MN SF71

Restores voting rights to individuals convicted of felonies upon discharge from incarceration or placement on probation, parole, conditional release, or supervised release, effective August 1, 2013.

Requires correctional facilities to designate officials to assist inmates in completing voter registration applications and to immediately transmit completed applications to the secretary of state.

Mandates that courts notify defendants at arraignment and sentencing that loss of civil rights, including voting rights, applies only while incarcerated in a correctional facility, and that rights are automatically restored upon release or conditional release.

Requires probation and parole officers to provide written notice and voter registration applications to individuals when they are placed on release, probation, parole, or conditional release.

Directs the secretary of state to develop an education program for judges, election officials, corrections officials, and parole/probation officers about voting rights restoration requirements and to modify voter registration materials accordingly.