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After Florida voters approved a constitutional amendment last year reinstating the right to vote for incarcerated criminals, Republicans in both houses passed a clause requiring them to pay court fees and fines in the US. suspense before voting.
The amendment, which excludes those convicted of murder and criminal sexual assault, would give the opportunity to vote to 1.5 million people convicted of felony.
The bill approved by the Florida Statehouse offers criminals who have three options: pay in full; to obtain the rejection by a court of the financial obligation, if the person who is liable for it agrees; or convert the obligation into community service and supplement those hours.
"Basically, they tell you," If you have money, you can vote. If you do not have money, you can not, "Patrick Penn, 42, who spent 15 years in jail for robbery and violent robbery, told The New York Times. Penn said that he did not know if he owed money, but he added that "this is not why people voted".
The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, among other groups, has expressed opposition to the added measure.
For decades, state legislators have been fortunate enough to be on the right side of history and restore the voting rights of returning citizens, but they have failed to do so.
Now they are undermining the will of the 5.1 million Florida voters who have passed # Amendment4. # Flapol pic.twitter.com/Q5zi7aG7TX
– ACLU of Florida (@ACLUFL)
May 3, 2019
This is a big slap for voters and a way to discourage people from participating in the process. There is a gap between joy and jubilation in November compared to people who are now trying to do something in Tallahassee when nobody pays attention to them. https://t.co/4QmBA8DtFL
– ACLU of Florida (@ACLUFL)
May 3, 2019
The debate over the voting rights of criminals has become a problem in the 2020 Democratic primary. Senator Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Has recently voiced support for the granting of the right to vote to incarcerated criminals, even to those sentenced for terrorism and sexual assault.
"If you commit a terrible crime, you will pay the price," Sanders said at a rally in Fort Worth, Texas, last month. "But that does not mean that your right to participate in our democracy is withdrawn."
"Once you start to take the vote away from someone, you go down a slippery slope." You have committed a crime, you can not vote. You are poor, you can not vote, "added Sanders.
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