572	572	GOVERNMENT MAY BE IN VIOLATION OF THE PRO VISIONS OF THIS TITL E. 23
573	573
574	574	(2) (I) THE PARTY MAY NOT FIL E AN ACTION UNDER TH IS SECTION 24
575	575	WITHIN 50 DAYS AFTER SENDING A NOTIFICATION LETTER TO THE LOCAL 25
576	576	GOVERNMENT. 26
577	577
578	578	(II) WITHIN 60 DAYS AFTER A NOTIFIC ATION LETTER IS SENT TO 27
579	579	A LOCAL GOVERNMENT U NDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION , THE 28
580	580	LEGISLATIVE BODY OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT MAY PASS A RESOLUTIO N: 29
581	581
582	582	1. AFFIRMING THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ’S INTENTION 30
583	583	TO ENACT AND IMPLEME NT A REMEDY FOR A PO TENTIAL VIOLATION OF THE 31
584	584	PROVISIONS OF THIS T ITLE; 32
585	585
586	586	2. ESTABLISHING SPECIFI C MEASURES THAT THE LOCAL 33
587	587	GOVERNMENT WILL TAKE TO FACILITATE APPROV AL AND IMPLEMENTATIO N OF A 34 14 HOUSE BILL 1104
588	588
589	589
590	590	REMEDY; AND 1
591	591
592	592	3. PROVIDING A SCHEDULE FOR THE ENACTMENT AN D 2
593	593	IMPLEMENTATION OF TH E REMEDY. 3
594	594
595	595	(3) A PARTY DESCRIBED UNDE R § 15.5–204 OF THIS SUBTITLE MAY 4
596	596	NOT FILE AN ACTION U NDER THIS SUBSECTION UNTIL 90 DAYS AFTER THE PASSA GE 5
597	597	OF ANY RESOLUTION BY THE LEGISLATIVE BODY UND ER PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS 6
598	598	SUBSECTION. 7
599	599
600	600	(4) IF, UNDER THE LAWS OF TH IS STATE OR ANY CODE HOM E RULE OR 8
601	601	CHARTER COUNTY ORDIN ANCE, THE LEGISLATIVE BODY OF A LOCAL GOVERNMEN T 9
602	602	LACKS AUTHORITY TO E NACT OR IMPLEMENT A REMEDY IDENTIFIED IN A 10
603	603	RESOLUTION UNDER PARA GRAPH (2)(II) OF THIS SUBSECTION W ITHIN 90 DAYS 11
604	604	AFTER THE PASSAGE OF THE RESOLUTION , THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT SHALL: 12
605	605
606	606	(I) HOLD AT LEAST ONE PU BLIC HEARING ON A PR OPOSAL TO 13
607	607	REMEDY A POTENTIAL V IOLATION OF THE PROV ISIONS OF THIS TITLE , AT WHICH 14
608	608	MEMBERS OF THE PUBLI C MAY PROVIDE INPUT REGARDING PROPOSED R EMEDIES; 15
609	609	AND 16
610	610
611	611	(II) IN ADVANCE OF THE HE ARING UNDER ITEM (I) OF THIS 17
612	612	PARAGRAPH , CONDUCT OUTREACH TO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLI C, INCLUDING TO 18
613	613	LANGUAGE MINORITY CO MMUNITIES, TO ENCOURAGE INPUT . 19
614	614
615	615	(5) (I) THE LEGISLATIVE BODY OF THE LOCAL GOVERNM ENT MAY 20
616	616	APPROVE A PROPOSED R EMEDY UNDER PARAGRAP H (2)(II) OF THIS SUBSECTION 21
617	617	THAT COMPLIES WITH T HE PROVISIONS OF THI S TITLE AND SHALL SU BMIT THE 22
618	618	PROPOSED REMEDY TO T HE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION. 23
619	619
620	620	(II) THE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION SHALL, NOT LATER THAN 60 24
621	621	DAYS AFTER SUBMISSIO N OF A PROPOSED REME DY BY A LOCAL GOVERN MENT, 25
622	622	APPROVE THE PROPOSED REMEDY IF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL CONCLUDES THA T: 26
623	623
624	624	1. THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT MAY BE IN VIOLATION OF 27
625	625	THE PROVISIONS OF TH IS TITLE; 28
626	626
627	627	2. THE PROPOSED REMEDY WOULD ADDRESS A 29
628	628	POTENTIAL VIOLATION ; 30
629	629
630	630	3. THE PROPOSED REMEDY WILL NOT DIMINISH TH E 31
631	631	ABILITY OF PROTECTED CLASS VOTERS TO PART ICIPATE IN THE POLIT ICAL 32
632	632	PROCESS AND ELECT TH EIR PREFERRED CANDID ATES TO OFFICE; AND 33 HOUSE BILL 1104 15
633	633
634	634
635	635
636	636	4. IMPLEMENTATION OF TH E PROPOSED REMEDY IS 1
637	637	FEASIBLE. 2
638	638
639	639	(III) IF THE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION APPROVES THE PROPOSED 3
640	640	REMEDY, THE PROPOSED REMEDY SHALL BE ENACTED AND IMPLEMENTED 4
641	641	IMMEDIATELY . 5
642	642
643	643	(IV) IF THE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION REJECTS THE PROPOSED 6
644	644	REMEDY: 7
645	645
646	646	1. THE PROPOSED REMEDY MAY NOT BE ENACTED O R 8
647	647	IMPLEMENTED ; 9
648	648
649	649	2. THE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION SHALL SPECIF Y THE 10
650	650	OBJECTIONS TO THE PR OPOSED REMEDY AND EX PLAIN THE BASIS FOR THE DENIAL; 11
651	651	AND 12
652	652
653	653	3. THE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION MAY RECOMMEN D 13
654	654	ANOTHER PROPOS ED REMEDY THAT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL WOULD APPROVE . 14
655	655
656	656	(V) IF THE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION DOES NOT APP ROVE THE 15
657	657	PROPOSED REMEDY WITH IN 60 DAYS AFTER THE SUBMI SSION OF THE PROPOSE D 16
658	658	REMEDY BY THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT , THE PROPOSED REMEDY MAY NOT BE 17
659	659	ENACTED OR IMPL EMENTED. 18
660	660
661	661	(6) (I) A LOCAL GOVERNMENT THA T HAS PASSED A RESOL UTION 19
662	662	UNDER PARAGRAPH (2)(II) OF THIS SUBSECTION M AY ENTER INTO AN AGR EEMENT 20
663	663	WITH A PARTY THAT SE NT A NOTIFICATION LE TTER UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS 21
664	664	SUBSECTION PROVIDING THAT THE PARTY MAY N OT FILE AN ACTION UNDER THIS 22
665	665	SECTION UNTIL 90 DAYS AFTER ENTERING INTO THE AGREEMENT . 23
666	666
667	667	(II) IF A PARTY AGREES TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEM ENT, THE 24
668	668	AGREEMENT SHALL REQU IRE THAT THE LOCAL G OVERNMENT EITHER ENA CT AND 25
669	669	IMPLEMENT A REMEDY T HAT COMPLIES WITH TH E PROVISIONS OF THIS TITL E OR 26
670	670	ENACT AND SUBMIT A R EMEDY TO THE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION. 27
671	671
672	672	(III) IF A PARTY DECLINES T O ENTER INTO AN AGRE EMENT, THE 28
673	673	PARTY MAY FILE AN AC TION UNDER THIS SUBT ITLE AT ANY TIME. 29
674	674
675	675	15.5–206. 30
676	676
677	677	(A) (1) IF A LOCAL GOVERNMENT ENACTS OR IMPLEMENTS A REMEDY OR 31 16 HOUSE BILL 1104
678	678
679	679
680	680	THE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION APPROVES A P ROPOSED REMEDY UNDER § 15.5–205 OF 1
681	681	THIS SUBTITLE, WITHIN 30 DAYS AFTER THE ENACT MENT, IMPLEMENTATION , OR 2
