grandfather clause

grandfather clause

n.

1. A provision in a statute that exempts those already involved in a regulated activity or business from the new regulations established by the statute.

2. A clause in the constitutions of several southern states before the year 1915, intended to disfranchise African Americans by exempting from stringent voting requirements all lineal descendants of persons who were registered voters before 1867.

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grandfather clause

n

1. (Historical Terms) US History a clause in the constitutions of several Southern states that waived electoral literacy requirements for lineal descendants of people voting before 1867, thus ensuring the franchise for illiterate Whites: declared unconstitutional in 1915

2. (Law) a clause in legislation that forbids or regulates an activity so that those engaged in it are exempted from the ban

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

grandfather clause - an exemption based on circumstances existing prior to the adoption of some policy; used to enfranchise illiterate whites in south after the American Civil War exemption, freedom - immunity from an obligation or duty