HB 17 Passes the House

From the GA website:

This Act is the first leg of a Constitutional Amendment which eliminates the existing five-year waiting period before eligible felons who have fully discharged their sentences may have their voting rights restored.

The vote was 32-8. Rep. Hazel Plant was the sponsor of this bill (with Rep. Keeley as prime co-sponsor) and this is legislation that Rep. Plant’s husband — Al Plant– had wanted to get passed for many years.

“People asked me why they had to wait five years before they could vote when if they got a job two days after getting out of prison, the government would tax them,” Rep. Plant said. “Once a jury sentences you and you complete your sentence, complete your probation and make restitution, your sentence ends right there and you should be able to vote.”

She’s absolutely right about that. Once you’ve discharged your debt to society, there is simply no point to continuing to restrict voting rights. And if you are expected to be a productive member of your community, it makes all kinds of sense to make sure that you can still be heard in the direction of that community. This bill makes no modifications to the existing exemptions in the constitution for individuals convicted of murder, manslaughter, felony sex offenses or felony crimes against public administration, such as bribery. Their voting rights would not be restored.