The U.S. Supreme Court decided on Friday to hear arguments on whether Congress overstepped its authority when it renewed the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

A key provision of the act, Section 5, requires that the federal government — either a district court in Washington or the U.S. Department of Justice — approve new laws that affect elections in states or territories with a history of racial discrimination. Texas is one of nine states entirely covered under Section 5. Other states, like California and Florida, are partially covered. Section 5 was renewed in 2006 and is in place until 2031. Officials ...

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