682	682	APPROVAL, A PARTY WHO SENT A N OTIFICATION LETTER U NDER § 15.5–205(B)(1) 3
683	683	OF THIS SUBTITLE M AY SUBMIT A CLAIM FO R REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE LOCAL 4
684	684	GOVERNMENT FOR THE C OSTS ASSOCIATED WITH PRODUCING AND SENDIN G THE 5
685	685	NOTIFICATION LETTER . 6
686	686
687	687	(2) THE PARTY SHALL SUBMI T A CLAIM IN WRITING AND 7
688	688	SUBSTANTIATE THE CLA IM WITH FINANCIAL DO CUMENTATION , INCLUDING A 8
689	689	DETAILED INVOICE FOR ANY DEMOGRAPHY SERVI CES OR ANALYSIS OF V OTING 9
690	690	PATTERNS IN THE LOCA L GOVERNMENT . 10
691	691
692	692	(3) ON RECEIPT OF A CLAIM , THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT MAY REQUEST 11
693	693	ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL DOCUMENTATION IF WHA T HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY THE 12
694	694	PARTY IS INSUFFICIEN T TO SUBSTANTIATE THE COSTS. 13
695	695
696	696	(4) (I) 1. SUBJECT TO SUBPARAGRA PH (II) OF THIS 14
697	697	PARAGRAPH , THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT SHALL REIMBURSE THE PARTY FOR 15
698	698	REASONABLE COSTS CLA IMED OR FOR AN AMOUN T THAT THE PARTY AND THE LOCAL 16
699	699	GOVERNMENT AGREE ON . 17
700	700
701	701	2. THE CUMULATIVE AMOUNT OF REIMBURSEMENTS TO 18
702	702	ALL PARTIES, OTHER THAN THE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION, MAY NOT EXCEED $50,000. 19
703	703
704	704	(II) IF THE PARTY AND THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT FAI L TO 20
705	705	AGREE TO A REIMBURSE MENT AMOUNT , EITHER THE PARTY OR THE LOCAL 21
706	706	GOVERNMENT MAY FILE AN ACTION FOR A DECL ARATORY JUDGMENT WIT H THE 22
707	707	CIRCUIT COURT FOR ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY. 23
708	708
709	709	(B) (1) NOTWITHSTANDING THE P ROVISIONS OF THIS SU BSECTION, A 24
710	710	PARTY DESCRIBED IN § 15.5–204(A)(1) OF THIS SUBTITLE MAY SEEK PRELIMINARY 25
711	711	RELIEF FOR AN ELECTI ON HELD IN A LOCAL GOVERNMENT BY FILING AN ACTION 26
712	712	UNDER THIS SECTION W ITHIN 120 DAYS BEFORE THE ELEC TION. 27
713	713
714	714	(2) THE PARTY SHALL SEND A NOTIFICATION LETTE R UNDER § 28
715	715	15.5–205(B)(1) OF THIS SUBTITLE TO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT . 29
716	716
717	717	(3) IF ANY ACTION IS WITH DRAWN OR DISMISSE D BY THE COURT AS 30
718	718	BEING MOOT AS A RESU LT OF THE LOCAL GOVE RNMENT’S ENACTMENT OR 31
719	719	IMPLEMENTATION OF A REMEDY OR THE APPROV AL BY THE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION 32
720	720	OF A PROPOSED REMEDY , A PARTY MAY ONLY SUB MIT A CLAIM FOR 33
721	721	REIMBURSEMENT OF COS TS UNDER SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION. 34
722	722	HOUSE BILL 1104 17
723	723
724	724
725	725	(4) IF PRELIMINARY RELIEF IS SOUGHT UNDER THIS SUBSECTION BY 1
726	726	A PARTY DESCRIBED IN § 15.5–204(A)(1) OF THIS SUBTITLE , THE CIRCUIT COURT 2
727	727	FOR ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY SHALL GRANT TH E RELIEF IF THE COURT 3
728	728	DETERMINES THAT : 4
729	729
730	730	(I) THE PARTY IS MORE LIKELY THAN NOT TO S UCCEED ON THE 5
731	731	MERITS; AND 6
732	732
733	733	(II) IT IS POSSIBLE TO IM PLEMENT AN APPROPRIA TE REMEDY 7
734	734	THAT WOULD RESOLVE T HE VIOLATION ALLEGED UNDER THIS SECTION B EFORE THE 8
735	735	ELECTION. 9
736	736
737	737	SUBTITLE 3. LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE. 10
738	738
739	739	15.5–301. 11
740	740
741	741	(A) SUBJECT TO SUBSE CTION (B) OF THIS SECTION , THE STATE BOARD 12
742	742	SHALL DESIGNATE ONE OR MORE LANGUAGES OT HER THAN ENGLISH FOR WHICH 13
743	743	THERE IS A SIGNIFICA NT AND SUBSTANTIAL N EED FOR LANGUAGE –RELATED 14
744	744	ASSISTANCE IN A LOCA L GOVERNMENT ELECTIO N. 15
745	745
746	746	(B) THE STATE BOARD SHALL DETERMINE THAT A SIGNIFICANT A ND 16
747	747	SUBSTANTIAL NEED FOR LANGUAGE–RELATED ASSISTANCE E XISTS IN A LOCAL 17
748	748	GOVERNMENT ELECTION IF, BASED ON THE BEST AV AILABLE DATA , INCLUDING 18
749	749	INFORMATION FROM THE U.S. CENSUS BUREAU’S AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY 19
750	750	OR DATA OF COMPARABL E QUALITY COLLECTED BY A PUBLI C OFFICE: 20
751	751
752	752	(1) MORE THAN 2%, BUT IN NO INSTANCE F EWER THAN 100 21
753	753	INDIVIDUALS, OF THE VOTING AGE PO PULATION OF THE LOCA L GOVERNMENT : 22
754	754
755	755	(I) SPEAK A PARTICULAR L ANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH; 23
756	756
757	757	(II) DOES NOT SPEAK ENGLISH AS THEIR PRIM ARY LANGUAGE ; 24
758	758	AND 25
759	759
760	760	(III) SPEAKS, READS, OR UNDERSTANDS THE ENGLISH 26
761	761	LANGUAGE LESS THAN “VERY WELL”, AS REPORTED IN AVAIL ABLE U.S. CENSUS 27
762	762	BUREAU DATA OR DATA O F COMPARABLE QUALITY COLLECTED BY A PUBLI C 28
763	763	OFFICE; OR 29
764	764
765	765	(2) MORE THAN 4,000 INDIVIDUALS OF THE V OTING AGE POPULATION 30
766	766	OF THE LOCAL GOVERNM ENT SPEAK A PARTICUL AR LANGUAGE OTHER TH AN 31
767	767	ENGLISH AND ARE LIMIT ED ENGLISH PROFICIENT . 32 18 HOUSE BILL 1104
768	768
769	769
770	770
771	771	15.5–302. 1
772	772
773	773	(A) ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 1, 2024, AND EVERY 3 YEARS THEREAFTER , 2
774	774	THE STATE BOARD SHALL PUBLISH AN D MAINTAIN ON ITS WE BSITE A LIST OF: 3
775	775
776	776	(1) EACH LOCAL GOVERNMEN T ELECTION THAT REQU IRES 4
777	777	LANGUAGE–RELATED ASSISTANCE I N A LANGUAGE OTHER T HAN ENGLISH; AND 5
778	778
779	779	(2) THE TYPE OF LANGUAGE –RELATED ASSISTANCE T HAT IS 6
780	780	REQUIRED TO BE PROVI DED IN THE LOCAL GOVERNM ENT ELECTION. 7
781	781
782	782	(B) THE STATE BOARD SHALL DISTRIBUT E THIS LIST TO EACH LOCAL 8
783	783	GOVERNMENT IN TIME T O ALLOW LOCAL GOVERN MENTS TO PROVIDE 9
784	784	LANGUAGE–RELATED ASSISTANCE U NDER § 15.5–303 OF THIS SUBTITLE. 10
785	785
786	786	15.5–303. 11
787	787
788	788	(A) A LOCAL GOVERNMENT THAT ADMINISTERS ELE CTIONS SHALL 12
789	789	PROVIDE LANGUAGE –RELATED ASSISTANCE A ND MATERIALS IN VOTI NG AND 13
790	790	ELECTIONS TO LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENT VO TERS IN EACH LANGUAG E 14
