HF 2984

as introduced - 88th Legislature (2013 - 2014) Posted on 03/12/2014 11:31am

A bill for an act
relating to corrections; restoring the civil right to vote after incarceration for
persons convicted of a felony; amending Minnesota Statutes 2012, sections
201.014, by adding a subdivision; 201.071, subdivision 1; 609.165, subdivision 1.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 201.014, is amended by adding a
subdivision to read:

new text begin Subd. 2a. new text end

new text begin Felony conviction; restoration of civil right to vote. new text end

new text begin An individual
convicted of a felony has the civil right to vote restored when the individual completes
any incarceration imposed and executed by the court for the offense, or upon sentencing if
no incarceration is imposed. If the individual is later incarcerated for the same offense, the
individual's civil right to vote is lost only during the period of incarceration.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 201.071, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Form.

A voter registration application must be of suitable size and
weight for mailing and contain spaces for the following required information: voter's first
name, middle name, and last name; voter's previous name, if any; voter's current address;
voter's previous address, if any; voter's date of birth; voter's municipality and county
of residence; voter's telephone number, if provided by the voter; date of registration;
current and valid Minnesota driver's license number or Minnesota state identification
number, or if the voter has no current and valid Minnesota driver's license or Minnesota
state identification, the last four digits of the voter's Social Security number; and voter's
signature. The registration application may include the voter's e-mail address, if provided
by the voter, and the voter's interest in serving as an election judge, if indicated by the
voter. The application must also contain the following certification of voter eligibility:

"I certify that I:

(1) will be at least 18 years old on election day;

(2) am a citizen of the United States;

(3) will have resided in Minnesota for 20 days immediately preceding election day;

(4) maintain residence at the address given on the registration form;

(5) am not under court-ordered guardianship in which the court order revokes my
right to vote;

(6) have not been found by a court to be legally incompetent to vote;

(7) deleted text begin have the right to vote because, if I have been convicted of a felony, my felony
sentence has expired (been completed) or I have been discharged from my sentence deleted text end new text begin am
not currently incarcerated for a felony offense new text end ; and

(8) have read and understand the following statement: that giving false information
is a felony punishable by not more than five years imprisonment or a fine of not more
than $10,000, or both."

The certification must include boxes for the voter to respond to the following
questions:

"(1) Are you a citizen of the United States?" and

"(2) Will you be 18 years old on or before election day?"

And the instruction:

"If you checked 'no' to either of these questions, do not complete this form."

The form of the voter registration application and the certification of voter eligibility
must be as provided in this subdivision and approved by the secretary of state. Voter
registration forms authorized by the National Voter Registration Act must also be accepted
as valid. The federal postcard application form must also be accepted as valid if it is not
deficient and the voter is eligible to register in Minnesota.

An individual may use a voter registration application to apply to register to vote in
Minnesota or to change information on an existing registration.

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 609.165, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Restoration.

When a person has been deprived of civil rights by
reason of conviction of a crime and is thereafter discharged, such discharge shall restore the
person to all civil rights and to full citizenship, with full right to deleted text begin vote and deleted text end hold office, the
same as if such conviction had not taken place, and the order of discharge shall so provide.