A four-bill package which would mirror the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965 has passed through the Michigan Senate. The bills in the Michigan Voting Rights Act — Senate Bills 401, 402, 403 and 404 — passed Tuesday along party lines,

The Michigan Senate has passed the Michigan Voting Rights Act, a pack of 4 bills that legislators say will strengthen election security and make voting more accessible to the state’s residents. The Michigan Voting Rights Act is composed of Senate Bills 401,

The new legislation would shift about $600 million to $700 million in costs annually away from districts and to the state's School Aid Fund.

Michigan’s Senate voted to pass four election-related bills that aim to counter voter discrimination on the basis of race, ability or language – protections already provided by the 15th amendment that the legislation is meant to bolster.