791	791	DESIGNATED BY THE STATE BOARD UNDER § 15.5–301 OF THIS SUBTITLE FOR THE 15
792	792	LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELE CTION. 16
793	793
794	794	(B) WHENEVER THE STATE BOARD DETERMINES THAT 17
795	795	LANGUAGE–RELATED ASSISTANCE S HALL BE PROVIDED IN A LOCAL GOVERNMENT 18
796	796	ELECTION UNDER THIS SECTION, THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBLE FOR 19
797	797	ADMINISTERING THE EL ECTION SHALL PROVIDE COMPETENT ASSISTANCE AND 20
798	798	PHYSICAL AND ONLINE VOTI NG MATERIALS IN EACH DESIGNATED LANGUAGE 21
799	799	UNDER § 15.5–301 OF THIS SUBTITLE. 22
800	800
801	801	(C) (1) FOR EACH DESIGNATED L ANGUAGE UNDER § 15.5–301 OF THIS 23
802	802	SUBTITLE, THE LANGUAGE –RELATED ASSISTANCE A ND MATERIALS SHALL I NCLUDE: 24
803	803
804	804	(I) REGISTRATION AND VOT ING NOTICES; 25
805	805
806	806	(II) ELECTION–RELATED FORMS AND IN STRUCTIONS; AND 26
807	807
808	808	(III) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED I N PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS 27
809	809	SUBSECTION, BALLOTS AND OTHER MA TERIALS OR INFORMATI ON RELATING TO THE 28
810	810	ELECTORAL PROCESS . 29
811	811
812	812	(2) IN THE CASE OF A LANGUAGE THAT IS ORA L OR UNWRITTEN , THE 30 HOUSE BILL 1104 19
813	813
814	814
815	815	LOCAL GOVERNMENT MAY PROVIDE ONLY ORAL IN STRUCTIONS, ASSISTANCE, OR 1
816	816	OTHER INFORMATION RE LATING TO THE ELECTO RAL PROCESS IN THE A PPLICABLE 2
817	817	LANGUAGE. 3
818	818
819	819	(D) (1) MATERIALS PROVIDED IN A DESIGNATED LANGUAG E SHALL BE OF 4
820	820	AN EQUAL QUALITY TO T HE CORRESPONDING ENGLISH LANGUAGE MATE RIALS. 5
821	821
822	822	(2) ALL TRANSLATIONS SHAL L CONVEY THE INTENT AND ESSENTIAL 6
823	823	MEANING OF THE ORIGI NAL TEXT OR COMMUNIC ATION AND MAY NOT SO LELY RELY 7
824	824	ON AUTOMATIC ELECTRO NIC TRANSLATION SERV ICES. 8
825	825
826	826	(3) IN ADDITION TO THE OTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SECTION, 9
827	827	LANGUAGE–RELATED ASSISTANCE S HALL INCLUDE THE PRE SENCE OF BILINGUAL 10
828	828	POLL WORKERS WHERE A VAILABLE. 11
829	829
830	830	15.5–304. 12
831	831
832	832	(A) THE STATE BOARD SHALL ADOPT REG ULATIONS THAT ESTABL ISH A 13
833	833	REVIEW PROCESS TO DE TERMINE WHETH ER A SIGNIFICANT AND SUBSTANTIAL 14
834	834	NEED EXISTS FOR A LA NGUAGE TO BE DESIGNA TED UNDER § 15.5–301 OF THIS 15
835	835	SUBTITLE. 16
836	836
837	837	(B) THE PROCESS ESTABLISH ED BY THE STATE BOARD UNDER SUBSECTIO N 17
838	838	(A) OF THIS SECTION SHAL L INCLUDE, AT MINIMUM: 18
839	839
840	840	(1) AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A VOTER OR GROUP OF VOT ERS TO 19
841	841	REQUEST THAT THE STATE BOARD CONSIDER DESIGN ATING A LANGUAGE UND ER § 20
842	842	15.5–301 OF THIS SUBTITLE; AND 21
843	843
844	844	(2) AN OPPORTUNITY FOR P UBLIC COMMENT . 22
845	845
846	846	(C) ON RECEIPT OF A REQUE ST AND CONSIDERATION OF ANY PUBLIC 23
847	847	COMMENT, THE STATE BOARD SHALL DESIGNATE ANY LANGUAGE FOR WHICH I T 24
848	848	DETERMINES THE CRITE RIA FOR DESIGNATION ARE MET. 25
849	849
850	850	15.5–305. 26
851	851
852	852	(A) THE FOLLOWING PERSONS MAY FILE AN ACTION U NDER THIS SECTION 27
853	853	IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY: 28
854	854
855	855	(1) AN AGGRIEVED PERSON ; 29
856	856
857	857	(2) AN ORGANIZATION WHOS E MEMBERSHIP INCLUDE S OR IS LIKELY 30 20 HOUSE BILL 1104
858	858
859	859
860	860	TO INCLUDE AGGRIEVED PERSONS; 1
861	861
862	862	(3) AN ORGANIZATION WHOS E MISSION WOULD BE F RUSTRATED BY A 2
863	863	VIOLATION OF THIS SE CTION; 3
864	864
865	865	(4) AN ORGANIZATION THAT WOULD EXPEND RESOURC ES IN ORDER 4
866	866	TO FULFILL ITS MISSI ON AS A RESULT OF A V IOLATION OF THIS SEC TION; OR 5
867	867
868	868	(5) THE STATE BOARD. 6
869	869
870	870	(B) (1) IN THE CASE OF ANY LO CAL GOVERNMENT THAT SEEKS TO 7
871	871	PROVIDE ONLY ENGLISH LANGUAGE MATE RIALS DESPITE A DETE RMINATION BY 8
872	872	THE STATE BOARD THAT THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS REQUIR ED TO PROVIDE 9
873	873	LANGUAGE–RELATED ASSISTANCE U NDER THIS SUBTITLE , THE LOCAL 10
874	874	GOVERNMENT MAY FILE AN ACTION AGAINST TH E STATE BOARD IN THE CIRCUIT 11
875	875	COURT FOR ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY SEEKING A DECL ARATORY JUDGMENT 12
876	876	ALLOWING THE LOCAL G OVERNMENT TO PROVIDE ONLY ENGLISH LANGUAGE 13
877	877	MATERIALS. 14
878	878
879	879	(2) THE COURT SHALL ENTER THE DECLARATORY JUDGMENT IN 15
880	880	FAVOR OF THE LOCAL G OVERNMENT ONLY IF TH E COURT FINDS THAT THE 16
881	881	DETERMINATION BY THE STATE BOARD WAS ARBITRARY A ND CAPRICIOUS OR AN 17
882	882	ABUSE OF DISCRETION . 18
883	883
884	884	SUBTITLE 4. PRECLEARANCE . 19
885	885
886	886	15.5–401. 20
887	887
888	888	(A) IN THIS SUBTITLE THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 21
889	889	INDICATED. 22
890	890
891	891	(B) (1) “COVERED JURISDICTION ” MEANS ANY LOCAL GOVE RNMENT: 23
892	892
893	893	(I) THAT, WITHIN THE IMMEDIATE LY PRECEDING 25 YEARS, 24
894	894	HAS BECOME SUBJECT T O A COURT ORDER OR G OVERNMENT ENFORCEMEN T 25
895	895	ACTION BASED ON A FI NDING OF A VIOLATION OF THIS TITLE, THE FEDERAL VOTING 26
896	896	RIGHTS ACT, THE 15TH AMENDMENT TO THE U.S. CONSTITUTION, OR A 27
897	897	VOTING–RELATED VIOLATION OF THE 14TH AMENDMENT TO THE U.S. 28
898	898	CONSTITUTION; 29
899	899
900	900	(II) THAT, WITHIN THE IMMEDIATE LY PRECEDING 25 YEARS, 30
901	901	HAS BECOME SUBJECT T O AT LEAST THREE COU RT ORDERS OR GOVERNM ENT 31
902	902	ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS BASED ON A FINDING O F A VIOLATION OF A F EDERAL OR 32 HOUSE BILL 1104 21
903	903
904	904
905	905	STATE CIVIL RIGHTS LA W OR THE 14TH AMENDMENT TO THE U.S. CONSTITUTION 1
906	906	CONCERNING DISCRIMIN ATION AGAINST MEMBER S OF A PROTECTED CLA SS; 2
907	907
908	908	(III) WHERE THE COMBINED M ISDEMEANOR AND FELON Y 3
909	909	ARREST RATE OF MEMBE RS OF ANY PROTECTED CLASS CONSISTING OF AT LEAST 4
910	910	10,000 CITIZENS OF VOTING A GE OR WHOSE MEMBERS COMPRISE AT LEAST 10% OF 5
911	911	THE CITIZEN VOTING A GE POPULATION OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT , EXCEEDS THE 6
