Florida Senate - 2014                                   SJR 1612
       
       
        
       By Senator Clemens
       
       
       
       
       
       27-01408-14                                           20141612__
    1                       Senate Joint Resolution                     
    2         A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Section 4
    3         of Article VI of the State Constitution, relating to
    4         disqualifications from voting and holding public
    5         office, to automatically restore the voting rights and
    6         right to hold public office of felons under certain
    7         circumstances.
    8          
    9  Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   10  
   11         That the following amendment to Section 4 of Article VI of
   12  the State Constitution is agreed to and shall be submitted to
   13  the electors of this state for approval or rejection at the next
   14  general election or at an earlier special election specifically
   15  authorized by law for that purpose:
   16  
   17                             ARTICLE VI                            
   18                       SUFFRAGE AND ELECTIONS                      
   19  
   20         SECTION 4. Disqualifications.—
   21         (a) No person convicted of a felony, or adjudicated in this
   22  or any other state to be mentally incompetent, shall be
   23  qualified to vote or hold office, except as follows:
   24         (1) If convicted of a felony of a sexual nature or a felony
   25  involving a homicide, upon restoration of civil rights.
   26         (2) If convicted of any felony not specified in paragraph
   27  (1), upon completion of sentence.
   28         (3) If adjudicated mentally incompetent, upon until
   29  restoration of civil rights or removal of disability.
   30         (b) No person may appear on the ballot for re-election to
   31  any of the following offices:
   32         (1) Florida representative,
   33         (2) Florida senator,
   34         (3) Florida Lieutenant governor,
   35         (4) any office of the Florida cabinet,
   36         (5) U.S. Representative from Florida, or
   37         (6) U.S. Senator from Florida
   38  
   39  if, by the end of the current term of office, the person will
   40  have served (or, but for resignation, would have served) in that
   41  office for eight consecutive years.
   42         BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the following statement be
   43  placed on the ballot:
   44                      CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT                     
   45                        ARTICLE VI, SECTION 4                      
   46  AUTOMATIC RESTORATION OF CERTAIN FELONS’ CIVIL RIGHTS.—Proposing
   47  an amendment to the State Constitution to automatically restore
   48  the right to vote and hold office of a person convicted of a
   49  felony upon completion of sentence, unless the person was
   50  convicted of homicide or a sexual offense, in which case
   51  restoration of civil rights must be granted by the Board of
   52  Executive Clemency. The amendment maintains the requirement that
   53  a person declared mentally incompetent must have that disability
   54  removed before voting or holding office.