http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/politics/os-felons-rights-repeal-20110309,0,2796318.story<snip>
Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida Cabinet on Wednesday imposed a minimum five-year waiting period for felons to apply to have their rights restored, setting up a tougher standard than the state has used for years.
Florida now joins Kentucky and Virginia as the only states that require felons who have completed the terms of their sentences to apply to have their rights restored. Critics say the new process is a return to post-Civil War Jim Crow laws crafted to prevent blacks from voting.
"The Board today didn't just go back to before the Gov. Crist reforms; they went way, way past that — placing brand new, long-term restrictions on getting basic rights restored," said Howard Simon, executive director of the ACLU of Florida. "The new administration that runs Tallahassee today demonstrated their hostility to the fundamental right of any democracy, the right to vote."
Scott and the Cabinet, acting as the board of executive clemency, approved the new rules unanimously after hearing 30 minutes of public comments limited to two minutes per speaker. The rules were not available for review until minutes before the board's meeting began late Wednesday morning.
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This, coming from the most corrupt crook to ever occupy the governor's mansion. Absolutely fucking disgusting.