912	912	PROPORTION THAT THE PROTECTED CLASS CONS TITUTES OF THE CITIZ EN VOTING 7
913	913	AGE POPULATION OF TH E LOCAL GOVERNMENT A S A WHOLE BY AT LEAS T 20% AT 8
914	914	ANY POINT WITHIN THE IMMEDIATELY PRECEDIN G 10 YEARS; OR 9
915	915
916	916	(IV) WHERE, BASED ON DATA MADE A VAILABLE BY THE U.S. 10
917	917	BUREAU OF THE CENSUS, THE DISSIMILARITY IN DEX OF ANY PROTECTED CLASS 11
918	918	THAT CONSISTS OF AT LEAST 25,000 CITIZENS OF VOTING A GE FOR THE LOCAL 12
919	919	GOVERNMENT OR WHOSE MEMBERS COMPRISE AT LEAST 10% OF THE VOTING AGE 13
920	920	POPULATION OF THE LOC AL GOVERNMENT , HAS BEEN IN EXCESS O F 50 WITH 14
921	921	RESPECT TO THE RACE , COLOR, OR LANGUAGE MINORITY GROUP THAT COMPRISES 15
922	922	A MAJORITY WITHIN TH E LOCAL GOVERNMENT A T ANY POINT DURING T HE 16
923	923	IMMEDIATELY PRECEDIN G 10 YEARS. 17
924	924
925	925	(2) “COVERED JURISDICT ION” INCLUDES A LOCAL BOA RD OF A 18
926	926	COUNTY THAT IS A COV ERED JURISDICTION . 19
927	927
928	928	(C) “COVERED POLICY ” INCLUDES A NEW OR MO DIFIED LOCAL 20
929	929	GOVERNMENT QUALIFICA TION FOR ADMISSION A S A VOTER, PREREQUISITE TO 21
930	930	VOTING, OR ANY OF THE FOLLOW ING ORDINANCES , REGULATIONS , STANDARDS, 22
931	931	PRACTICES, PROCEDURES , OR POLICIES CONCERNI NG:   23
932	932
933	933	(1) A CHANGE TO THE METH OD OF ELECTION OR DA TES OF ELECTION 24
934	934	OF MEMBERS OF A GOVE RNING BODY OR AN ELE CTED SCHOOL BOARD ; 25
935	935
936	936	(2) A CHANGE TO THE BOUN DARIES OF ELECTION D ISTRICTS OR 26
937	937	WARDS IN THE LOCA L GOVERNMENT , INCLUDING CHANGES MA DE UNDER A 27
938	938	DECENNIAL REDISTRICT ING MEASURE; 28
939	939
940	940	(3) A CHANGE TO THE FORM OF GOVERNMENT FOR A LOCAL 29
941	941	GOVERNMENT ; 30
942	942
943	943	(4) AN ANNEXATION , AN INCORPORATION , A DISSOLUTION , A 31
944	944	CONSOLIDATION , OR A DIVISION OF A L OCAL GOVERNMENT ; 32
945	945
946	946	(5) A CHANGE TO THE PROC ESS OF REMOVAL OF IN DIVIDUALS FROM 33
947	947	VOTER REGISTRATION L ISTS AND OTHER ACTIV ITIES CONCERNING THE 34 22 HOUSE BILL 1104
948	948
949	949
950	950	CANCELLATION OR DENI AL OF VOTER REGISTRA TION; 1
951	951
952	952	(6) A CHANGE TO THE ASSI GNMENT OF A VOTING P RECINCT, POLLING 2
953	953	PLACE, OR DROP BOX LOC ATION, INCLUDING THE RELOCA TION OF VOTERS 3
954	954	ASSIGNED TO POLLING PLACES, THE RELOCATION OR RE DUCTION OF HOURS OF ANY 4
955	955	POLLING PLACE OR BAL LOT DROP BOX, OR THE REDUCTION OR CONSOLIDATION OF 5
956	956	THE NUMBER OF POLLIN G PLACES OR BALLOT D ROP BOXES; 6
957	957
958	958	(7) A CHANGE TO THE PROVISION OF TRA NSLATION OR 7
959	959	INTERPRETATION SERVI CES TO VOTERS IN ANY LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH, 8
960	960	INCLUDING THE CREATI ON OR DISTRIBUTION O F VOTING MATERIALS I N ANY 9
961	961	LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH; 10
962	962
963	963	(8) A CHANGE TO THE PROV ISION OF ASSISTANCE TO VOTERS WITH 11
964	964	DISABILITIES, INCLUDING THE CREATI ON OR DISTRIBUTION O F VOTING MATERIALS 12
965	965	FOR VOTERS WITH DISA BILITIES; OR 13
966	966
967	967	(9) ANY ADDITIONAL SUBJE CT MATTER THAT THE STATE BOARD, IN 14
968	968	CONSULTATION WITH TH E CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION, MAY IDENTIFY FOR INC LUSION 15
969	969	BY REGULATI ON IF THE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION DETERMINES T HAT ANY 16
970	970	QUALIFICATION FOR AD MISSION AS A VOTER , PREREQUISITE TO VOTI NG, OR ANY 17
971	971	ORDINANCE, REGULATION , STANDARD, PRACTICE, PROCEDURE , OR POLICY 18
972	972	CONCERNING THE SUBJE CT MATTER MAY HAVE T HE EFFECT OF IMPAIRI NG OR 19
973	973	DIMINISHING THE RIGHT T O VOTE OF ANY PROTEC TED CLASS VOTER .   20
974	974
975	975	(D) “GOVERNMENT ENFORCEMEN T ACTION” MEANS A DENIAL OF 21
976	976	ADMINISTRATIVE OR JU DICIAL PRECLEARANCE BY THE STATE OR FEDERAL 22
977	977	GOVERNMENT , PENDING LITIGATION F ILED BY A FEDERAL OR STATE ENTITY, A 23
978	978	FINAL JUDGMENT OR ADJUDICAT ION, A CONSENT DECREE , OR A SIMILAR FORMAL 24
979	979	ACTION. 25
980	980
981	981	(E) “PRECLEARANCE ” MEANS THE REQUIREMEN T THAT A LOCAL 26
982	982	GOVERNMENT SUBMIT TH E PROPOSED ENACTMENT OR IMPLEMENTATION OF A 27
983	983	COVERED POLICY , IN WRITING, TO THE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION OR THE CIRCUIT 28
984	984	COURT FOR ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY FOR APPROVAL O R DENIAL. 29
985	985
986	986	15.5–402. 30
987	987
988	988	THE ENACTMENT OR IMPL EMENTATION OF A COVE RED POLICY BY A COVE RED 31
989	989	JURISDICTION IS SUBJ ECT TO PRECLEARANCE BY: 32
990	990
991	991	(1) THE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION, UNDER § 15.5–404 OF THIS 33
992	992	SUBTITLE; OR 34 HOUSE BILL 1104 23
993	993
994	994
995	995
996	996	(2) THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, UNDER § 1
997	997	15.5–406 OF THIS SUBTITLE.  2
998	998
999	999	15.5–403. 3
1000	1000
1001	1001	(A) WHEN THE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION RECEIVES A S UBMISSION OF A 4
1002	1002	COVERED POLICY FOR P RECLEARANCE , THE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION SHALL 5
1003	1003	PUBLISH THE SUBMISSI ON ON ITS WEBSITE AS SOON AS P RACTICABLE, BUT NOT 6
1004	1004	LATER THAN 10 DAYS AFTER RECEIPT O F THE SUBMISSION . 7
1005	1005
1006	1006	(B) (1) AFTER THE PUBLICATION OF A SUBMISSION UNDE R SUBSECTION 8
1007	1007	(A) OF THIS SECTION , THERE SHALL BE AN OP PORTUNITY FOR MEMBER S OF THE 9
1008	1008	PUBLIC TO COMMENT AN D PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON THE SU BMISSION TO THE CIVIL 10
1009	1009	RIGHTS DIVISION WITHIN THE T IME PERIODS UNDER § 15.5–405 OF THIS SUBTITLE. 11
1010	1010
1011	1011	(2) TO FACILITATE PUBLIC COMMENT, THE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION 12
1012	1012	SHALL PROVIDE AN OPP ORTUNITY FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO SIG N UP TO 13
1013	1013	RECEIVE NOTIFICATIONS OR A LERTS REGARDING THE SUBMISSION OF A COVE RED 14
1014	1014	POLICY FOR PRECLEARA NCE.  15
