Rep. Lambert Issues Statement on House Passage of the Delaware John Lewis Voting Rights Act

DOVER – On Thursday, the House passed House Bill 444, the Delaware John Lewis Voting Rights Act, which would restore and enhance protections against voting discrimination that applied to Delaware under the Federal Voting Rights Act before those protections were weakened by the Supreme Court. 

In response, Rep. Larry Lambert, House Prime Sponsor of HB 444, issued the following statement:

“As John Lewis once said: ‘Freedom is not a state; it is an act… Freedom is the continuous action we all must take, and each generation must do its part to create an even more fair, more just society.’

“Today, the House took an important step toward fulfilling that responsibility by advancing the Delaware John Lewis Voting Rights Act.

“The issues this bill aims to address are not hypothetical. The weakening of  Federal VRA protections has already led to severe consequences for communities of color across the country, as at least 103 restrictive voting laws have been passed since the Supreme Court started to diminish Federal VRA protections in 2013.

“House Bill 444 will ensure that that’s not the case in Delaware and make sure that all Delawareans have an equal opportunity to participate in our democracy, regardless of race, color, or language background.

“I am grateful to my colleagues in the House for supporting this legislation and look forward to working with my Senate sponsor, Sen. Marie Pinkney, and Governor Meyer to get this bill to the finish line so that we can strengthen voting rights protections for all Delawareans.”