Fla. Changes Rules on Ex-Felons' Rights

[CottonBear]

Thursday December 9, 2004 9:01 PM

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Florida changed the rules Thursday to make it easier for convicted felons who have done their time to regain the vote and other civil rights.

Florida is one of only a few states that do not automatically restore most rights when felons have served their time. Instead, those who have committed certain crimes must go before the state clemency board for a hearing, and the hearing process can take years. More than 4,000 people are waiting for a hearing, and only about 200 get one each year because the board meets only four times a year.

Civil rights groups have argued that the process is too arduous and makes it hard for ex-convicts to get back into society. The thousands of felons in Florida who are not allowed to vote also became an issue this year during the presidential race in this battleground state.

On Thursday, Gov. Jeb Bush and the Board of Clemency reduced the number of offenses that require felons to go through hearings, and waived the hearing process for people who go several years without committing a new crime

more...
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/story/0,1282,-4663774,00.html>

Too bad they couldn't have done this before the elections.

[WildClarySage]

1. "Too bad they couldn't have done this before the elections."

Thats the point- all those convicted of voter intimidation/fraud for the RNC will be able to vote when they get back out.

[CottonBear]

3. Good point. n/t

[The Backlash Cometh]

6. Exactly. The Republicans are going to scorch earth this country

and leave the mess for Democrats to clean up in four years.

[Solly Mack]

2. George can't run again...Jeb can

maybe he hopes they will vote for him

[Florida_Geek]

4. the sad part is their are thousands of felons that

never submitted paperwork because it took so many years to get them back.

[SoCalDem]

5. It should be automatic when a felon completes parole

There are probably several pages of paperwork that are submitted upon the completion of parole. Restoration of voting rights and registration at their current address should be ONE of those pieces of paper.,.

I would draw the line at anything that involves VOTER FRAUD.. They should NEVER get their rights back :)

[The Judged]

7. Now that their vote won't count (ESS), they (1/3) can vote again. Hooray!

They have such principles!

[FULL_METAL_HAT]

8. E X A C T L Y ! /nt

[w4rma]

9. It should be automatic. Without the redtape/bureaucracy. (nt)

[AirAmFan]

10. This is an outright SCAM. It applies only to those getting out of prison

in the FUTURE, and not to the more than 500,000 in Florida alone who've been released in the past, up to forty or fifty years ago.

Plus, those just being released from prison tend to be young (under thirty) and much less likely to vote even if they had the right.

In addition, there still will be a "felon" list every election of people who will not be permitted to vote. Anyone in Florida, including those who've been to the clemency board and those who've never committed or been convicted of ANYTHING, can be placed on that list at any time, "by mistake".

In practice, this changes NOTHING. More than 95 percent of the more than half-million "disfranchised felons" in Florida will remain that way, indefinitely, until national voting standards or expansion of the Voting Rights Act puts and end to this vestige of slavery.

[flordehinojos]

11. THE BUSHES ARENOT RUNNING AGAIN ...so they are cleaning up their misdeeds.