FL will help felons regain voter rights

[madfloridian]

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/state/orl-asecfelons25072503jul25,0,3036585.story?coll=orl-news-headlines

SNIP..."State corrections officials conceded in the court agreement that they failed to follow a law requiring them to help restore legal rights to 124,769 felons released from prison from 1992 to 2001. Of those, about 20,000 to 30,000 will probably get their rights back soon, Berg said.

The rest, he said, will still have to apply with the state. Although they can use a simpler one-page form, Berg said their chances of getting a hearing are "probably slim to none....."

Timing is everything.

[rocktivity]

1. If they've served their time

completed their parole or probation, and have stayed out of trouble since...why not?

rocknation

[madfloridian]

5. Agreed.

Just think timing is too coincidental with voting stuff coming out.

[librechik]

2. deserves close citizen scrutiny--these people will heel drag and so on

maybe a little followup with the NAACP and letters to election commission and so on...

[sham]

6. exactly... the civil rights groups should stay on top of this

it was discussed in LBN yesterday. while around 30,000 will probably have their voting rights restored by Nov. 2004, that is only 1/4 of the felons in question. the other 3/4 will have to apply to the governer, and Jebbie will DEFINITELY drag his feet on this.

[qb]

3. What about the 80,000 "felons" on the election 2000 scrub list?

Weren't they supposed to be restored before Nov. 2002? What's their status?

[madfloridian]

4. A whole bunch of different numbers...misleading?

...."State corrections officials conceded in the court agreement that they failed to follow a law requiring them to help restore legal rights to 124,769 felons released from prison from 1992 to 2001. Of those, about 20,000 to 30,000 will probably get their rights back soon, Berg said...."

[Sophree]

9. Very confusing

I'm still not 100% sure if these are real felons or the "Oops, not really felons, felons."

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

7. Glad Florida is finally catching up with the rest of the nation in

rejecting a policy that was originally intended to permanently disenfranchise black votes. Only 7 more states to go.

[whoYaCallinAlib]

8. About time.

They paid their debt to society. And by the way, vote democratic will ya?