Senate Bill S8937

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S8937

SPONSOR: BAILEY
 
TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the correction law, in relation to
providing notice of voting rights to persons released from local jails

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

Provides notice upon release from a local correctional facility of the
right to vote

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends the correction law by adding a new section 510.

Section 2 is the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Many people, including state and local officials, are confused as to
              

whether a person who has been through the criminal justice system has
lost the right to vote and, if so, when he or she regains voting rights.

Simply put, anyone who is not incarcerated for a felony conviction or on
parole for a felony conviction retains the right to vote. People
arrested have not lost the right to vote. Persons detained in jails
pre-trial have not lost the right to vote and can even vote by absentee
ballot while they are in jail. Persons convicted of misdemeanors never
lose their right to vote whether they are in jail, on probation or have
completed their supervision. In fact, anyone on probation is eligible to
vote. Even felons who have completed their parole supervision are eligi-
ble to vote. It is only persons incarcerated for a felony or on parole
for the conviction of a felony who have lost their right to vote.

This bill would require local correctional facilities to provide notice
of voting rights to persons being released so that such persons will
know whether and when they are eligible to vote, how to register to
vote, and have information about the mechanics and importance of voting.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATION:

New Bill

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

Minimal

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect in ninety days.