(Sun Sentinel)
PART ONE. PAYING COURT FEES AND COSTS WAS NEVER PART OF THE "TERMS OF THEIR SENTENCE."
Returning citizens can vote under Amendment 4 to the Florida Constitution if they have served out all "the terms of their sentence" including paying restitution when that was a term of their sentence.
That was the Amendment 4 that two-thirds of Florida voters voted for in 2018. The voters made an exception for people convicted of certain violent felonies including sexual violence; those people were not given the right to vote by Amendment 4.
Everyone else who served out all the terms of their sentence was given the right to vote by Amendment 4 to the Florida Constitution. At least that is what the voters thought.
That is the first thing that you need to know. And this: The Florida Legislature said this could not stand.
So the Florida Legislature tacked on a requirement that all people eligible to vote under Amendment 4 -- meaning all people who had served the terms of their sentence -- would also have to pay court fees and costs to keep the court system funded, before they can vote in Florida.
The New York Times reports that there are over 1 million returning citizens in Florida. To say again, these are people who have served their time. They are people who have served out all the terms of their sentence.
By "a conservative estimate," says The Times, three-quarters or some 75% of these people "are indigent and unable to pay."
Now you know the first thing about this. Did the Florida Legislature know that the result would be to disenfranchise poor people who had already and completely served out all the terms of their sentence? I am not aware that any of them admit it.
Next: The Second Thing. In the meantime you may want to explore making a donation to pay the court costs imposed on returning citizens in Florida. By the way, according to The New York Times Florida is apparently the only State in the nation in which the requirement has been imposed on people to pay court fees before they will be allowed to vote. If you want to explore making a donation to ease this burden, check out the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition at www.floridarrc.com.
Please read the disclaimer. ©2020 Dennis J. Wall. All rights reserved.
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