1015	1015
1016	1016	(C) THE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION SHALL PUBLIC LY POST ITS REPORTS AND 16
1017	1017	DETERMINATIONS UNDER THIS SUBTITLE ON ITS WEBSITE. 17
1018	1018
1019	1019	15.5–404. 18
1020	1020
1021	1021	(A) (1) THE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION SHALL REVIEW A COVERED POLICY 19
1022	1022	SUBMITTED FOR PRECLE ARANCE UNDER § 15.5–403 OF THIS SUBTITLE . 20
1023	1023
1024	1024	(2) THE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION SHALL REVIEW THE PUBLIC 21
1025	1025	COMMENT SUBMITTED WI TH THE SUBMISSION OF A COVERED POLICY FOR 22
1026	1026	PRECLEARANCE . 23
1027	1027
1028	1028	(B) (1) FOLLOWING THE REVIEW REQUIRED UNDER SUBSE CTION (A) OF 24
1029	1029	THIS SECTION, THE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION SHALL PROVID E A REPORT AND 25
1030	1030	DETERMINATION AS TO WHETHER PRECLEARANCE FOR A COVERED POLICY SHOULD 26
1031	1031	BE APPROVED OR DENIE D. 27
1032	1032
1033	1033	(2) THE DETERMINATION UND ER PARAG RAPH (1) OF THIS 28
1034	1034	SUBSECTION SHALL BE MADE WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS UNDER § 15.5–405 OF THIS 29
1035	1035	SUBTITLE. 30
1036	1036
1037	1037	(C) (1) THE COVERED JURISDICT ION SHALL BEAR THE B URDEN OF 31 24 HOUSE BILL 1104
1038	1038
1039	1039
1040	1040	PROOF IN ANY PRECLEA RANCE DETERMINATION . 1
1041	1041
1042	1042	(2) THE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION MAY REQUEST ADDITIONAL 2
1043	1043	INFORMATION FROM THE COVERED JURISDICTION AT ANY TIME DURING I TS REVIEW 3
1044	1044	TO AID IN DEVELOPING ITS REPORT AND RECOM MENDATION . 4
1045	1045
1046	1046	(3) THE FAILURE OF A COVE RED JURISDICTION TO TIMELY COMPLY 5
1047	1047	WITH REASONABLE REQU ESTS FOR MORE INFORM ATION MAY BE GROUNDS FOR THE 6
1048	1048	DENIAL OF PRECLEARAN CE. 7
1049	1049
1050	1050	(D) (1) IN ANY PRECLEARANCE D ETERMINATION , THE CIVIL RIGHTS 8
1051	1051	DIVISION SHALL IDENTI FY, IN WRITING, WHETHER IT IS APPROV ING OR REJECTING 9
1052	1052	THE COVERED POLICY . 10
1053	1053
1054	1054	(2) (I) THE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION MAY, IN ITS DISCRETION , 11
1055	1055	DESIGNATE PRECLEARANCE AS PREL IMINARY. 12
1056	1056
1057	1057	(II) IF THE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION DESIGNATES 13
1058	1058	PRECLEARANCE AS PREL IMINARY, THE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION MAY DENY 14
1059	1059	PRECLEARANCE WITHIN 60 DAYS FOLLOWING THE R ECEIPT OF SUBMISSION OF THE 15
1060	1060	COVERED POLICY .  16
1061	1061
1062	1062	(E) THE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION MAY DENY PRE CLEARANCE ONLY IF IT 17
1063	1063	DETERMINES THAT THE COVERED POLICY IS MO RE LIKELY THAN NOT T O DIMINISH 18
1064	1064	THE OPPORTUNITY OR A BILITY OF PROTECTED CLASS MEMBERS TO PAR TICIPATE IN 19
1065	1065	THE POLITICAL PROCES S AND ELECT CANDIDAT ES OF THEIR CHOICE O R OTHERWISE 20
1066	1066	INFLUENCE THE OUTCOM E OF ELECTIONS, OR THAT THE COVERED POLICY IS MORE 21
1067	1067	LIKELY THAN NOT TO V IOLATE THIS TITLE. 22
1068	1068
1069	1069	(F) (1) IF THE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION GRANTS PRECL EARANCE, THE 23
1070	1070	APPLICABLE COVERED J URISDICTION MAY ENAC T OR IMPLEMENT THE C OVERED 24
1071	1071	POLICY. 25
1072	1072
1073	1073	(2) IF THE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION DENIES PRECL EARANCE, THE 26
1074	1074	DIVISION SHALL INCLUD E ITS OBJECTIONS AND EXPLAIN ITS BASIS FO R THE 27
1075	1075	OBJECTIONS AND THAT THE COVERED POLICY O F THE APPLICABLE JUR ISDICTION 28
1076	1076	MAY NOT BE ENACTED O R IMPLEMENTED . 29
1077	1077
1078	1078	(3) IF THE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION FAILS TO RES POND WITHIN THE 30
1079	1079	REQUIRED TIME PERIOD UNDER § 15.5–405 OF THIS SUBTITLE , THE COVERED 31
1080	1080	POLICY SHALL BE GRAN TED AND THE APPLICAB LE JURISDICTION MAY ENACT OR 32
1081	1081	IMPLEMENT THE COVERE D POLICY. 33
1082	1082	HOUSE BILL 1104 25
1083	1083
1084	1084
1085	1085	(G) ANY DENIAL OF PRECLEA RANCE UNDER THIS SEC TION MAY BE 1
1086	1086	APPEALED TO THE SUPREME COURT OF MARYLAND. 2
1087	1087
1088	1088	15.5–405. 3
1089	1089
1090	1090	(A) (1) THE PERIOD FOR PUBLIC COMMENT SHALL BE 5 BUSINESS DAYS 4
1091	1091	IF A COVERED POLICY CONCERNS THE LOCATIO N OF POLLING PLACES OR BALLOT 5
1092	1092	DROP BOX LOCATIONS . 6
1093	1093
1094	1094	(2) THE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION SHALL REVIEW THE COVERED 7
1095	1095	POLICY, INCLUDING ANY PUBLIC COMMENT, AND MAKE A DETERMINA TION TO DENY 8
1096	1096	OR GRANT PRECLEARANC E FOR THE COVERED PO LICY WITHIN 15 DAYS FOLLOWING 9
1097	1097	THE RECEIPT OF THE C OVERED POLICY . 10
1098	1098
1099	1099	(3) THE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION MAY INVOKE A N EXTENSION OF U P 11
1100	1100	TO 20 DAYS TO MAKE A DETER MINATION UNDER THIS SUBSECTION. 12
1101	1101
1102	1102	(B) THE PERIOD FOR PUBLIC COMMENT SHALL BE 20 BUSINESS DAYS IF A 13
1103	1103	COVERED POLICY CONCE RNS: 14
1104	1104
1105	1105	(1) THE IMPLEMENTATION O F A DISTRICT –BASED METHOD OF 15
1106	1106	ELECTION OR AN ALTER NATIVE METHOD OF ELE CTION; 16
1107	1107
1108	1108	(2) DISTRICTING PLANS ; OR 17
1109	1109
1110	1110	(3) A CHANGE TO THE LOCA L GOVERNMENT ’S FORM OF 18
1111	1111	GOVERNMENT . 19
1112	1112
1113	1113	(C) THE PERIOD FOR PUBLIC COMMENT SHALL BE 10 BUSINESS DAYS FOR 20
1114	1114	ANY OTHER COVERED PO LICY. 21
1115	1115
1116	1116	(D) (1) FOR A COVERED POLICY DESCRIBED IN SUBSECT ION (B) OR (C) OF 22
1117	1117	THIS SECTION, THE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION SHALL REVIEW THE COVERED POLICY , 23
1118	1118	INCLUDING ANY PUBLIC COMMENT, AND MAKE A DETERMINA TION TO DENY OR 24
1119	1119	GRANT PRECLEARANCE W ITHIN 60 DAYS FOLLOWING THE S UBMISSION OF THE 25
1120	1120	COVERED POLICY . 26
1121	1121
1122	1122	(2) THE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION MAY INVOKE UP TO TWO 27
1123	1123	EXTENSIONS OF 90 DAYS EACH TO MAKE A DETERMINATION UNDER THIS 28
1124	1124	SUBSECTION.  29
