House Bill 637

(As Passed the House)

AN ACT TO CREATE THE VOTER ENFRANCHISEMENT JOINT LEGISLATIVE STUDY COMMITTEE TO EXAMINE THE IMPACT OF NONVIOLENT OFFENSES ON FRANCHISEMENT; TO STUDY ANY POTENTIAL POLICY OR LAW CHANGES THAT WOULD PROVIDE NONVIOLENT FELONS WITH THE ABILITY TO HAVE THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE RESTORED UPON COMPLETING ALL SENTENCING REQUIREMENTS, ANY NEGATIVE SOCIETAL EFFECTS THAT FALL UPON NONVIOLENT FELONS WHO HAVE COMPLETED ALL OF THEIR SENTENCING REQUIREMENTS BUT HAVE NOT HAD THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE RESTORED, AND ANY POLICIES AND PROCEDURES THAT HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED BY OTHER STATE LEGISLATURES TO RESTORE THE RIGHT TO VOTE TO NONVIOLENT FELONS WHO HAVE COMPLETED ALL OF THEIR SENTENCING REQUIREMENTS; TO REQUIRE A REPORT TO THE 2020 REGULAR SESSION OF THE LEGISLATURE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. (1) There is hereby created the Voter Enfranchisement Joint Legislative Study Committee to examine the impact of nonviolent offenses to franchisement, establish measurable goals and benchmarks for the State of Mississippi relating to suffrage, and study available methods to ensure that all persons who are eligible to vote face no continued barriers to registration or voting that result from their nonviolent felony convictions once they have completed all of their sentencing requirements. The committee shall, at a minimum, study and report to the 2020 Regular Session of the Legislature the following:

(a) Any potential policy or law changes that would provide nonviolent felons with the ability to have their right to vote restored upon completing all sentencing requirements;

(b) Any negative societal effects that fall upon nonviolent felons who have completed all of their sentencing requirements but have not had their right to vote restored; and

(c) Any policies and procedures that have been implemented by other state legislatures to restore the right to vote to nonviolent felons who have completed all of their sentencing requirements.

The joint committee shall make a report of its findings and recommendations to the Legislature by January 1, 2020, including any recommended legislation.

(2) The joint committee shall be composed of the following fourteen (14) members:

(a) The Chair and Vice Chair of the House Apportionment and Elections Committee;

(b) The Chair and Vice Chair of the Senate Elections Committee;

(d) The Chair and Vice Chair of the Senate Judiciary, Division B Committee;

(e) The Secretary of State, or his or her designee;

(f) The Commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Corrections, or his or her designee;

(g) One (1) law enforcement officer, to be appointed by the Governor;

(h) One (1) judge currently sitting on a bench, to be appointed by the Chief Justice of the Mississippi Supreme Court;

(i) One (1) prosecutor, to be appointed by the Governor; and

(j) One (1) public defender, to be appointed by the Governor.

(3) Appointments shall be made within thirty (30) days after the effective date of this act. The joint committee shall hold its first meeting before August 1, 2019. The Chair of the House Apportionment and Elections Committee and the Chair of the Senate Elections Committee shall serve as cochairs of the committee.

(4) A majority of the members of the committee shall constitute a quorum. In the adoption of the rules, resolutions and reports, an affirmative vote of a majority of the members shall be required. All members shall be notified in writing of all meetings, and such notices shall be mailed at least five (5) days before the date on which a meeting is to be held.

(5) To effectuate the purposes of this section, any department, division, board, bureau, committee or agency of the state or any political subdivision thereof, shall, at the request of the cochairs of the committee, provide such facilities, assistance and data as will enable the committee to properly carry out its duties.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.