Supreme Court Guts Voting Rights Act

0:00It's April 30th. This is Global News Today World Coverage powered by AI. The Supreme Court just gutted a key part of the Voting Rights Act by striking down the Louisiana's second majority black congressional district. In a 5-4 ruling, they said the map was an unconstitutional racial gerrymander under section 2, which fights both dilution. This raises the bar sky high, demanding proof of intentional discrimination to protect minority districts. That law goes back to 1965, when President Lyndon Johnson signed it on Capitol Hill, months after bloody Sunday in Selma. Over decades, it opened doors for thousands of black and Latino reps at every level of government. But the court has chipped away before, like in the 2013 Shelby County case, that killed pre-clearance rules and sparked voting restrictions. In red states, civil rights folks are sounding the alarm hard. Just like Cliff Albright from Black Voters Matter, call it a straight throwback to Jim Crow, leaving whole communities without a voice.

1:01Experts warn it'll hit school boards, city councils, and legislatures, diluting votes through cracking and packing tactics that favor one party. Now in Louisiana, Democratic rep Cleo Field is on shaky ground after serving before in the 90s. Alabama's new black district from last year's surprise win might not last either, with reps like Shomari figures saying Southern states will redraw. Maps to slash minority chances fast. This erosion leads the Voting Rights Act a shadow of itself, and minority communities brace for less say on health care, schools, and infrastructure. The fight for fair maps just got way tougher.