Yesterday, the Florida Supreme Court heard oral arguments on whether 2018’s Ballot initiative, Amendment 4 (relating to restoration of voting rights to some convicted felons), could tie financial obligations to voting rights. They seemed inclined to say the state could.
Last year, Florida citizens voted overwhelmingly in favor of a constitutional amendment that would automatically restore voting rights to ex-felons who have served their sentences. As the majority impacted by decades of disenfranchisement celebrated, the Florida legislature said ‘not so fast’. They wanted to include payment of all court costs and fees in the “completed their sentence” part and not restore voting rights to those who have been unable to cover those.
A study prepared for the case determined that 80 percent of felons who have completed their time behind bars have some sort of outstanding financial obligations associated with their crimes. Some will never be able to get out from under their obligation.
As we are all aware, Amendment 4, excluded persons convicted of murder or sex offenses. So why should our population care about the outcome of this case if Amendment 4 didn’t benefit us anyhow?
If the Supreme Court ties financial obligation to their voting rights, 80% of those who were slated to have their rights automatically restored go back into the queue to have to petition for clemency. Essentially a years (if not decades) long process in which you have to beg the Governor and clemency board for restoration and they can arbitrarily deny you.
According to the Florida Commission on Offender Review, Florida has a backlog of more than 10,000 cases to be reviewed. Had voting rights been automatically restored for 4/5th of those, our population would have moved up to the top of the list, now it seems we’re going back to the end of the line.
The right to bear arms. Nothing in the constitution gives the state the right to deprive any man or woman of the right to protect and defend himself/herself, especially if the incident did not involve arms. Just like in Venezuela and other nations, the intent is to disarm the American populace to effect total control over them. History does, in fact, repeat itself.
@TE, see my response to Debbie. Here it is again:
About 5 years ago, when I was still on probation, I did some extensive research on the U.S. Constitution after a conversation with my P.O. about owning firearms (for protection). I found a section of the U.S. Constitution that said the ONLY people not allowed to own firearms are those who committed “an act of treason or war” against the country.
A felony conviction is NOT an act of treason or war.
I am trying to find that section again but I find myself getting sidetracked and not putting in as much effort as I did when I first found it.
I submitted my paperwork for restoration of voting rights in March 2010. I have called once each year to check on the status of my request and have been told each year my case is under consideration but that an investigator has not yet been assigned. About two months ago I called and the woman at the Clemency Office suggested I submit a letter asking that my case be expedited. I sent the letter and will now wait some more. They have no interest in offering any relief to registered citizens.
“Expedited”?!!!! That is beyond hilarious. I think I’m reading that you said 2010. Now you must request that it be “expedited”?
When are all of us ever going to get tired enough of this big government HS? Could they be more incompetent if they tried? Good thing they don’t cost much money or I’d have to think that big government is not a very good deal. We need to run these big government out of office permanently. Vote for people who oppose big government, their billion “laws”, and Registries and other idiocy.
I really feel like most everything dealing with government needs to be set up so that it happens automatically. There should be no “petitioning” for anything. I think because:
They have no clue what they are doing. They don’t know a “good” petition from a “bad” one and they aren’t making sensible decisions no matter what. They are incompetent.
They create “petitions” and these giant bureaucratic schemes in order to try to make it look as if it is sensible, has some gravitas, and there is some merit to it. All wrong. It is just putting lipstick on a pig.
They create “petitions” and these giant bureaucratic schemes in order to help big government stay big and keep feeding them “work” to do. Lots of people need jobs. So they create giant businesses for it all.
End nanny big government.
I just wish they would change the clemency years from 7 to a smaller number. Not to concerned with my voting rights but I was born hunting and I would live to raise my kids in the woods and teach them to hunt and to be able to protect my family if the need ever happened.
Restoration of voting rights does not include firearms – you need to apply for that additionally.
Or, automatically restore all your rights once you have finished your sentence regardless of the crime you committed. No need for a clemency board and having to beg to one to restore your rights. They are easily taken away once you’re convicted, they should be easily restored once you finish the sentence — automatically.
@Debbie,
About 5 years ago, when I was still on probation, I did some extensive research on the U.S. Constitution after a conversation with my P.O. about owning firearms (for protection). I found a section of the U.S. Constitution that said the ONLY people not allowed to own firearms are those who committed “an act of treason or war” against the country.
A felony conviction is NOT an act of treason or war.
I am trying to find that section again but I find myself getting sidetracked and not putting in as much effort as I did when I first found it.
there was a lawsuit about that a year ago and was postponed until 2019 and i never seen anything more about it
There is a SEPARATE Federal lawsuit – that one is still on track!
Isn’t this essentially a poll tax? Just another name to keep disenfranchised people from voting.
That’s the issue this court needs to decide— whether it constitutes a poll tax.
Isn’t it obvious what the Floriduh legislature is doing?
(1) They are stalling implementation, which should have been instantaneous, until after the 2020 elections, because they know the Publicans will be voted out!
(2) They are ensuring that registered citizens will NEVER get their civil (human) rights back.
So is someone is a multiple convicted felon, for lets say domestic violence, burglary, arson or any other felony they could get their rights back then go out and re-offend over and over and keep getting their rights back if its not murder or a SO? Something isn’t right about that either?????
That is correct. Violence is A-OK in America. Nothing new here. As long as nobody looks at or potentially thinks about anyone in a sexual way, or crosses a boundary and touches someone in an inappropriate way, violence is looked at as “Business as usual”.