November 6 will be here before we know it. The time to start studying these is now.
If you want to be added, please FReepMail me.
Posted on 09/21/2018 7:05:55 AM PDT by Presbyterian Reporter
Florida’s 13 million voters have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to help convicted felons who have paid their debt to society earn the right to vote, and to a second chance.
Called the “Voting Restoration Amendment,” a proposed constitutional amendment will grant most of the 1.7 million convicted felons the right to vote and help select their leaders for local, state and federal offices.
That is a good thing. It makes sense.
To be eligible, these felons must complete “all terms of sentence including parole or probation.“ That means they would have paid restitution, court costs and fees, and completed community service, house arrest, jail and/or prison sentences, plus any other special conditions of parole or probation.
Felons convicted of murder or a felony sex crime would not be eligible and would have to go through the regular executive clemency process.
Almost 850,000 current Florida voters and taxpayers across the state signed a citizen’s initiative petition to give voters this good choice. Those who signed span Florida’s political spectrum — not just registered Republicans and Democrats but also Independents, members of one of the smaller parties, or “Non-Party Affiliated“ voters. So clearly Amendment 4 has strong bipartisan and non-partisan support.
Amendment 4 is good public policy and smart justice. Here’s why:
Data from the Florida Commission on Offender Review proves that the vast majority of felons who get their voting and other civil rights back do not commit new crimes. They have learned their lesson and are trying to earn the second chance they have been given.
On July 1, the commission reported that of the 992 felons who were granted restoration of civil rights in fiscal years 2016 and 2017, only one person was convicted of a new felony. (Yes, literally one out of almost 1,000 people.)
The reduction in the number of re-offending felons will have a positive $365 million economic impact, according to a credible economic study completed by the Washington Economics Group. How? By leading to fewer prisons and more jobs and positive economic activity. Reduced prison construction and staffing costs will save $223 million.
Increased job earnings, taxes paid and economic investments by the felons themselves will generate another $142 million.
Many of the affected individuals are our family members, neighbors, co-workers, high school classmates, church friends and mutual acquaintances of people we know. Except for their status of felons, they are regular Floridians who pay taxes, own homes and businesses, have kids and contribute to our schools and communities. Many of their convictions were for small drug possession or property crimes, often committed long ago when they were young.
Under Florida’s constitution, getting voting and other civil rights restored currently requires a grant of mercy, and the process simply takes too long. A 5- or 7-year waiting period must pass before you can even apply. Some felons seeking voting and other civil rights can be approved without a hearing, but most must wait several years to get a hearing and a decision because there are approximately 23,000 pending applications for all types of executive clemency.
Proposed constitutional amendments require a super-majority of 60 percent approval to be adopted. So please vote "yes" on Amendment 4 and save taxpayers money and help felons earn a second chance.
Reggie Garcia is a Florida lawyer and the author of two books on executive clemency: “How to Leave Prison Early” and “Second Chances-Florida Pardons, Restoration of Civil Rights, Gun Rights and More.” He can be reached at reggiegarcialaw@icloud.com.
The advocates for Amendment #4 have a large war-chest to get this amendment approved.
Floridians need to get up-to-speed on Amendment #4.
If approved, Amendment #4 will give blanket amnesty voting rights to the 1.7 million felons living in Florida who have completed their sentences.
I’ve wondered for a while why felons permanently lose certain rights, specifically voting and self defense. You might not like how they vote, but that’s not really the point, is it.
Yet another help get out the Rat vote measure. First the Rat judge mandates Spanish ballots now this. I am getting worried about Florida.
Gives them a ‘second chance’ to find victims.
Saves money by restoring voting rights?
And it lowers globals temps too!
There is a lot of information about clemency given to Florida felons at the Florida Commission on Offender Review website:
https://www.fcor.state.fl.us/reports.shtml
In particular scoll down to this report:
“•2016-2017 Clemency Action Report”
November 6 will be here before we know it. The time to start studying these is now.
> I’ve wondered for a while why felons permanently lose certain rights, specifically voting and self defense. <
Same here. Once a felon has completed his parole/probation, he should have the same rights as any other citizen.
I tend to question it, too. I suppose the strongest argument is that it may deter criminals (as if a jail sentence isn’t enough). It’s one more small, enduring punishment you can never escape from. Maybe it helps convince would-be criminals from straying from the straight path.
Yes, I know that’s a stretch. In reality, was there ever a guy or gal thinking “I better not do this crime because I could lose my voting rights?” Nah.
On the other hand, the converse is true — it rewards citizens who don’t stray with the right to vote.
-—Felons convicted of murder or a felony sex crime would not be eligible and would have to go through the regular executive clemency process.-—
Bullschtein!
Until Crooked H, et. al., is behind bars all current felons should be released with full Constitutional rights, and no further convictions forthcoming.
The rule of law is for everyone. Or no one.
Part of the punishment of committing and being convicted of a Felony is the permanent loss of voting rights. I see no reason to change that form of punishment.
The damage done to the victim, can never be undone, so why should the perp not have at least some permanent punishment including being an ex-con forever and no voting rights.
I support restoration of civil rights to ex-convicts on the following conditions.
* Their offence(s) was/were a one time time event and they have not re-offended.
* It was a non-violent crime and they are not a registered sex offender.
* They have completed their sentence at least ten years ago and have had no serious trouble with the law since. I would overlook minor things like a traffic ticket.
* Restoration of civil rights includes 2nd amendment rights as well as voting rights. If I can’t trust you with a gun then I can’t trust you with the vote, and vice versa.
For persons who meet these conditions I might also consider putting some reasonable limit on criminal background checks going back more than ten years. There would be obvious and common sense exceptions.
“””I’ve wondered for a while why felons permanently lose certain rights, specifically voting and self defense”””
The Florida Constitution specifies that felons permanently lose the following rights:
-—Right to vote
-—Right to be on a jury
-—Right to hold public office
-—Right to own or possess a firearm
We should all keep in mind that Amendment #4 only gives blanket amnesty to the 1.7 million felons for voting.
Amendment #4 ignores the other rights:
-—Right to be on a jury
-—Right to hold public office
-—Right to own or possess a firearm
I will be voting "no"...
If they’ve fully paid their debt to society they should be allowed to re-enter society - see screen name.
Then that, frankly, is pandering BS.
Because they have demonstrated incredibly bad judgment and hostility to society?
The rationale for denying felons certain Constitutional rights like voting and possessing a firearm is that the felon has forfeited those rights by prior behavior. They do not forfeit all rights, but selected ones reasonably related to their responsible participation in our lawful society.
Other examples in state law can include serving as a trustee of funds, being a payee for a disabled or incapable person, and other responsibilities than non-felons are assumed to be eligible to do.
The stat in the original article poinst out that only one felon of about 1000 had been reconvicted. Think about that. That is only a two year period, in which an arrest, a trial and a resolution could have happened. That is an unrealistically short period. Additionally, THESE first stats, deal only with felons pardoned under the CURRENT STRICT guidlelines. Guidelines which Amendement 4 will completely eliminate.
“Data from the Florida Commission on Offender Review proves that the vast majority of felons who get their voting and other civil rights back do not commit new crimes.”
It proves no such thing. It may however indicate those that learned their lesson, also may choose to participate in voting.
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