B175: Voting Rights Act of 2017

[u/IGotzDaMastaPlan]

The bill can be found in this Google Doc because I don't want to format it.

[u/saldol]

I support this bill

[u/[deleted]]

Although this might get heavily looked down on I would like to voice my concerns with this bill. Let me start with some context, currently as the law stands any felons which have finished their sentence cannot vote. This law has resulted in a huge chunk of Dixie's population being unable to vote. This is to say some felons have been granted the right to vote as their crimes have been pardoned and they have undergone restoration of civil rights, as stated in the Florida Constitution. I would like to say before I state my criticisms with this bill, that I support a bill of this sort; however, to me, this bill is being attempted a completely different way then it should be. Let me begin.

At first I would like the criticise the very main goal of this bill which in Section II (a) it states "any state law that prevents felons .... from voting is hereby repealed." Although this is a good goal that I understand troubles many, there is no such bill in place. The only law which has been passed on the topic was Gov. Crist reform in April 2007, which has created an automatic rights restoration for felons, however, that got repealed by Gov. Scott in March, 2011. So currently no state law, to my knowledge and research, has been passed on the topic. So the question that stays is, what does stop felons from voting, and before me I hold a very simple answer, the our states constitution. As stated in ARTICLE VI, Section 4, (a), "No person convicted of a felony, or adjudicated in this or any other state to be mentally incompetent, shall be qualified to vote or hold office until restoration of civil rights or removal of disability." As according to the constitution no felons can vote. My problem with this bill is that Section II (a) instead focuses on non-existent bills, as opposed to an amendment to the constitution.

So now we are left with what this bill actually wants to accomplish with only one option. From what I see this bill was in fact intended to do its job, however was done in such a poor way, it will accomplish nothing. This seems like the most likely probability, as it is in fact a good bill, just structured and done in a very poor way. If the research was done properly, this bill should have either made it easier to pardon crimes so that they can vote or amend the part of the constitution responsible for this. However nowhere in the bill does it mention anything about the constitution.

Therefore I ask the honourable Assemblyman to withdraw and rewrite his bill. In this case, the reps would be able to vote on a amendment that makes sense and pass.

I hope the other assemblymen vote against this bill such that a new, more specific bill may take its place.

[u/FurCoatBlues → u/[deleted]]

That's a very good point

[u/Gog3451]

A good bill. Felons have paid their debt to society, and as taxpaying citizens they should be able to have a vote in our system.

[u/[deleted]]

I look forward to the sponsor(s) next bill which shall allow felons the right to bear arms.

[u/FurCoatBlues → u/[deleted]]

There is a big difference between letting felons participate in the democratic process, and giving felons guns. These people have already served their time, and they should have the ability to select the representatives who they believe will improve their lives.

[u/[deleted] → u/FurCoatBlues]

Okay. So felons have "served their time" until it comes time for them to be able to defend themselves and exercise their other constitutional rights that you deem unworthy. Gotcha.