HB 37 Summary

• Removes the requirement that individuals pay all fines, court costs, fees, and victim restitution as a condition for restoring voting rights after a criminal conviction.

• Eliminates the need to apply to the Board of Pardons and Paroles for a Certificate of Eligibility to Register to Vote; individuals meeting eligibility requirements automatically have voting rights restored.

• Expands voting rights restoration to include persons who have been released from incarceration for five or more years, in addition to those who completed their sentence or successfully completed probation/parole.

• Maintains restrictions on voting rights restoration for convictions of impeachment, murder, rape, sodomy, sexual abuse, incest, sexual torture, child exploitation offenses, obscenity offenses, and treason.

• Becomes effective on the first day of the third month following passage and approval by the Governor.