1125	1125
1126	1126	15.5–406. 30
1127	1127	26 HOUSE BILL 1104
1128	1128
1129	1129
1130	1130	(A) AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO PRECLEARANCE THROUGH THE CIVIL RIGHTS 1
1131	1131	DIVISION UNDER § 15.5–404 OF THIS SUBTITLE , A COVERED JURISDICTI ON MAY 2
1132	1132	SUBMIT A COVERED POLICY TO TH E CIRCUIT COURT FOR ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY 3
1133	1133	FOR PRECLEARANCE . 4
1134	1134
1135	1135	(B) TO HAVE A COVERED POL ICY BE CONSIDERED FO R PRECLEARANCE 5
1136	1136	UNDER THIS SECTION , THE COVERED JURISDIC TION SHALL: 6
1137	1137
1138	1138	(1) SUBMIT, IN WRITING, THE COVERED POLICY T O THE COURT; AND 7
1139	1139
1140	1140	(2) CONTEMPORANEOUSLY TR ANSMIT TO THE CIVIL RIGHTS 8
1141	1141	DIVISION A COPY OF TH E COVERED POLICY SUB MITTED TO THE COURT UNDER ITEM 9
1142	1142	(1) OF THIS SUBSECTION . 10
1143	1143
1144	1144	(C) FAILURE OF THE COVERE D JURISDICTION TO PR OVIDE A COPY OF THE 11
1145	1145	POLICY TO THE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION UNDER SUBSECTION (B)(2) OF THIS 12
1146	1146	SECTION SHALL RESULT IN AN AUTOMATIC DENI AL OF THE REQUEST FO R 13
1147	1147	PRECLEARANCE . 14
1148	1148
1149	1149	(D) THE COURT SHALL EXERCISE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTI ON OVER A 15
1150	1150	SUBMISSION THAT IS I N COMPLIANCE WITH SU BSECTION (B) OF THIS SECTION. 16
1151	1151
1152	1152	(E) THE COVERED JURISDICTION SHALL B EAR THE BURDEN OF PR OOF IN 17
1153	1153	THE COURT’S PRECLEARANCE DETER MINATION. 18
1154	1154
1155	1155	(F) THE COURT SHALL GRANT OR DENY PRECLEARANCE WI THIN 60 DAYS 19
1156	1156	FOLLOWING THE RECEIP T OF THE SUBMISSION OF THE COVERED POLIC Y. 20
1157	1157
1158	1158	(G) THE COURT MAY DENY PRECLE ARANCE ONL Y IF IT DETERMINES T HAT 21
1159	1159	THE COVERED POLICY I S MORE LIKELY THAN N OT TO DIMINISH THE O PPORTUNITY 22
1160	1160	OR ABILITY OF PROTEC TED CLASS MEMBERS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE P OLITICAL 23
1161	1161	PROCESS AND ELECT CA NDIDATES OF THEIR CH OICE OR OTHERWISE IN FLUENCE 24
1162	1162	THE OUTCOME OF ELECT IONS, OR THAT THE COVERED POLICY IS MORE LIKEL Y 25
1163	1163	THAN NOT TO VIOLATE A PROVISION IN THIS TITLE. 26
1164	1164
1165	1165	(H) (1) IF THE COURT GRANTS PRECLEAR ANCE, THE APPLICABLE 27
1166	1166	COVERED JURISDICTION MAY ENACT OR IMPLEME NT THE COVERED POLIC Y. 28
1167	1167
1168	1168	(2) IF THE COURT DENIES PRECLEAR ANCE, THE COVERED POLICY 29
1169	1169	MAY NOT BE ENACTED O R IMPLEMENTED .  30
1170	1170
1171	1171	(3) IF THE COURT FAILS TO RESPON D WITHIN 60 DAYS, THE COVERED 31
1172	1172	POLICY MAY NOT BE EN ACTED OR IMPLEMENTED .  32 HOUSE BILL 1104 27
1173	1173
1174	1174
1175	1175
1176	1176	(I) (1) A DENIAL UNDER THIS SE CTION MAY BE APPEALE D IN 1
1177	1177	ACCORDANCE WITH THE ORDINARY RULE S OF APPELLATE PROCE DURE. 2
1178	1178
1179	1179	(2) DUE TO THE FREQUENCY AND URGENCY OF ELECT IONS, ACTIONS 3
1180	1180	BROUGHT UNDER THIS S ECTION SHALL BE SUBJ ECT TO EXPEDITED PRE TRIAL AND 4
1181	1181	TRIAL PROCEEDINGS AN D RECEIVE AN AUTOMAT IC CALENDAR PREFEREN CE ON 5
1182	1182	APPEAL.  6
1183	1183
1184	1184	15.5–407. 7
1185	1185
1186	1186	THE FOLLOWING PERSONS MA Y FILE AN ACTION IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR 8
1187	1187	ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY TO ENJOIN THE ENACTMENT OR IMPLEME NTATION OF A 9
1188	1188	COVERED POLICY AND S EEK SANCTIONS IF A J URISDICTION ENACTS O R 10
1189	1189	IMPLEMENTS A COVERED POLICY WITHOUT FIRST OBTAINING PRECLEARAN CE IN 11
1190	1190	ACCORDANCE WITH THIS SUBTITLE: 12
1191	1191
1192	1192	(1) AN AGGRIEVED PERSON ; 13
1193	1193
1194	1194	(2) AN ORGANIZATION WHOS E MEMBERSHIP INCLUDE S OR IS LIKELY 14
1195	1195	TO INCLUDE AGGRIEVED PERSONS; 15
1196	1196
1197	1197	(3) AN ORGANIZATION WHOS E MISSION WOULD BE F RUSTRATED BY A 16
1198	1198	VIOLATION OF THIS SU BTITLE; 17
1199	1199
1200	1200	(4) AN ORGANIZATION THAT WO ULD EXPEND RESOURCES IN ORDER 18
1201	1201	TO FULFILL ITS MISSI ON AS A RESULT OF A VIOLATION OF THIS SU BTITLE; OR 19
1202	1202
1203	1203	(5) THE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION. 20
1204	1204
1205	1205	15.5–408. 21
1206	1206
1207	1207	(A) THE STATE BOARD, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE CIVIL RIGHTS 22
1208	1208	DIVISION, MAY ADOPT REGULATIO NS TO CARRY OUT THE PURPOSES OF THIS 23
1209	1209	SUBTITLE. 24
1210	1210
1211	1211	(B) (1) THE STATE BOARD, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE CIVIL RIGHTS 25
1212	1212	DIVISION, MAY ADOPT REGULATION S FOR AN EXPEDITED , EMERGENCY 26
1213	1213	PRECLEARANCE PROCESS IN THE EVENT OF A CO VERED POLICY OCCURRI NG 27
1214	1214	DURING OR IMMINENTLY PRECEDING AN ELECTIO N AS A RESULT OF A D ISASTER, AN 28
1215	1215	EMERGENCY , OR ANY OTHER EXIGENT CIRCUMSTANCES . 29
1216	1216
1217	1217	(2) (I) AN EXPEDITED OR EMERG ENCY PRECLEARANCE GR ANTED 30 28 HOUSE BILL 1104
1218	1218
1219	1219
1220	1220	UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION S HALL BE CONSIDERED O NLY 1
1221	1221	PRELIMINARY PRECLEAR ANCE. 2
1222	1222
1223	1223	(II) THE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION MAY SUBSEQUE NTLY DENY 3
1224	1224	PRELIMINARY PRECLEAR ANCE WITHIN 60 DAYS FOLLOWING RECEI PT OF THE 4
1225	1225	COVERED POLICY . 5
1226	1226
1227	1227	15.5–409. 6
1228	1228
1229	1229	A DETERMINATION BY THE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION OR THE CIRCUIT COURT 7
1230	1230	FOR ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY TO GRANT OR DE NY PRECLEARANCE TO A CO VERED 8
1231	1231	POLICY MAY NOT BE AD MISSIBLE OR OTHERWIS E CONSIDERED BY A CO URT IN ANY 9
1232	1232	SUBSEQUENT ACTION CH ALLENGING THE COVERE D POLICY. 10
1233	1233
1234	1234	SUBTITLE 5. STATEWIDE ELECTION DATABASE AND INFORMATION OFFICE. 11
1235	1235
1236	1236	15.5–501. 12
1237	1237
1238	1238	(A) IN THIS SUBTITLE THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE M EANINGS 13
1239	1239	INDICATED. 14
1240	1240
1241	1241	(B) “DIRECTOR” MEANS THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE. 15
