HB245 Alabama 2016 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Thad McClammy

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2016

Title

Voting rights, automatic restoration of for convicted felons, Alabama Restoration of Voting Rights Act, Sec. 15-22-36.1 repealed; Secs. 15-22-36, 17-3-31, 17-4-6, 17-4-60, 17-11-3, 17-11-7 am'd.

Summary

HB245 would automatically restore voting rights to felons convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude when they are discharged from incarceration, while adding absentee voting for incarcerated eligible voters, repealing the old restoration process, and creating a legislative oversight mechanism to monitor the changes.

What This Bill Does

It automatically restores the voting rights of people convicted of a felony involving moral turpitude upon release from incarceration. It assigns new responsibilities to the Secretary of State and the Department of Corrections to register voters, notify individuals, and maintain accurate voter rolls, including monthly lists of ineligible and newly eligible voters. It allows absentee voting for incarcerated individuals who are eligible to vote and repeals the prior Board of Pardons and Paroles procedure for restoring rights, while creating a temporary oversight committee and task force to track implementation, with retroactive effect several years and immediate applicability.

Who It Affects

• People convicted of a felony involving moral turpitude, who would have their right to vote automatically restored when discharged from incarceration.
• Incarcerated individuals who are eligible to vote, who would be able to vote by absentee ballot and receive registration assistance while in custody.

Key Provisions

• Automatic restoration of voting rights for felons involving moral turpitude upon discharge from incarceration.
• Secretary of State duties to notify defendants about loss/restoration of rights, provide voter registration forms, assist with registration, transmit forms to county registrars, and purge/add names to the statewide voter list as appropriate.
• Department of Corrections and federal institutions act as voter registration agencies, helping inmates register to vote and transmitting discharge information to the Secretary of State; monthly reporting of ineligible and newly eligible voters.
• Repeal of Section 15-22-36.1, removing the Board of Pardons and Paroles' old process for restoring voting rights.
• Creation of a temporary three-year joint legislative oversight committee and a task force to monitor and report on the restoration of voting rights.
• Provisions for purging ineligible voters and adding eligible voters to the statewide list, and a program to educate judges, attorneys, and corrections staff about the new rules.
• Retroactive application to all persons eligible under the act, with immediate effect upon passage.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Elections