NEWARK, NJ – Signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson in the presence of such civil rights icons as the Rev. Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was widely hailed for ending discriminatory practices that had disenfranchised many African-American citizens. Today there is an effort by many states, for the declared purpose of reducing voter fraud, to impose voter restrictions that arguably are similar to those that prompted the legislation.

On April 13, 2012 Rutgers Law Review at Rutgers School of Law-Newark, in conjunction with the Rutgers Institute for Professional Education, will hold a symposium to consider whether the Act has fulfilled its charter and should be repealed or whether it is still required. The all-day symposium will take place at the New Jersey State House Annex in Trenton and will feature speakers who have been at the forefront of the issue.

The symposium is free and open to the public. CLE credit is available. All who plan to attend, whether seeking CLE credit or not, must pre-register at http://www.rutgerscle.com/.

Topics will include:

• Protecting the Right to Vote: The Voting Rights Act 50 years Later, Where Are We and What Challenges Remain
• Protecting Access to the Polls While Protecting Against Voter Fraud: Is Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act Working
• Protecting Minority Representation Through Redistricting Under Section 2
• Remembering the People and Practices Leading to the Passage of the Act
• The Voting Rights Act: Where Do We Go From Here?

Pre-registration for the symposium is required at http://www.rutgerscle.com/ . The program will provide 6.0 CLE credit hours (NJ and NY) or 5.0 credit hours (PA).