1242	1242
1243	1243	(C) “OFFICE” MEANS THE STATEWIDE ELECTION DATABASE AND 16
1244	1244	INFORMATION OFFICE. 17
1245	1245
1246	1246	15.5–502. 18
1247	1247
1248	1248	THERE IS A STATEWIDE ELECTION DATABASE AND INFORMATION OFFICE IN 19
1249	1249	THE STATE BOARD. 20
1250	1250
1251	1251	15.5–503. 21
1252	1252
1253	1253	THE PURPOSE OF THE OFFICE IS TO ASSIST T HE STATE AND LOCAL 22
1254	1254	GOVERNMENTS WITH : 23
1255	1255
1256	1256	(1) EVALUATING WHETHER , AND TO WHAT EXTENT , CURRENT LAWS 24
1257	1257	AND PRACTICES RELATE D TO ELECTION ADMINI STRATION ARE CONSIST ENT WITH 25
1258	1258	THIS TITLE; 26
1259	1259
1260	1260	(2) IMPLEMENT ING BEST PRACTICES I N ELECTION ADMINISTR ATION 27
1261	1261	TO FURTHER THE PURPO SES OF THIS TITLE; AND 28
1262	1262	HOUSE BILL 1104 29
1263	1263
1264	1264
1265	1265	(3) INVESTIGATING ANY PO TENTIAL INFRINGEMENT ON THE RIGHT 1
1266	1266	TO VOTE. 2
1267	1267
1268	1268	15.5–504. 3
1269	1269
1270	1270	(A) THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE SHALL: 4
1271	1271
1272	1272	(1) BE APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR; 5
1273	1273
1274	1274	(2) AT A MINIMUM , HOLD AN ADVANCED DEG REE FROM AN 6
1275	1275	ACCREDITED COLLEGE O R UNIVERSITY AND HAV E EXPERTISE IN DEMOG RAPHY, 7
1276	1276	STATISTICAL ANALYSIS , AND ELECTORAL SYSTEM S; AND 8
1277	1277
1278	1278	(3) BE AN EMPLOYEE OF TH E STATE BOARD. 9
1279	1279
1280	1280	(B) THE DIRECTOR SHALL BE RES PONSIBLE FOR THE OPE RATION AND 10
1281	1281	ADMINISTRATION OF TH E OFFICE. 11
1282	1282
1283	1283	(C) (1) THE STATE BOARD SHALL PROVIDE T HE OFFICE WITH 12
1284	1284	SUFFICIENT STAFF TO PERFORM THE FUNCTION S OF THIS SUBTITLE. 13
1285	1285
1286	1286	(2) THE DIRECTOR SHALL MANAGE STAFF TO OPERATE AND 14
1287	1287	ADMINISTER THE OFFICE. 15
1288	1288
1289	1289	15.5–505. 16
1290	1290
1291	1291	(A) (1) THE OFFICE SHALL MAINTAIN THE FOLLOWING DATA A ND 17
1292	1292	RECORDS IN AN ELECTR ONIC FORMAT : 18
1293	1293
1294	1294	(I) ESTIMATES OF TOTAL P OPULATION, VOTING AGE 19
1295	1295	POPULATION , AND CITIZEN VOTING A GE POPULATION BY RAC E, COLOR, AND 20
1296	1296	LANGUAGE MINORITY GR OUP, BROKEN DOWN ANNUALLY TO THE PRECINC T LEVEL 21
1297	1297	FOR EACH LOCAL GOVER NMENT, BASED ON INFORMATION FROM THE U.S. CENSUS 22
1298	1298	BUREAU, INCLUDING FROM THE AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY, OR 23
1299	1299	INFORMATION OF COMPA RABLE QUALITY COLLEC TED BY A SIMILAR 24
1300	1300	GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY ; 25
1301	1301
1302	1302	(II) ELECTION RESULTS AT THE PRECINCT L EVEL FOR STATE 26
1303	1303	AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS; 27
1304	1304
1305	1305	(III) REGULARLY UPDATED VO TER REGISTRATION LIS TS, 28
1306	1306	GEOCODED LOCATIONS F OR EACH REGISTERED V OTER, AND OTHER VOTER 29
1307	1307	RECORDS, INCLUDING VOTER HIST ORY FILES FOR EACH E LECTION IN EACH LOCA L 30 30 HOUSE BILL 1104
1308	1308
1309	1309
1310	1310	GOVERNMENT ; 1
1311	1311
1312	1312	(IV) DISTRICTING PLANS AN D PRECINCT BOUNDARIE S FOR 2
1313	1313	EACH ELECTION IN EAC H LOCAL GOVERNMENT , WHICH SHALL BE PROVI DED IN A 3
1314	1314	SHAPEFILE OR COMPARA BLE ELECTRONIC FORMA T; 4
1315	1315
1316	1316	(V) GEOCODED LOCATIONS O F POLLING PLACES AND BALLOT 5
1317	1317	DROP BOXES FOR EACH ELECTION IN EACH LOC AL GOVERNMENT , AND A LIST OR 6
1318	1318	DESCRIPTION OF THE D ISTRICTS OR GEOGRAPH IC AREAS SERVED BY E ACH POLLING 7
1319	1319	PLACE OR BALLOT DROP BOX LOCATION ; AND 8
1320	1320
1321	1321	(VI) ANY OTHER INFORMATIO N THAT THE DIRECTOR 9
1322	1322	DETERMINES ADVISABLE TO MAINTAIN IN FURTH ERANCE OF THE PURPOS ES OF THE 10
1323	1323	OFFICE AND THIS TITLE . 11
1324	1324
1325	1325	(2) THE DATA AND RECORDS UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS 12
1326	1326	SUBSECTION SHALL , AT A MINIMUM , COVER THE IMMEDIATEL Y PRECEDING 12 13
1327	1327	YEARS. 14
1328	1328
1329	1329	(B) EXCEPT FOR ANY DATA , INFORMATION , OR ESTIMATES THAT ID ENTIFY 15
1330	1330	INDIVIDUAL VOTERS , THE DATA, INFORMATION, AND ESTIMATES MAINTA INED BY 16
1331	1331	THE OFFICE SHALL BE POSTE D ON THE STATE BOARD’S WEBSITE AND MADE 17
1332	1332	AVAILABLE TO THE PUB LIC AT NO COST. 18
1333	1333
1334	1334	(C) THE OFFICE SHALL PREPARE ALL DATA USING THE M OST ADVANCED , 19
1335	1335	PEER–REVIEWED, AND VALIDATED METHOD OLOGIES. 20
1336	1336
1337	1337	15.5–506. 21
1338	1338
1339	1339	ON THE CERTIFICATION OF ELECTION RESULTS AND THE FINALIZATION OF 22
1340	1340	OTHER VOTER RECORDS , INCLUDING VOTER HIST ORY FILES, AFTER EACH LOCAL 23
1341	1341	GOVERNMENT ELECTION , THE ENTITY RESPONSIB LE FOR ADMINISTERING THE 24
1342	1342	LOCAL GOVERNMENT ’S ELECTIONS SHALL TR ANSMIT TO THE OFFICE, IN 25
1343	1343	ELECTRONIC FORMAT , COPIES OF THE FOLLOW ING: 26
1344	1344
1345	1345	(1) THE ELECTION RESULTS AT THE PRECINCT LEVE L; 27
1346	1346
1347	1347	(2) CONTEMPORANEOUS REGI STRATION LISTS; 28
1348	1348
1349	1349	(3) VOTER RECORDS OR VOT ER HISTORY FILES ; 29
1350	1350
1351	1351	(4) ELECTION DISTRICT AN D PRECINCT BOUNDARIE S; AND 30
1352	1352	HOUSE BILL 1104 31
1353	1353
1354	1354
1355	1355	(5) LISTS OF POLLING PLA CE AND BALLOT DROP B OX LOCATIONS AND 1
1356	1356	LISTS OR DESCRIPTION S OF THE DISTRICTS O R GEOGRAPHIC AREAS S ERVED BY THE 2
1357	1357	LOCATIONS. 3
1358	1358
1359	1359	15.5–507. 4
1360	1360
1361	1361	AT LEAST ONCE EACH YE AR, OR MORE FREQUENTLY O N REQUEST OF THE 5
1362	1362	DIRECTOR, ANY STATE ENTITY IDENTIFI ED BY THE DIRECTOR AS POSSESSIN G 6
1363	1363	DATA, STATISTICS, OR OTHER INFORMATION THE DIRECTOR REQUIRES TO CARRY 7
1364	1364	OUT THE DIRECTOR’S RESPONSIBILITIES U NDER THIS SUBTITLE S HALL PROVIDE 8
1365	1365	THE DATA, STATISTICS, OR INFORMATION TO TH E DIRECTOR. 9
1366	1366
1367	1367	15.5–508. 10
1368	1368
1369	1369	THE DIRECTOR MAY P ROVIDE NONPARTISAN T ECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO 11
1370	1370	LOCAL GOVERNMENTS , RESEARCHERS , AND MEMBERS OF THE P UBLIC SEEKING TO 12
1371	1371	USE THE RESOURCES OF THE STATEWIDE DATABA SE. 13
