Florida Senate - 2011                                    SJR 706
       
       
       
       By Senator Sobel
       
       
       
       
       31-00363-11                                            2011706__
    1                       Senate Joint Resolution                     
    2         A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Section 4
    3         of Article VI of the State Constitution to disqualify
    4         a person who is convicted of a felony from voting only
    5         while the person is incarcerated.
    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                             ARTICLE VI                            
   15                       SUFFRAGE AND ELECTIONS                      
   16         SECTION 4. Disqualifications.—
   17         (a)(1) A No person convicted of a felony, or adjudicated in
   18  this or any other state to be mentally incompetent is not, shall
   19  be qualified to vote or hold office until restoration of civil
   20  rights or removal of disability.
   21         (2) A person may not be disqualified from voting due to a
   22  felony conviction except while incarcerated for the felony
   23  conviction.
   24         (b) A No person may not appear on the ballot for re
   25  election to any of the following offices:
   26         (1) Florida representative,
   27         (2) Florida senator,
   28         (3) Florida Lieutenant governor,
   29         (4) any office of the Florida cabinet,
   30         (5) U.S. Representative from Florida, or
   31         (6) U.S. Senator from Florida
   32  
   33  if, by the end of the current term of office, the person will
   34  have served (or, but for resignation, would have served) in that
   35  office for eight consecutive years.
   36         BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the following statement be
   37  placed on the ballot:
   38                      CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT                     
   39                        ARTICLE VI, SECTION 4                      
   40         VOTING RIGHTS OF FELONS.—The State Constitution currently
   41  prohibits a person who was convicted of a felony from voting
   42  until the person’s civil rights are restored. This amendment
   43  will prohibit a person convicted of a felony from voting only
   44  while the person is incarcerated for the felony conviction.