Authority to assign observers

(a) Clarification of Authority in Political Subdivisions Subject to Preclearance Section 8(a)(2)(B) of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. 10305(a)(2)(B)) is amended to read as follows: (B) in the Attorney General's judgment, the assignment of observers is otherwise necessary to enforce the guarantees of the 14th or 15th Amendment or any provision of this Act or any other Federal law protecting the right of citizens of the United States to vote; or. (b) Assignment of Observers To Enforce Bilingual Election Requirements Section 8(a) of such Act (52 U.S.C. 10305(a)) is amended— (1) by striking or at the end of paragraph (1); (2) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following: (3) the Attorney General certifies with respect to a political subdivision that— (A) the Attorney General has received written meritorious complaints from residents, elected officials, or civic participation organizations that efforts to violate section 203 are likely to occur; or (B) in the Attorney General’s judgment, the assignment of observers is necessary to enforce the guarantees of section 203;; and (3) by moving the margin for the continuation text following paragraph (3), as added by paragraph (2) of this subsection, 2 ems to the left. (c) Transferral of authority over observers to the Attorney General (1) Enforcement proceedings Section 3(a) of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. 10302(a)) is amended by striking United States Civil Service Commission in accordance with section 6 and inserting Attorney General in accordance with section 8. (2) Observers; appointment and compensation Section 8 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. 10305) is amended— (A) in subsection (a), in the flush matter at the end, by striking Director of the Office of Personnel Management shall assign as many observers for such subdivision as the Director and inserting Attorney General shall assign as many observers for such subdivision as the Attorney General; (B) in subsection (c), by striking Director of the Office of Personnel Management and inserting Attorney General; and (C) in subsection (c), by adding at the end the following: The Director of the Office of Personnel Management may, with the consent of the Attorney General, assist in the selection, recruitment, hiring, training, or deployment of these or other individuals authorized by the Attorney General for the purpose of observing whether persons who are entitled to vote are being permitted to vote and whether those votes are being properly tabulated.. (3) Termination of certain appointments of observers Section 13(a)(1) of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. 10309(a)(1)) is amended by striking notifies the Director of the Office of Personnel Management, and inserting determines,.