Florida Senate - 2015                                    SJR 208
       
       
        
       By Senator Clemens
       
       
       
       
       
       27-00306-15                                            2015208__
    1                       Senate Joint Resolution                     
    2         A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Section 4
    3         of Article VI of the State Constitution to
    4         automatically restore the voting rights and right to
    5         hold public office of certain convicted felons.
    6          
    7  Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
    8  
    9         That the following amendment to Section 4 of Article VI of
   10  the State Constitution is agreed to and shall be submitted to
   11  the electors of this state for approval or rejection at the next
   12  general election or at an earlier special election specifically
   13  authorized by law for that purpose:
   14  
   15                             ARTICLE VI                            
   16                       SUFFRAGE AND ELECTIONS                      
   17  
   18         SECTION 4. Disqualifications.—
   19         (a) No person convicted of a felony, or adjudicated in this
   20  or any other state to be mentally incompetent, shall be
   21  qualified to vote or hold office, except:
   22         (1) If convicted of a felony involving a sexual offense or
   23  a felony involving a homicide, upon restoration of the person’s
   24  civil rights;
   25         (2) If convicted of any felony not specified in paragraph
   26  (1), upon the person’s completion of sentence; or
   27         (3) If adjudicated mentally incompetent, upon until
   28  restoration of civil rights or removal of disability.
   29         (b) No person may appear on the ballot for re-election to
   30  any of the following offices:
   31         (1) Florida representative,
   32         (2) Florida senator,
   33         (3) Florida lieutenant governor,
   34         (4) any office of the Florida cabinet,
   35         (5) U.S. Representative from Florida, or
   36         (6) U.S. Senator from Florida
   37  
   38  if, by the end of the current term of office, the person will
   39  have served (or, but for resignation, would have served) in that
   40  office for eight consecutive years.
   41         BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the following statement be
   42  placed on the ballot:
   43                      CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT                     
   44                        ARTICLE VI, SECTION 4                      
   45         AUTOMATIC RESTORATION OF CERTAIN FELONS’ CIVIL RIGHTS.
   46  Proposing an amendment to the State Constitution to
   47  automatically restore the right to vote and hold office of a
   48  person convicted of a felony, other than one involving a sexual
   49  offense or a homicide, upon completion of sentence.