Bill Text: MN SF824 | 2011-2012 | 87th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Right to vote restoration notice requirements
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-03-16 - Referred to Judiciary and Public Safety [SF824 Detail]
Download: Minnesota-2011-SF824-Introduced.html
1.2relating to civil rights; requiring notices of restoration of civil rights and of
1.3possible loss of civil rights;proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes,
1.4chapters 201; 243; 630.
1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.6 Section 1. [201.280] DUTIES OF SECRETARY OF STATE; INFORMATION
1.7ABOUT VOTING RIGHTS.
1.8The secretary of state shall develop accurate and complete information in a single
1.9publication about the voting rights of people who have been charged with or convicted
1.10of a crime. This publication must be made available electronically to the state court
1.11administrator for distribution to judges, court personnel, probation officers, and the
1.12Department of Corrections for distribution to corrections officials, parole officers, and
1.13the public.
1.14 Sec. 2. [243.205] NOTICE OF RESTORATION OF RIGHT TO VOTE.
1.15 Subdivision 1. Correctional facilities; designation of official. The chief executive
1.16officer of each state and local correctional facility shall designate an official within the
1.17facility to provide the notice required under this section to inmates who have been restored
1.18to civil rights. The official may also maintain a supply of voter registration applications
1.19and informational materials to accompany the notice.
1.20 Subd. 2. Notice requirement. A notice of restoration of civil rights must be
1.21provided as follows:
1.22(1) the chief executive officer of each state and local correctional facility shall
1.23provide the notice and may provide a voter registration application to an inmate being
2.1released from the facility following incarceration for a felony-level offense if the inmate's
2.2sentence is discharged and civil rights restored under section 609.165; and
2.3(2) a probation officer or supervised release agent shall provide the notice and may
2.4provide a voter registration application when an individual under correctional supervision
2.5for a felony-level offense is discharged from sentence and the individual's civil rights
2.6have been restored under section 609.165.
2.7 Subd. 3. Form of notice. The notice required by subdivision 2 must appear
2.8substantially as follows:
2.9"NOTICE OF RESTORATION OF CIVIL RIGHTS, INCLUDING
2.10YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE.
2.11Your final discharge today means that your civil rights have been restored. This
2.12includes a restoration of your right to vote in Minnesota. Before you can vote on election
2.13day, you still need to register to vote. To register, you can complete a voter registration
2.14application and return it to the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State. You also can
2.15register to vote in your polling place on election day. You will not be permitted to cast a
2.16ballot until you register to vote. The first time you appear at your polling place to cast a
2.17ballot, you may be required to provide proof of your current residence."
2.18 Subd. 4. Failure to provide notice. A failure to provide proper notice as required
2.19by this section does not prevent the restoration of an inmate's civil rights upon discharge.
2.20 Sec. 3. [630.125] DEFENDANT; NOTICE OF LOSS OF CIVIL RIGHTS UPON
2.21CONVICTION.
2.22For felony-level offenses, at the time of arraignment, prior to the court's acceptance
2.23of a plea from the defendant, the court must notify the defendant that a guilty plea or
2.24conviction for a felony-level offense will result in a loss of the defendant's civil rights,
2.25including the right to vote, until the defendant's sentence has been discharged.
1.3possible loss of civil rights;proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes,
1.4chapters 201; 243; 630.
1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.6 Section 1. [201.280] DUTIES OF SECRETARY OF STATE; INFORMATION
1.7ABOUT VOTING RIGHTS.
1.8The secretary of state shall develop accurate and complete information in a single
1.9publication about the voting rights of people who have been charged with or convicted
1.10of a crime. This publication must be made available electronically to the state court
1.11administrator for distribution to judges, court personnel, probation officers, and the
1.12Department of Corrections for distribution to corrections officials, parole officers, and
1.13the public.
1.14 Sec. 2. [243.205] NOTICE OF RESTORATION OF RIGHT TO VOTE.
1.15 Subdivision 1. Correctional facilities; designation of official. The chief executive
1.16officer of each state and local correctional facility shall designate an official within the
1.17facility to provide the notice required under this section to inmates who have been restored
1.18to civil rights. The official may also maintain a supply of voter registration applications
1.19and informational materials to accompany the notice.
1.20 Subd. 2. Notice requirement. A notice of restoration of civil rights must be
1.21provided as follows:
1.22(1) the chief executive officer of each state and local correctional facility shall
1.23provide the notice and may provide a voter registration application to an inmate being
2.1released from the facility following incarceration for a felony-level offense if the inmate's
2.2sentence is discharged and civil rights restored under section 609.165; and
2.3(2) a probation officer or supervised release agent shall provide the notice and may
2.4provide a voter registration application when an individual under correctional supervision
2.5for a felony-level offense is discharged from sentence and the individual's civil rights
2.6have been restored under section 609.165.
2.7 Subd. 3. Form of notice. The notice required by subdivision 2 must appear
2.8substantially as follows:
2.9"NOTICE OF RESTORATION OF CIVIL RIGHTS, INCLUDING
2.10YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE.
2.11Your final discharge today means that your civil rights have been restored. This
2.12includes a restoration of your right to vote in Minnesota. Before you can vote on election
2.13day, you still need to register to vote. To register, you can complete a voter registration
2.14application and return it to the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State. You also can
2.15register to vote in your polling place on election day. You will not be permitted to cast a
2.16ballot until you register to vote. The first time you appear at your polling place to cast a
2.17ballot, you may be required to provide proof of your current residence."
2.18 Subd. 4. Failure to provide notice. A failure to provide proper notice as required
2.19by this section does not prevent the restoration of an inmate's civil rights upon discharge.
2.20 Sec. 3. [630.125] DEFENDANT; NOTICE OF LOSS OF CIVIL RIGHTS UPON
2.21CONVICTION.
2.22For felony-level offenses, at the time of arraignment, prior to the court's acceptance
2.23of a plea from the defendant, the court must notify the defendant that a guilty plea or
2.24conviction for a felony-level offense will result in a loss of the defendant's civil rights,
2.25including the right to vote, until the defendant's sentence has been discharged.
