The House State Affairs committee is passing along a bill that allows those charged with a felony to vote if they’ve met certain conditions.
Felons would have to complete probation and parole but would be eligible to vote if they haven’t yet finished paying off their restitution.
Representative Kelly Sullivan is the prime sponsor of the bill. The Sioux Falls Democrat says a lot of people, especially those coming out or prison, don’t have jobs where they can pay off restitution.
“People are working minimum wage jobs, they’re working two jobs, and they’re working real hard to become contributing members of society,” Sullivan says. “To have restitution be a payment—a bill, essentially—be the thing that is holding them back from engaging in their community and their government and having a voice is not right.”
The bill narrowly passes out of the House State Affairs committee 7 to 6.
A Florida law requiring felons pay off their restitution before voting rights are restored is getting challenged in court.
State lawmakers there passed a restitution payment requirement. That came after voters in 2018 approved a constitutional amendment that automatically restores voting rights to ex-felons who completed all terms of their service.
