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Tennessee legislature halts bill aiming to separate gun and voting rights restoration


Tennessee Lawmakers Kill Bipartisan Bill on Voting Rights Restoration

A bipartisan bill in Tennessee that would have allowed residents convicted of felonies to apply to vote again without restoring their gun rights has been killed for the year. Democratic Rep. Antonio Parkinson and Republican Sen. Paul Bailey introduced the bill late in the legislative session, but a split House committee voted 8-6 to send it to a summer study, effectively spiking it for 2024.

Some Republicans argued for a broader study on citizenship rights issues in state law and proposed various changes for next year. Republican House Majority Leader William Lamberth emphasized the importance of providing a road back to redemption for individuals who have completed their felony sentences.

The bill sought to undo restrictions established in July, where voting rights restoration required full citizenship rights restoration by a judge or a pardon. Since the change, only 12 applications for voting rights restoration have been approved, while 135 have been denied. Expungement offers a separate path, but many felonies are ineligible.

Voting rights advocates have criticized the state’s interpretation of the law, prompting Democratic lawmakers to ask the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate. Tennessee previously had a process for individuals to petition for voting rights restoration if they had served their sentences and did not owe outstanding court costs.

Parkinson expressed disappointment over the bill’s demise, calling the vote hypocritical. It remains to be seen if the issue will be revisited next year, but for now, individuals with felony convictions in Tennessee face hurdles in regaining their voting rights.

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Photo credit apnews.com

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