Amend CSHB 148 (house committee printing) by striking page 5, line 20, and substituting the following:

SECTION 7. (a) Subject to Subsection (b) of this section, this Act takes effect September 1, 2013.

(b)  The changes in law made by this Act take effect only if:

(1)  the United States District Court for the District of Columbia issues a declaratory judgment under 42 U.S.C. Section 1973c that this Act does not have the purpose and will not have the effect of denying or abridging the right to vote on account of race or color or in contravention of the guarantees set forth in 42 U.S.C. Section 1973b(f)(2); or

(2)  the secretary of state submits this Act to the United States Attorney General under 42 U.S.C. Section 1973c and the attorney general does not interpose an objection within the time provided by that section.