Senate Bill sb0292

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    Florida Senate - 2003                                   SB 292

    By Senator Bullard





    39-350-03

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to restoration of civil rights;

  3         amending ss. 940.061, 944.293, 944.605, F.S.;

  4         requiring that the Department of Corrections

  5         notify an offender, before discharge from

  6         supervision, of procedures by which the

  7         offender may apply for restoration of civil

  8         rights; requiring that the department assist

  9         the offender in completing forms required for

10         restoration of civil rights; requiring that the

11         offender acknowledge by signature receipt of

12         such assistance; amending s. 944.705, F.S.;

13         requiring the department to include in its

14         release-orientation program instruction in the

15         procedures for applying for restoration of

16         civil rights; providing an effective date.

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18  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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20         Section 1.  Section 940.061, Florida Statutes, is

21  amended to read:

22         940.061  Informing persons about executive clemency and

23  restoration of civil rights.--The Department of Corrections

24  shall inform and educate inmates and offenders on community

25  supervision about the restoration of civil rights and assist

26  eligible inmates and offenders on community supervision with

27  the completion of the application for the restoration of civil

28  rights. To document this notification, the department shall

29  obtain the signature of each offender before the offender's

30  discharge acknowledging receipt of assistance in completing

31  the forms.

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    Florida Senate - 2003                                   SB 292
    39-350-03




 1         Section 2.  Section 944.293, Florida Statutes, is

 2  amended to read:

 3         944.293  Initiation of restoration of civil

 4  rights.--With respect to those persons convicted of a felony,

 5  the following procedure shall apply:  Prior to the time an

 6  offender is discharged from supervision, an authorized agent

 7  of the department shall obtain from the Governor the necessary

 8  application and other forms required for the restoration of

 9  civil rights.  The authorized agent shall assist the offender

10  in completing these forms and shall ensure that the

11  application and all necessary material are forwarded to the

12  Governor before the offender is discharged from supervision.

13  To document compliance with this section, before an offender

14  is discharged from supervision, the department shall obtain

15  the signature of the offender acknowledging receipt of

16  assistance in completing the forms required for restoration of

17  civil rights.

18         Section 3.  Present subsection (6) of section 944.605,

19  Florida Statutes, is redesignated as subsection (7), and a new

20  subsection (6) is added to that section, to read:

21         944.605  Inmate release; notification.--

22         (6)  Before an inmate's release, the department shall

23  notify the inmate of the procedures necessary to apply for

24  restoration of civil rights. Pursuant to ss. 944.293 and

25  940.03, the department shall obtain the signature of each

26  inmate before the inmate's release acknowledging receipt of

27  assistance in completing the forms.

28         Section 4.  Subsection (2) of section 944.705, Florida

29  Statutes, is amended to read:

30         944.705  Release orientation program.--

31  

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    Florida Senate - 2003                                   SB 292
    39-350-03




 1         (2)  The release orientation program instruction must

 2  include, but is not limited to:

 3         (a)  Employment skills.

 4         (b)  Money management skills.

 5         (c)  Personal development and planning.

 6         (d)  Special needs.

 7         (e)  Community reentry concerns.

 8         (f)  Community reentry support.

 9         (g)  Procedures to apply for restoration of civil

10  rights.

11         (h)(g)  Any other appropriate instruction to ensure the

12  inmate's successful reentry into the community.

13         Section 5.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a

14  law.

15  

16            *****************************************

17                          SENATE SUMMARY

18    Requires the Department of Corrections to notify an
      offender, before the offender's discharge from
19    supervision, of procedures for applying for restoration
      of civil rights. Requires that the department include
20    instruction in applying for restoration of civil rights
      as part of the department's release-orientation program.
21    (See bill for details.)

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.