TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Since Florida citizens have voted to restore voting rights to felons, there has been confusion over the interpretation and implementation of the amendment.
With the passage of Constitutional Amendment 4, former felons, excluding those convicted of murder and sexual offenses, will have their voting rights restored following the completion of their sentences.
One of the biggest issues with the amendment has been what constitutes a 'murderer?'
Sen. Jeff Brandes (R.) of St. Petersburg is fighting to include attempted murder in both the meaning as well as in the exclusion of the amendment, the Tampa Bay Times reports.
“The question is, ‘What does it include?,’” Brandes said during a Criminal Justice Committee panel discussion, according to The Times. “Obviously murder — first degree, second degree — to me, that means attempted murder, because there’s intent.”
Brandes' office confirmed to 10News on Thursday that he and other lawmakers have been discussing legislation to clarify the rules and try to prevent attempted murderers from voting.
The Division of Elections Director Maria Matthews compared the felon vote ambiguity to abortion, according to orlandoweekly.com.
“It is a question about, do you include partial birth abortion is in there, attempted murder is in there,” Matthews said. “We have gotten questions from supervisors as to what these terms mean.”
But, advocates for felon voting rights think the law is clear as it stands.
“Murder means murder,” Neil Voltz, political director of the Florida Restoration of Rights Coalition, recently said during a Criminal Justice Committee panel discussion, according to CBS affiliate WPEC. “We believe the text of the language matters.”
Voltz's coalition pushed for the amendment to be passed.
Brandes is reportedly also hoping for clarification on whether or not a felon must pay all or some of the fees associated with their charge. He believes all fees should be paid in full before a felon can vote.
In order for the bill to be voted on, it has to go through the state's supreme court. The court would decide whether or not the law is unclear or misleading.
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