|
|
|
|
Clicking on this
Click on the bill number below to read the full text of the bill. Restore the Vote to Kentucky's Ex-Offenders: SUPPORT March 10 - HB 70 is dead for this year, but will return next year. The Catholic Conference is part of a strong coalition of organizations interested in restoring the right to vote to ex-offenders. This has attracted national attention and it is possible that a foundation will soon fund efforts to achieve our purpose. Representatives from the foundation has visited recently and a grant request is being written. Getting this from the House to the Senate was a victory and your support was one of the primary reasons we can be happy about this legislation. Please continue to support this effort, educate your family and friends and know that we will see this on the ballot in November 2008. No further action is necessary on HB 70. On Feb 28, the House voted 70 - 28 to send this bill to the Senate. Click on Vote History to see how your State Representative voted. Thank those 70 who voted YES HB 70 has been assigned to the Appropriations and Revenue committee, which is not good. This is where bills that the Senate does not want to consider are often placed. Please contact your State Senator and ask that HB 70 be given a hearing and a vote in committee and on the Senate floor. MESSAGE LINE: 1-800-372-7181- EN ESPAŅOL 1-877-739-5556 HB 70 (BR 378) - J. Crenshaw, S. Baugh, C. Belcher, T. Burch, T. Edmonds, J. Glenn, D. Graham, J. Gray, K. Hall, C. Hoffman, J. Jenkins, M. Marzian, R. Meeks, D. Owens, A. Simpson, J. Wayne, R. Webb, S. Westrom, B. Yonts AN
ACT proposing an amendment to Section 145 of the Constitution of Kentucky
relating to persons entitled to vote. Propose to amend Section 145 of the
Constitution or Kentucky to exclude a convicted felon from the right to vote
until expiration of probation or final discharge from parole or maximum
expiration of sentence; submit to the voters for ratification or rejection.
HB 70 - HCS
- Retain original language; add that felons convicted of the intentional killing
of a human being (murder) or of sexual contact with a minor, forced sexual
intercourse (rape), or forced deviate sexual intercourse (sodomy), are excluded
from automatic restoration of voting rights without an executive pardon. In A Catholic Perspective on Crime and Criminal Justice: A Kentucky Call to Responsibility, Rehabilitation, and Restoration - revised December 2005, Kentucky's bishops urged that Kentucky's public policy about voting be changed to include automatically restoring the right to vote to ex-offenders who have completed the conditions of punishment placed upon them by a court of law. Passage of BR 378 will place this question on the ballot in November 2008 so the citizens of the Commonwealth can vote on this issue. Polling data (click on link below for poll results) shows that Kentuckians want to change the Constitution to allow ex-offenders to receive their voting rights back automatically after they have completed the sentences imposed by the Court. The Catholic Conference is working with the Kentucky Voting Restoration Coalition to pass this legislation and the links below include news articles, photos from press conferences, fliers with information about why this is good public policy, and other data. Resources
Media
Photos From November 29 Press Conference |
|
Catholic Conference of Kentucky 1042 Burlington Lane Frankfort, Kentucky 40601
502-875-4345
Last modified: April, 2008 |
502-875-2841 Fax