Current Events > Florida lawmakers stall process to restore voting rights to felons

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https://www.businessinsider.com/florida-lawmakers-might-not-restore-voting-rights-to-felons-2018-12

Florida lawmakers might not be ready to put Amendment 4 a measure approved by 64.5% of Florida voters that would give voting rights back to most felons who have completed their sentences into action.

According to WFTV 9, a local news station in Florida, the state has put enforcement of the amendment on pause until the new governor, Republican Ron DeSantis, is sworn in. WFTV reported that lawmakers are waiting to see if the Florida Legislature might need to weigh in on the measure. The amendment, which would restore voting rights to more than 1.5 million felons, does not call for any involvement of this kind.

In Florida, 23% of African-American adults cannot vote due to a previous felony conviction. Amendment 4, the measure that would change that, received wide support among residents in a state with strict clemency laws. It was scheduled to take effect on January 8.

Now, Orange County Supervisor of Elections Bill Cowles told WFTV that "it could be that the new governor and secretary of state have a new direction" regarding the establishment of the measure.

"So, it's just going to be a wait and see," Cowles said, adding that state lawmakers have put a pause on checking any packets of information about the measure since December 1.

Last week, Florida's Secretary of State Ken Detzner, a Republican, told reporters that it would be "inappropriate" for the state to "to charge off without direction from" the legislature. The ballot language, he argued, is unclear. Democratic state Sen. Darryl Rouson, a former prosecuting attorney, told the Florida Phoenix that he "would dislike the Legislature from taking any steps that might be perceived as thwarting or slowing down the voter's intent."

For his part, DeSantis, who opposed the measure, told the Palm Beach Post that the amendment should not be put into effect until after the he and the state legislature approve "implementing language." The 60-day legislative session in the state begins March 5.

"There's no way you can go through this session without implementing it," he said.

Who didn't see this coming
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Bio1590 posted...

Who didn't see this coming

A judge waved off prop 8 in Cali however many years back.

These voting polls are always flimsy.
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Bio1590 posted...

The ballot language, he argued, is unclear.

If only there was a way to legally challenge amendments for being vague before they get voted on...
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whitelytning posted...

Bio1590 posted...

The ballot language, he argued, is unclear.

If only there was a way to legally challenge amendments for being vague before they get voted on...

One of the guys who worked on drafting it said they worked on it for like 2 years to ensure there was no vagueness.

This is just the shitty GOP being the shitty GOP.
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Bio1590 posted...

This is just the shitty GOP

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Bloodychess posted...

Bio1590 posted...

Who didn't see this coming

A judge waved off prop 8 in Cali however many years back.

These voting polls are always flimsy.

Waived off

Lol ok. One was restricting rights one is not restricting, but go off with bad analogies i guess

CruelBuffalo posted...

Bloodychess posted...

Bio1590 posted...

Who didn't see this coming

A judge waved off prop 8 in Cali however many years back.

These voting polls are always flimsy.

Waived off

Lol ok. One was restricting rights one is not restricting, but go off with bad analogies i guess

You miss the analogy

I'm not saying anything is justifying this.

I'm using 8 as an example to say these votes seem meaningless if one party dislikes it enough.
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https://ballotpedia.org/Florida_Amendment_4,_Voting_Rights_Restoration_for_Felons_Initiative_(2018)

I don't really see the point of excluding rape and murder.
If you've served your time, you've served your time. If your crime was abhorrent enough, you should still be in prison and unable to vote anyway.

Anything for the gop to suppress some ones voting rights thats all they do
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I don't really see a problem here. Commiting a felony results in the loss of certain rights.

Got a boner for guns, voting and employment? Don't commit felonies. Easy.
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NAACP lawsuit incoming in 5...
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Thaddeus_J_Pibb posted...

I don't really see a problem here. Commiting a felony results in the loss of certain rights.

Got a boner for guns, voting and employment? Don't commit felonies. Easy.

If you served your time why should you continue to be punished forever?
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It baffles my mind that murders are let out of prison at all. Fuck it. Pieces of shit voting could only hasten the collapse of society. Let em vote and let it all burn.

Questionmarktarius posted...

https://ballotpedia.org/Florida_Amendment_4,_Voting_Rights_Restoration_for_Felons_Initiative_(2018)

I don't really see the point of excluding rape and murder.
If you've served your time, you've served your time. If your crime was abhorrent enough, you should still be in prison and unable to vote anyway.

Agree completely
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NeoShadowhen posted...

It baffles my mind that murders are let out of prison at all. Fuck it. Pieces of shit voting could only hasten the collapse of society. Let em vote and let it all burn.

If you could use basic reading skills for a second, you would see voting rights are restored to those who didn't commit murder or sex crimes.
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It's not really surprising that the Rs they put into power know that this would continue to erode at them so they don't want it to go through.
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CADE FOSTER posted...

Thaddeus_J_Pibb posted...

I don't really see a problem here. Commiting a felony results in the loss of certain rights.

Got a boner for guns, voting and employment? Don't commit felonies. Easy.

If you served your time why should you continue to be punished forever?

Does their serving time make whatever they did magically have not happened? Does it make their victim(s) stop no longer victims?

This isn't a speeding ticket, felonies are a pretty big bouquet of oopsie daisies.
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