SB214 Alabama 2010 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Bobby D. SingletonSenator

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2010

Title

Moral turpitude defined, convicted felons involving moral turpitude, automatic restoration of voting rights upon discharge from correctional institution, legislative oversight committee established, duties to Secretary of State, retroactive effect, Restoration of Voting Rights Act, Sec. 17-3-30.1 added; Secs. 17-3-31, 17-4-6, 17-4-60, 17-11-3, 17-11-7 am'd.; Sec. 15-22-36.1 repealed

Description

Under existing law, there is an established procedure for the restoration of voting rights of felons who have satisfactorily completed conditions of their sentence. Restoration of voting rights is made through an application to the Board of Pardons and Parole.

Under Article VIII of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, now appearing as Article VIII, Section 177 of the Official Recompilation of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, as amended, a citizen loses the right to vote if convicted of a felony involving moral turpitude.

This bill would create the Alabama Restoration of Voting Rights Act.

This bill would provide for legislative findings and purposes and would provide a definition of moral turpitude that lists the crimes which disqualify otherwise eligible citizens from voting.

This bill would provide for the automatic restoration of voting rights of a person who has been convicted of a felony involving moral turpitude when he or she is discharged from incarceration.

This bill would specify responsibilities of the Secretary of State concerning such voter restoration.

This bill would amend certain existing sections of the Code of Alabama 1975, to conform with such restoration process and would amend provisions relating to absentee voting to expressly apply to persons who are eligible to vote and are incarcerated.

This bill would also establish a temporary legislative oversight committee and a task force to monitor the restoration of voting rights.

This bill would have retroactive effect.

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Subjects

Elections