Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act of 2007

The Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act of 2007 (H.R.1281), (S.453), would establish criminal penalties for acts of voter deception. Those who knowingly disseminate false information with the intention of keeping others from voting would face up to five years in prison under the legislation. The Act was sponsored by Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.) and 60 cosponsors in the House, and Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and 15 cosponsors in the Senate.

Bill summary
The bill followed what House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) called "voter suppression tactics using misinformation and deception targeted at minority voters," when she declared that "disenfranchising voters through deception about time, place, or eligibility for voting must be illegal." Democrats cited allegations that during the 2006 elections minorities, immigrants, and other legal voters were misled about election dates, guided toward incorrect polling sites, and told they were simply ineligible to vote. The Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act of 2007 attempted to address such problems by imposing criminal and civil penalties for violations. The Act would also increase the penalties for voter intimidation from one year to five.



House
The Act passed in the House by a voice vote on June 25, 2007. after being approved by the House Judiciary Committee on April 18, 2007.

Senate
On June 7, 2007, the Senate Judiciary Committee held hearings on the bill.