1372	1372
1373	1373	SUBTITLE 6. PROHIBITION OF VOTER INTIMIDATION AND OBSTRUCTION. 14
1374	1374
1375	1375	15.5–601. 15
1376	1376
1377	1377	(A) A PERSON, WHETHER ACTING UNDER COLOR O F LAW OR OTHERWISE , 16
1378	1378	MAY NOT ENGAGE IN AC TS OF INTIMIDATION , DECEPTION, OR OBSTRUCTION THAT 17
1379	1379	INTERFERE WITH AN IN DIVIDUAL’S RIGHT TO VOTE. 18
1380	1380
1381	1381	(B) THE FOLLOWING SHALL C ONSTITUTE A VIOLATIO N OF SUBSECTION (A) 19
1382	1382	OF THIS SECTION: 20
1383	1383
1384	1384	(1) THE USE OF FORCE OR THREAT S TO USE FORCE, OR THE USE OF 21
1385	1385	ANY OTHER CONDUCT TO PRACTICE INTIMIDATIO N THAT CAUSES OR WIL L 22
1386	1386	REASONABLY HAVE THE EFFECT OF CAUSING IN TERFERENCE WITH AN 23
1387	1387	INDIVIDUAL’S RIGHT TO VOTE; 24
1388	1388
1389	1389	(2) THE KNOWING USE OF A DECEPTIVE OR FRAUDUL ENT DEVICE, 25
1390	1390	CONTRIVANCE , OR COMMUNICATION THA T CAUSES OR WILL REA SONABLY HAVE THE 26
1391	1391	EFFECT OF CAUSING IN TERFERENCE WITH ANY INDIVIDUAL’S RIGHT TO VOTE; OR 27
1392	1392
1393	1393	(3) THE OBSTRUCTION OF , IMPEDIMENT TO , OR OTHER 28
1394	1394	INTERFERENCE WITH AC CESS TO A POLLING PL ACE, A BALLOT DROP BOX, OR AN 29
1395	1395	OFFICE OR A PLACE OF BUSINESS OF AN ELECT ION OFFICIAL OR A VO TER OR AN 30
1396	1396	ELECTION OFFICIAL IN A MANNER THAT CAUSES OR WILL REASONABLY H AVE THE 31
1397	1397	EFFECT OF CAUSING IN TERFERENCE WITH ANY INDIVIDUAL’S RIGHT TO VOTE OR 32 32 HOUSE BILL 1104
1398	1398
1399	1399
1400	1400	ANY DELAY IN VOTING OR THE VOTING PROCESS. 1
1401	1401
1402	1402	(C) THE FOLLOWING PERSONS MAY FILE AN ACTION A LLEGING A VIOLATION 2
1403	1403	OF THIS SECTION IN T HE CIRCUIT COURT FOR ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY: 3
1404	1404
1405	1405	(1) AN AGGRIEVED PERSON ; 4
1406	1406
1407	1407	(2) AN ORGANIZATION WHOS E MEMBERSHIP INCLUDE S OR IS LIKELY 5
1408	1408	TO INCLUDE AGGRIEVED PERSONS; 6
1409	1409
1410	1410	(3) AN ORGANIZATION WHOS E MISSION WOULD BE F RUSTRATED BY A 7
1411	1411	VIOLATION OF THIS SE CTION; 8
1412	1412
1413	1413	(4) AN ORGANIZATION THAT WOULD EXPEND RESOURC ES IN ORDER 9
1414	1414	TO FULFILL ITS MISSI ON AS A RESULT OF A VIOLATION OF THIS SE CTION; OR 10
1415	1415
1416	1416	(5) THE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION. 11
1417	1417
1418	1418	(D) (1) (I) IF THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY 12
1419	1419	FINDS A VIOLATION OF THIS SECTION, THE COURT SHALL ORDER APP ROPRIATE 13
1420	1420	REMEDIES THAT ARE TA ILORED TO ADDRESS TH E VIOLATION. 14
1421	1421
1422	1422	(II) THE REMEDIES ORDERED UNDER SUBPARAGRAPH (I) OF 15
1423	1423	THIS PARAGRAPH MAY INCLUDE P ROVIDING FOR ADDITIO NAL TIME TO VOTE 16
1424	1424	DURING AN ELECTION . 17
1425	1425
1426	1426	(2) A PERSON WHO VIOLATES THIS SECTION OR WHO AIDS IN THE 18
1427	1427	VIOLATION OF THIS SE CTION SHALL BE LIABL E FOR ANY DAMAGES AW ARDED BY THE 19
1428	1428	COURT, INCLUDING NOMINAL DA MAGES FOR ANY VIO LATION AND COMPENSAT ORY 20
1429	1429	OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES FOR ANY WILLFUL VIOL ATION. 21
1430	1430
1431	1431	SUBTITLE 7. JURISDICTION AND PROCEEDINGS . 22
1432	1432
1433	1433	15.5–701. 23
1434	1434
1435	1435	IN ANY ACTION OR INVE STIGATION TO ENFORCE THIS TITLE, THE CIVIL 24
1436	1436	RIGHTS DIVISION MAY: 25
1437	1437
1438	1438	(1) EXAMINE WITNESSES ; 26
1439	1439
1440	1440	(2) RECEIVE ORAL AND DOCUMENTARY E VIDENCE; 27
1441	1441
1442	1442	(3) DETERMINE MATERIAL F ACTS; AND 28 HOUSE BILL 1104 33
1443	1443
1444	1444
1445	1445
1446	1446	(4) ISSUE SUBPOENAS IN A CCORDANCE WITH THE O RDINARY RULES 1
1447	1447	OF CIVIL PROCEDURE . 2
1448	1448
1449	1449	15.5–702. 3
1450	1450
1451	1451	(A) ACTIONS BROUGHT UNDER THIS TITLE SHALL BE SUBJECT TO 4
1452	1452	EXPEDITED PRETRIAL A ND TRIAL PROCEEDINGS AND RECE IVE AN AUTOMATIC 5
1453	1453	CALENDAR PREFERENCE . 6
1454	1454
1455	1455	(B) IF A PARTY SEEKS PREL IMINARY RELIEF ALLEG ING A VIOLATION OF 7
1456	1456	THIS TITLE THAT RELA TES TO AN UPCOMING E LECTION, THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR 8
1457	1457	ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY SHALL GRANT RE LIEF IF IT DETERMINE S THAT: 9
1458	1458
1459	1459	(1) THE PARTY IS MORE LI KELY THAN NOT TO SUC CEED ON THE 10
1460	1460	MERITS; AND 11
1461	1461
1462	1462	(2) IT IS POSSIBLE TO IM PLEMENT AN APPROPRIA TE REMEDY THAT 12
1463	1463	WOULD RESOLVE THE AL LEGED VIOLATION IN T HE UPCOMING ELECTION . 13
1464	1464
1465	1465	SUBTITLE 8. COSTS AND FEES. 14
1466	1466
1467	1467	15.5–801. 15
1468	1468
1469	1469	(A) EXCEPT AS PRO VIDED IN SUBSECTION (B)(2) OF THIS SECTION , IN AN 16
1470	1470	ACTION TO ENFORCE TH IS TITLE, THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR ANNE ARUNDEL 17
1471	1471	COUNTY SHALL AWARD RE ASONABLE ATTORNEY ’S FEES AND LITIGATIO N COSTS, 18
1472	1472	INCLUDING EXPERT WIT NESS FEES AND EXPENS ES TO THE PARTY THAT PREVAILED 19
1473	1473	IN THE ACTION. 20
1474	1474
1475	1475	(B) (1) IF THE STATE OR LOCAL GOVERN MENT IS AN OPPOSING PARTY, A 21
1476	1476	PARTY WILL BE DEEMED TO HAVE PREVAILED IN AN ACTION WHEN , AS A RESULT OF 22
1477	1477	THE ACTION, THE STATE OR LOCAL GOVERN MENT YIELDS SOME OR ALL OF THE 23
1478	1478	RELIEF SOUGHT IN THE ACTION. 24
1479	1479
1480	1480	(2) IF THE STATE OR LOCAL GOVERN MENT PREVAILS IN AN ACTION 25
1481	1481	UNDER THIS TITLE , THE COURT MAY NOT AWARD T HE STATE OR LOCAL 26
1482	1482	GOVERNMENT ANY COSTS UNLESS THE COURT FINDS THE ACTIO N TO BE 27
1483	1483	FRIVOLOUS, UNREASONABLE , OR WITHOUT FOUNDATIO N. 28
1484	1484
1485	1485	SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTH ER ENACTED, That this Act is an emergency 29
1486	1486	measure, is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public health or safety, has 30
1487	1487	been passed by a yea and nay vote supported by three–fifths of all the members elected to 31
1488	1488	each of the two Houses of the General Assembly, and shall take effect from the date it is 32 34 HOUSE BILL 1104
1489	1489
1490	1490
1491	1491	enacted. 1
1492	1492
1493	1493